Rome: A dirty kind of beautiful Past Review
By Stephanie M (Business, University of North Carolina - Wilmington) for
WorldStrides Study Abroad in Rome, Italy
My mind has been expanded in a way that can only happen when you're dropped completely out of your comfort zone with a bunch of other people who are out of their comfort zones. I made a couple of the very best friends I have through this program. I will definitely return to Italy.
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. |
Attendance policy seemed too strict, being that the majority of students were study abroad. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Always willing to sit down and talk to you... enthusiastic group. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Would have been nice to live with international students, rather than more Americans. Felt a bit isolated. |
| * Food: |
The program did not help with food. A guide to common or local cuisine would have been nice... I didn't know what anything was when I went to the grocery the first few times. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went on trips to the Amalfi Coast and Florence that were particularly fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Never had any safety or health problems. Didn't need vaccines. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Only people in class... I did need to use the language every day, but I didn't feel that I got a real feel of the language from the program. |
| 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?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Do it. This program is for someone who has at least some history of Italian- if you have none, get some. You live in the heart of Rome where not everyone speaks english- but it's better that way. You really get the flavor of the city. |
