Ready to Rome? Past Review
By Lindsey N (Business Administration- Management, Trinity University) for
Temple University International Programs: Rome - Temple University in Rome
I would say it was worthwhile. I feel different from how I use to think of the world. I appreciate what I have here in the U.S. more and understand, not entirely, different cultures. I think with any job that requires you to work over seas as an expatriate, it is important to understand the local culture. It creates avenues for better communication and in the "American" sense of values, productivity. I loved learning new things almost everyday and watching people. In Rome, you become a people watcher; it's what the Romans do. You become more acute to where a person is from by observing and listening to them. I value this ability now because my communication skills have improved greatly from it. In the future, I wouldn't mind working abroad in my field of choice.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was fair. During midterms, I had three tests in one day, back to back, and at the beginning of the week all the teachers were still teaching new material. That annoyed me because some classes covered three chapters in one day. I didn't feel like I had enough time to adequately study for everything. This problem was presented to the dean, by the teachers or maybe some other students, and the problem was fixed for finals. The workload was do-able and the grading system was fair, I think. There was a lot of lecture and power points for my business classes. For my other classes, Italian, Art and Sculpture, it was more interactive, which I loved. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Their accessiblity/support services were very good. If I had a question in regards to transcripts or best travel ideas, the university was able to help. I didn't have any issues during my time in Italy but from the looks of things I would say the administration was organized. My program had over 100 students. I liked the size because you met a lot of interesting people and a lot of times saw someone new everyday. I didn't really know what to expect going in to the program so I left that area open to anything that came. Overall, I would say I'm pretty satisfied for choosing Temple Rome. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The facilities were great. It wasn't a five star hotel by any means but I didn't expect to live in such a place. It was a 30 minute walk to the university and a bit quicker by metro and bus. I had 8:30a and 10:30a classes, so I utilized the metro quite a bit. I didn't need to buy anything for housing. It was all provided and the administration at the Residence was always helpful and they did a great job at protecting us; making sure people who didn't belong there didn't stay there. One thing I hated the most was living with Americans. The place that I lived in had pretty thin walls and the vast majority of the students that I lived around partied every night and came home around 3-4a loud as hell, screaming and being obnoxious. My roommates were the worst. If I could change anything I would have either lived in a homestay or found an apartment for myself. I went abroad by myself, so I couldn't choose my roommates, but if you go abroad with friends, then the living with other Americans might not be that bad. |
| * Food: |
The food was satisfying to say the least. There are a lot of farmers markets in the area and they have the best produce! When you go out to eat, be patient if you have special accommodation and learn what you need to say in Italian so the chef knows what to do with your food. Go to Trastevere and eat at Tonys. It's pretty Americanized but the proportions are great and the management is very accommodating. I would say, when you go out to eat, look at the menus that are displayed outside. If there is a lot translated into English, walk away and keep looking for a restaurant. Also look to see if the menu says "frozen food" somewhere on it. You don't want to eat there either. Go to Old Bridge and San Crispianos for Gelato. Old Bridge is wonderful and they give you huge servings. San Crispiano is a little more expensive but very good too. Coffee is amazing in Italy. You won't like Starbucks afterwards..except maybe Chai Tea still. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I went to London with my International Business class. We visited companies like EBRD, ING,Bloomberg and the American Embassy. We got to talk to top administrators and pick there brains about their business and culture events surrounding them. I loved this field trip and even got a few business cards for contacts. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I didn't have any health problems when I was there and I didn't need any special vaccinations for my trip. I was set up with health insurance through both my current university and my host university. My host university had specific doctors that we would see if we had any problems, they all spoke English. I also registered myslef with the American Embassy, I believe. If there were any problems going on in Italy, they would have contacted me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I could spend about 20-50 euros each week with food. It just depends on what I was eating. If I went to the grocery store I would spend maybe 30 euro depending on what I bought. Lunch was maybe 2.30-2.50 euro from the place I ate at.I didn't go out to clubs much. Drinks were over priced, 10 euro/drink. I did go to small bars that had beer on tap. The drinks were maybe 6 euros for a quality beer. Very good beer! (Trastevere). I did a lot of shopping. Usually in the spring semester, stores have sales and you can get some good items at very low prices. Everything is a little pricy on Via del Corso. So, make sure you know what the current exchange rate is before you just spend. 30 euro doesn't mean 30dollars, remember that. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you decide to use the metro a lot. I would buy the monthly pass. It is 30 euros and you have unlimited access to the metro and the buses. Make sure you fill out the card with your name and date because there are check points were you will be asked to present the pass. If you don't have it with you, you will get fined! Don't try to cheat the system either. The only country I saw that that was possible was in Paris, France. Train tickets can be very cheap depending on the time you want to leave. Check out TrenItalia for the information, there is an English option. For train tickets to Fiumincino they cost 14 euro. You can also take a bus that will cost around 4euros or more depending on if you pay for single way or round trip. Inside Rome, a taxi to the airport will cost around 30euro. Taxi's operate with either a 1 or 2. 1 is inside Rome and 2 is outside Rome. Make sure you check to see what number the taxi driver has on his meter. If you're inside Rome and the driver has a 2 on the meter, he knows you're a foreigner and is trying to dupe you. Correct him. If he refuses to change it, get out of the taxi. If you are travelling from the airport into Rome, the taxi will cost around 60euro because of the zone number, 2. For cheap flights, look up Ryanair and Easyjet. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I studied in Rome. Everyone there speaks Italian and talks to you in Italian. It was definitely a great environment to learn! My tips: Learn all the verb tenses. Expand your vocab. Try writing a journal. Practice! The biggest thing I had to overcome was speaking out loud to natives. I would get very nervous about messing up. However, keep this in mind, Italians love it when you try to speak their language. Many are friendly enough to correct you and are more prone to be helpful when they see you try. They appreciate you appreciating their culture. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Have patience with yourself, with others and with the local culture. If you're open to new things you might be surprised to what you learn about yourself. A student who is mature, open for a challenge and inquisitive of different cultures will benefit from this program. |
