An amazing 5 weeks Past Review
By A student (University of California - San Diego / UCSD) - abroad from 06/23/2016 to 07/30/2016 with
UC San Diego Global Seminars: Rome - Revelle in Rome: Humanities 3
I gained a greater self-dependency in being able to navigate a foreign environment comfortably.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While the experience does introduce a lot of new material that probably has not been taught before, the interactiveness of learning the history and facts while actually seeing what is being taught about makes the influx of information much less daunting and easier to digest. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The ISA workers who assisted the program were exceptional. The office was easy to find and right next door to the university where we had lectures and everyone working there was unbelievably welcoming and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living in a residential area was an amazing experience as we were able to experience how daily life was for the people who live in Rome away from the bustle of tourists and the more touristy areas. The apartments we stayed in were on the older side but well furnished and surprisingly large and comfortable. One apartment easily housed anywhere from 5 to 6 students with enough space for each person to really spread out and enjoy the space. |
| * Food: |
Go where the locals go and you can't go wrong with how good the food was. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really got into the much slower pace of living but there wasn't much interaction with locals outside of buying food and other things. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Watch your valuables and keep track of everything you are carrying at all time. Keep a close eye and tight grip on any mobile technology you own. |
| 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) |
Food is cheaper depending on where you go. Groceries, especially produce, was much cheaper than expected. The only real expenses came from buying souvenirs or items from highly touristy areas. |
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 |
There were some number of classes provided that taught Italian integrated into the lectures planned for the course. |
| 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 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Take a few basic Italian classes or at least familiarize yourself with terms for transportation and locations you are staying at. Shop owners are surprisingly fluent in English even in the more local populated areas away from tourist locations but English understanding and fluency varies widely depending on location. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I'd had a better plan for going to more places while I was there. |
