Experience a Cultural Awakening in Italy Past Review
By Megan M (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) for
UW-Platteville Education Abroad at The American University of Rome (AUR)
My study abroad experience was definitely worthwhile. I got to experience a new culture by being immersed into it. I learned the language and had the opportunity to have an instructor guide me around the city.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was pretty similar to the workload of classes back home. It was easy. Most of the classes are lectures. There were some professors who graded harder than others, but all grading was fair. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Their support services were extremely helpful. If you stopped by the Student Life office they were able to answer any questions you had and any other problems were taken care of quickly. The program was large enough that you met a lot of different people, but small enough that classes didn't have more than 30 people in them. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in an very nice apartment. It was situated in a complex with other Italian families so you got to have conversations in Italian with your neighbors. It was close to the bus stop, so it was a 15 minute bus ride to campus (a half hour tops to walk) and a short bus ride to the city center. All of our sheets and cookware were supplied. |
| * Food: |
The food was so fresh and delicious! There were a lot of restaurants in the Trastevere area that had amazing food and student specials. Dar Poeta was a favorite for pizza. Also try Carlos Menta. The Hostaria del Moro da Tony is a MUST! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program arranged field trips to Tuscany, Assisi, and other areas around Italy. It was great to sign up for something so easy and then go. I also signed up for classes that took me around the city every class period. It was fantastic! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I always felt very safe in the city. Pick pocketing is pretty common, but if you keep your bag in front of you at all times it's not a big deal. I did not need any specific vaccines for this program. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | This really depends on how much you eat out vs cooking at home and how many different things you do each week. I could get almost a week's worth of groceries for about 20 euro. A lot of the museums offer student discounts, so that was very helpful. Bus passes were a euro each, though I would recommend the monthly bus pass. It was 30 euro, but you get unlimited rides on buses, trams, and local trains. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My advice would be to save some money by cooking the majority of your meals. It saves you a lot of money and it's just as delicious. |
Language
| 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? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | Be ready to cram a lot in! There is so much to see and do in Rome that you'll never have a dull moment. You'll always have something to go do, whether it be cultural or social. |
