Four months filled with constant adventures. Past Review
By Katie K (Providence College) - abroad from 01/07/2013 to 04/27/2013 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy
I learned about new food, traveling, reading maps, communicating with foreigners, being more independent, living without a cell phone (for the most part) and finding WiFi in all available places! Completely worthwhile.
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. |
I took interesting classes. The work was manageable, especially because we had every Friday off. |
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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? |
Great housing. Up to date facilities in my apartment. The location was one block away from the campus. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Extremely safe neighborhood. I felt like it was the Upper East Side of Rome. |
| 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) |
I managed, but everything is expensive. Especially because you are in Rome where you want to indulge in so many things. Also, traveling heightens your budget because you have to buy all of you meals when you are away not including the cost of flights and accommodations. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $350.00 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't go shopping for things that you can buy in the United States. It is best to buy groceries for independent breakfast and lunch, but it is easiest and cost effective to split the cost of making dinner as a group. (Easier and more fun). |
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 |
I would have loved to have left Italy speaking Italian fluently, but it's harder to get emerged in the language because so many people speak English. |
| 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? | 6 years of Spanish |
| 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? | Try to learn the basics of the Italian language before you get there. Since you are most likely not going to be fluent in Italian, aim to be able to communicate in restaurants, trains, espresso bars, airports, with cab drivers, etc. Learn the basics of the language that you will NEED to use. |
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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| 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 rain boots. Save AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE. |
