The best semester of my life Past Review
By becca.salzman (BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES., University of Maryland - College Park) - abroad from 01/22/2014 to 05/14/2014 with
The American University of Rome: Rome - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I would not change my experience for anything. I wish I did not have to leave and hope to be back again. I've learned a lot about myself and come to appreciate culture and all the different things the world has to offer.
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. |
I enjoyed the variety of specialized classes AUR had to offer. Professor's are very passionate about the subjects and somewhat understanding of a study-abroad student's heavy travel schedule. However, things were rushed to be done at the end of the semester and some professor's did not clearly outline expectations. The material you learn is interesting but the teaching is not the best professional experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Student Life was always available to help you and easily accessible. They were very transparent with all issues and once at AUR, there were no problems that came up that could not be solved in a timely and effective manner. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was able to live with people I wanted to and still get to meet new people too. The apartment was in good condition, however, it was definitely an adjustment from the American way of living. |
| * Food: |
Great food close by or further away and lots of different things to try! Never gets boring! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
On campus at AUR, I did not feel very integrated into the local culture except in Italian class. Off campus, it was complete immersion. I loved experiencing everything for myself and exploring Rome. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not personally have any issues. |
| * Safety: |
The apartments and on campus are safe, but be careful going out especially at night. Always watch your bag and be consciously aware. A few of my friends were jumped or robbed so travel in groups and take a taxi if needed to stay safe. |
| 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) |
Because of the exchange rate, things here are more expensive in general. Add onto that the costs of traveling and wanting to do extra activities and go out to eat. If I really tried and did not do anything, I could get by on about $100/week but usually I spent more depending on the week and what I was doing or where I was going. Make sure you can easily take out money from ATM's that are easily accessible!! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $100-200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy store brand groceries to save some money and bargain! Almost everywhere you go to a market, etc. you can bargain. Just make sure you evaluate if the cost of something is really worth what you would be getting out of it. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I love my Italian class and was very immersed in the language in class. On the other hand, once I left class I rarely used Italian and could usually get by with English. I wish I used it more but it was just easier to speak in English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4 years of Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make Italian friends and make an effort to speak the language with the locals! |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | Do not expect to live like you do back at home. Be prepared to make a lot of changes and expect to be in a culture shock. It's ok to not love it all at first, it takes time and you will come to appreciate it all more later on. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
