Italy: A Whole New World Past Review
By Elizabeth e (Communication Studies, American University) for
The American University of Rome: Rome - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I became more comfortable speaking Italian, and traveling alone. The program definitely expanded my cultural awareness; for the most part I didn't experience much culture shock moving from NY to Rome, but there are some differences I had to get used to.
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. |
Workload was not difficult; did not hinder my ability to travel around the city/Europe. Teachers were good for the most part, but some were very nit-picky when grading which made getting high marks difficult. Enjoyed the lighter workload. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Didn't know housing situation before arrival, nice location personally, but everyone was very spread out which was annoying. Liked the program size; it was small, so I got to see people I knew everyday. My expectations were met. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I wish I had known my roommates beforehand, as well as my address. I felt very safe in my neighborhood (Monte Verde) and was comfortable walking around at night. Nice and close to the bus and tram stops, so getting to nightlife/class was easy. However, on days when there were bus strikes it was frustrating, because the walk to campus was 30+ minutes. |
| * Food: |
No qualms; the food here was fantastic. I recommend Pancotto and Osteria Pucci, both on Viale Trastevere. For gelato, I recommend Giolitti's by the Pantheon, and San Crispino just off Via del Corso. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
AUR-organized weekend trips were fantastic; packed a lot of traveling and touring into two weekends (first weekend -- Tuscany [Pisa, Florence, Trequanda], second weekend -- Campania [Mt. Vesuvius/Sorrento, Naples/Pompeii, Capri]). |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Try to avoid walking around at night by yourself, especially if you're in a dangerous neighborhood. AUR will give you a card with emergency numbers at the start of the semester; always have that (and a phone) with you. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Speak the language whenever you're out (at a pub, grocery store, clothing store, etc), unless it's an emergency. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | The workload is not heavy, so you have no excuse to ever spend a weekend in your apartment; I did that, and I regret it. Rome is a cultural center for the world, so there's always something to do. Never get lazy, always explore, get lost and reward yourself for finding your way back with gelato. The work is not hard, but don't slack off, though, because some teachers can be very nit-picky about the work you hand in. Don't be lazy about it, but don't make it your whole experience here. This program forces you to get into the city, with topography projects and on-site classes, so a student who really wants to feel immersed in the culture would enjoy this program greatly. Students who are also a bit nervous about European travels would also benefit from this program, as the school arranges quite a few Italian weekend and day trips to ease you in and get you more comfortable with travel. Students who want to see the same faces and friends every day, and want teachers to know their names would enjoy this program; it's very comforting to have the teachers know who you are, and it's nice to be able to see your friends every day. |
