Rome is fun while you learn!! Past Review

By Patrick w (Classical Studies (Latin), University of Florida) - abroad from 05/27/2013 to 06/27/2013 with

ISA Study Abroad in Rome, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The knowledge I gained during my trip is priceless. The ability to learn about great works while actually standing in them is something that you have to experience to understand it. As a classics major there is no other place on earth I could have gone to learn about my major. I would do it all over again it was definitely worth it!!!!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I had the please of taking my classes on-site. Everyday we got to see new and exciting monuments and learn about them in the field. The only drawback to this type of class is the reliance on public transportation. Rome has a large problem with their public transportation workers constantly going on strike. This fact made it difficult to always be on-time to class. If you plan on taking on-site classes in Rome you should bring extra cash for cabs just in case.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The ISA staff in Rome are great. Very friendly and always available. The excursions we took were well planned out and fun.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The ISA housing are basically apartments and all of your neighbors are local Italians. This is great for learning Italian and getting a real sense of immersion.
* Food:	Italy! Enough said!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The Italian people are very put off by tourists, and most are not very friendly.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	the ISA provides health insurance for the duration of the program. I did not have to use it, so I cannot fully comment on this.
* Safety:	There was never a point in my trip where I felt unsafe. However I did not go out drinking late at night and I made sure to stay in large groups. Overall Rome is a safe city with police all over the place.
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)	I am married and work full time so I do not operate on a students budget. I can say however that most of the students in my program did have a major issue with money. Rome is a very expensive city and you should plan on spending around $250-$300 a week on food and travel expenses.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$300 /week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	if you want to get the most out of your trip and make your money last I would highly recommend not drinking alcohol. Alcohol is extremely expensive in Rome because of the high tourist traffic.

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
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?	Latin 3
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?	Rome has a very high English speaking rate due to the high tourist rate.

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	Local Students Americans International Students
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 think I enjoyed most about the ISA program is the freedom you get to get lost in the city but still have the security of knowing the ISA staff is there if you need them.
* What could be improved?	The only aspect of the ISA program that could be enhanced is the travel to and from the excursions. A five hour bus ride to Florence is not ideal when there is a train that can get you there in an hour and a half.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew before hand just how expensive it would be to live in Rome.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	ARC 101 Intro to Archeology
Course Department:	Archeology/Classics
Instructor:	Dr. Pier Barone
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	If you have any background in Roman history this course will be a breeze. This course takes place on-site and is very educational.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	ARCL401 Rome to Augustus
Course Department:	Archeology/Classics
Instructor:	Dr. Gabriel Radle
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was amazing. It was extremely challenging but also very rewarding at the end. I learned so much about the Augustan period and Dr. Radle was a great teacher.
Credit Transfer Issues: