Rome: Living, Learning, and Adapting Past Review
By Andrew C (English, University of Maryland - College Park) for
The American University of Rome: Rome - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot about my own abilities to adapt to a culture that moves at a different speed than the United States. I loved the lively urban environment of Rome, and look forward to spending time in other cosmopolitan metropolises.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The American University of Rome provides a USA-style educational experience, which is comforting while living in an otherwise foreign culture. The standout experiences I had were with their Italian Language and English courses. My Italian teacher was a native Roman, which was a great opportunity to learn particular Roman idioms in the language. AUR has excellent film studies and literature professors also. And there are no classes held on Fridays which provides time to explore Rome on the long weekends. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The student life office was staffed daily to answer questions. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I bought a microwave, which was extremely valuable as a time-saving convenience over the course of the year. |
| * Food: |
Italian apartments have tiny refrigerators and sub-standard freezer quality compared to the USA, so it is necessary to buy fresh meat and produce often, and consume it quickly. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The student life office organized trips to various cultural events in the city, and classes often help on-site sessions at historical attractions. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Pick-pocketing on public transportation is the only major threat. The city has a popular nightlife scene that is well-policed. |
| 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? |
AUR sponsored a language exchange program, matching English and Italian speakers for weekely conversations to improve language acquisition. |
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? | Students interested in Art History and Film studies would absolutely benefit from this program. |
