Too Much Coffee Past Review

By mary s (Textile Development and Marketing, SUNY - Fashion Institute of Technology) - abroad from 01/20/2015 to 05/12/2015 with

The American University of Rome: Rome - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

A deeper understanding of myself and a greater sense of independence. I also learned to be more patient and let be because it's really okay that the bus is a million minutes late, what can I possible do to change the situation? I love Rome as a city and I am so glad I picked it as the location for my study abroad time.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	My classes took some getting used to at the beginning, but now I'm sad they're over! I really enjoyed my professors and the small classes. They expect a lot from you, which can be hard for a study abroad student as you may be more focused on travel and friendships then schoolwork, but you figure it out eventually.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They are always willing to help and respond incredibly quickly to any issue you may have.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Not the best but definitely not the worst. I was just happy to be near a tram, near a bus, and relatively close to the center of Rome. It felt very far away at first, but that was before I realized just how massive Rome as a city actually is.
* Food:	It's Italy. Enough said.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	This is my own fault, I needed to push myself out of the AUR bubble as it is predominantly American students. It's hard but as campus feels fairly removed from town, I spent a lot of my time just shuttling between campus and home, not necessarily interacting with the culture around me like I had planned until I started to feel more comfortable with school and friends etc.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	If you're not traveling a lot, it's rather easy and cheap-ish in Rome. If you are traveling however....
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	40 euro a week on food, tops, and probably 20 euro a week on coffee because it became an addiction
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	MAKE FOOD ON YOUR OWN

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	I really wish I had been able to use my language skills more on campus as I spent a massive amount of time there doing work.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
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?	Italian 5
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?	Go out on your own more, this gets rid of the safety of American friends and thus, english. Force yourself to talk in Italian to more people, even if it's just ordering a cappuccino

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Classes/Teachers Living in Rome (so much better than living in Florence) meeting everyone in my cl
* What could be improved?	Use of Italian at school/ bigger push to be more involved in Italian culture Class scheduling (maybe have Italian more often?)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I would have only taken 4 classes from the beginning. I would have gone to explore more of Rome before classes got more involved. I would have gone off on my own more to practice the language and just have more "me time".

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 Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	ENG308: Playful Subversion in Postmodern Text
Course Department:	ENG
Instructor:	Andrea Pacor
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Made me use my brain more than any other class while also being the most fun. I miss this class already!
Credit Transfer Issues: