Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Very Memorable Experience to Last a Lifetime! Past Review

By (Providence College) - abroad from 01/07/2014 to 04/26/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned the different aspects of Italian culture, I learned to appreciate the language more, and I look forward to using what I've learned here for when I come back in the future!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Many of the classes could have been more structured and conducive to learning. The Italian class could have been better organized for teaching.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration is very welcoming and friendly and are always there to help you with anything you may need.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was very nice, safe, and welcoming, though the walk to class is pretty far and the cost of housing for the program is very expensive.

* Food:

The food in Italy is AMAZING wherever you go. The cooking class and Pizza and Gelato Crawl CEA events were the best!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated with the local culture, though I had to trade that for getting to know everyone on the program better since we all lived so far away from each other.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Prati, Roma is a very safe neighborhood and I never felt unsafe in the area, even at night.

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)

The Euro to Dollar exchange rate keeps getting worse so it gets more difficult to stay within my budget. Also because everything in Rome is so amazing and you want to spend money on everything!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $150 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Create a budget for each category per week that you should be spending on food, travel, and souvenirs. It will definitely help you stay on budget if you record everything you buy

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We have Italian class everyday, though the class is very unstructured and poorly taught for the most part

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? AP Latin
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Use it whenever you talk to Italians. Try to hold basic conversations with them wherever you go

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The Food and Gelato
  • The Historical Sites
  • The Friendliness of the Locals
* What could be improved?
  • The cost of the program
  • The size of the CEA building for classes
  • Create a Library!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Always bring less than you think you need and learn some Italian basics before you start the program!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.