Completely Worth It Past Review
By A student (University of California - San Diego / UCSD) - abroad from 06/26/2016 to 07/30/2016 with
UC San Diego Global Seminars: Rome - Revelle in Rome: Humanities 3
My sense of normal is not the same sense of normal for someone else. Italy is literally built on history, so someone who lives in Rome could just casually walk past the Pantheon and have gelato one afternoon, or visit a church that has beautifully constructed architecture. It is definitely worthwhile, and I plan on visiting Italy again in the future.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Super immersive--readings, lectures, and excursions were all related to each other in the class |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Some of the outlets weren't working all that well, and we needed fans in the summer time since there were no ACs, so it took a while before we were able to get more fans. |
| * Food: |
Delicious. Gelato just 2 minutes away from the apartment. Good food everywhere. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I used the same transportation everyone else did, walked around a lot more, said ciao when entering and leaving buildings. For 5 weeks, it was decent. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a very bad case of eczema due to the heat. After discussing it with my professor and administration, we received another fan for our apartment. |
| * Safety: |
Generally very safe. Just pickpocketing issues, so everyone needs to keep an eye out for their belongings. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It's not enough just to go to a country to take the courses. You need to experience the views, the museums, and whatever else the country has to offer. Global Seminars helps provide opportunities for excursions, and they've made the whole experience much more meaningful. |
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) |
I cooked like I normally would, and the grocery store was in walking distance. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Pack lunches. Bring water. |
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 |
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| 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? | 3 years of a different foreign language other than Italian |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | Bring more clothing that is breathable, since it's very hot in Italy in the summer. |
