ICCS: All About the Ancients Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

If you want an in-depth understanding of Ancient Rome, ICCS is for you. I definitely learned a lot at Centro, and I absolutely loved living in Rome. Prepare to work hard at the Centro though. If you're looking to take a semester to experience something less academically intense than Wellesley, you should pick a different program. You spend most of your week in class and on field trips, all of which are accompanied by copious reading assignments. If you want a cultural experience in addition to all your new knowledge about Ancient Rome, you should probably look for a different program.

On-site administration of your program

The administration faculty and staff is usually around, and they are all incredibly friendly and lovely people.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Dorms vary in size and tend to be small doubles with bunk beds. They clean your room and change sheets for you once a week, which is a major plus. All housing is in the Centro, which is also where you eat, go to class, and study. There is a really nice garden and grill area out back though, as well as a terrace, which helps to counteract the sometimes stifling atmosphere.

Centro food is delicious. The cooks are the most lovely ladies you will ever meet, and they make great food. You're provided 3 meals a day during the week, and are on your own for the weekend. There is a grill and stove top in the garden for cook-outs, but you can also take advantage of that time to go out and experience the restaurants in Rome, because you won't want to miss any of the meals during the week.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

This is not a program centered on the Italian cultural experience. It's all about the ancient Romans. You shouldn't attend Centro expecting to hang out with the locals and become fluent in Italian. You spend all your time in class and on field trips with other Americans and American professors. You do learn more about the local culture on week long field trips,which you become integrated. You really have to work if you want to feel like you're having any sort of cultural education. There are some ways to feel more integrated, like finding a favorite bakery and barista, spending time at the local park around the corner, and buying your fruit at the fruit stand instead of at the grocery store. Taking the Renaissance art history course was also a good way to gain some cultural understanding, because the art and architecture from those times are still very prominent and influential in the modern city. The course also contributed to my understanding of the role of religion in Roman culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

You are required to buy Italian health insurance, which I don't recall being too expensive, but you should definitely not expect healthcare to be as easy as in the US. The program will help get you to a doctor if you need one though, and there is a nearby hospital.

I always felt safe walking around Rome, even at night. Just be smart about it and watch your stuff in the particularly touristy areas, and you'll be fine.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Rome is a relatively expensive city, but you can definitely work with smaller budget by going to a grocery store and not eating every meal out. The small things, like cappuccinos, pastries, and gelato can add up quickly (although much less quickly than Starbucks back home), so it really all depends on how much you want to spend and how closely you watch your budget.

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

Italian class was not required by the program, but I'd recommend that you at least audit it for a while. It's useful to know your numbers and basics of pronunciation. Most people in Rome speak English very well. As I mentioned before, the program is not nearly as much about the cultural experience as about the ancient Romans. There is an Italian table at lunch though, which you can sit with and learn basic Italian whether you're taking the intro course or not.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

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• Americans

• Centro food
• Spending 4 months in Rome
• The other students

• The cultural aspect of the program
• Balancing the work load with the amount of free time given