Summer in Rome Past Review

By Danielle G (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Rollins College) for

Trinity College Rome Campus: - Study Abroad in Italy

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

My experience was definitely worthwhile. I really got to understand the local culture better and all the classes were amazing. It was great to walk around the city and see all the art we talked about in class!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The workload was manageable and the students could actually enjoy the city and travel. The school is very similar to an American University and the professors are excellent! Since they are locals, they have so much to share about the city and the culture. I really enjoyed having walking tours -- it's so much better when you can see the art you're talking about in class!
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everyone was extremely nice and helpful.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The neighborhood is amazing and extremely well-located. It's very quiet and safe -- you definitely don't feel like you're in the middle of such a busy city. The hotel was a 3-min walk away from the school, which was great. The hotel itself could be a little better though. It was very plain even though it was really safe and everyone was extremely nice. The problem was that it got really hot after a while and the rooms didn't have fans. We had to ask at the front desk, but they didn't have enough for everyone. The family running the hotel is Italian, so we always had the chance to practice the language if we wanted to. They were extremely helpful!
* Food:	The school was always willing to accommodate all dietary preferences. They provided bread, pasta, meat/vegetable dish, and dessert. The vegetables were not that great, but the pasta was always excellent. I would recommend trying restaurants in Testaccio, Trastevere, and the Jewish Ghetto -- the food is amazing and not very expensive!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I really liked the trip to Pompeii and Capri. The school organized trips to other cultural events (such as plays) and advertised many others.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Rome feels very safe, especially after you learn your way around. I would come back late (sometimes by myself) and I never had any issues. As I said, the neighborhood is extremely safe. Since it's close to the Egyptian embassy, there would always be two soldiers very close to the hotel.
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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	150-200 euros/week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	It's easy to balance the amount of money you want to spend. Breakfast was really cheap and it's easy to find inexpensive places to have dinner.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	Everyone spoke English at the school, but we definitely had to use the language in everyday interactions. The people there are extremely nice, so they are usually willing to try to understand you.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hotel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	It's a great program and you definitely learn a lot. The school and the hotel are at an amazing location -- on the Aventine, really close to the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Intensive Italian (Beginner)
Course Department:
Instructor:	Prof. Elena Fossà
Instruction Language:	English-Italian
Comments:	The professor was extremely nice and always willing to help us with the language.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Renaissance & Baroque Art of Rome
Course Department:
Instructor:	Prof. Livio Pestili
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The teacher was extremely knowledgeable and well-prepared. We had two classes per week, and one of them was a walking tour, which was always amazing!
Credit Transfer Issues: