A Wonderful Experience for a Beginner Abroad Past Review
By A student (Neuroscience, Trinity University) - abroad from 02/04/2014 to 05/23/2014 with
IES Abroad: Study Rome - Language & Area Studies
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned about the history of Rome, from ancient to modern times and everything in between. And while I was abroad, I got to travel around Italy and to several other countries. It gave me a new perspective on the world and instilled a desire to see as much of it as I can. I will never forget the memories I made and the friends I met along the way.
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. |
Some of the upper division classes were difficult, but for the most part, classes were very easy. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would strongly recommend choosing to live with an International Student Companion (ISC) if you do not live with a host family. They really help you get out and see different parts of the city and meet new people. It gives you a unique perspective on the city and the culture. And all the ISCs in my program were so fun and nice! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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? | Not including travel weeks/weekends, about $100 per week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook your own meals and try not to eat out too often. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | If you are a beginning or have no language experience, take the Intensive course. It's a lot of class time, but its a lot of fun and you learn much quicker. It also helps if you practice having conversations in Italian with your roommates in the evenings. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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? | This program really leaves it up to you how immersed in the culture you will be. If you are motivated to do so, you can take advantage of their resources and really learn about the culture. But it is also easy to float around in your own little "American bubble" and not get a true Italian experience. If your main goal is just to travel and see new places rather than getting total cultural immersion, this program is great. But if you do want total immersion, you either have to work at it or perhaps find a different program that forces you a little more. Think a lot about what kind of experience you want to have before choosing a program. But whatever you choose, when it comes to studying abroad, you can't really go wrong! |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
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