Sunday, July 8, 2012
Now that my study abroad session in Rome has come to an end, it is time to reflect on the experience.
One of the most common answers people give when asked what they regret not doing the most when they were in college is “study abroad.” I now can see why. Over the past six weeks, I studied in Rome, and I had the experience of a lifetime. This had been in my plans since Fall 2010, and it took a lot of paperwork and follow-ups to finalize this excursion. Despite how tedious the bureaucratic process was, it was worth it all. When I first arrived in Rome, I had no idea who my roommates were or even how many of them there would be. I was concerned that maybe I wouldn’t like them, but it turned out they were the best roommates I could ask for because of our similarities and because we always looked out for one another. I usually took some time …
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Need help with planning your next trip to Europe? I give a brief overview of what to do when planning a vacation in Europe.
My aunt Patty recently asked a good question in the comment section in last week’s study abroad article. She asked how do students manage to travel while abroad and what types of transportation seem to be the most popular. This week I am going into detail on this topic and I hope this will help in any of your future European endeavors. Traveling to other cities while based in Europe can be simple, if you put your mind to it. Where you are in Europe could affect how much plane and train tickets cost. For example, a train ticket from Paris to Rome will be significantly more expensive than a train ticket from Paris to Brussels. To get us all on the same page, let’s assume your home base is Rome. Next question is where would you like to go? Is…
Monday, June 4, 2012
A small recap of my time in Rome so far and some advice on how to handle money while traveling.
It’s a little hard to believe that I’m approaching three weeks since I arrived in Rome, and it is really feeling like home now. After about a week of sightseeing and acclimation, I could confidently give directions and navigate without worries. Many people who take vacations to mega-cities such as Rome never reach this comfort level because they don’t spend enough time there to become immersed. At least a week, maybe even a week and a half, is needed to get a good grip on the environment. I will be in Rome until next Thursday the 14th, at which time I will be venturing to London to see how the city is setting up for the upcoming Summer Olympics. I will then return to Rome for finals week. Some students at school are planning trips every …
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
In this two-for-one column, see what you should do to balance studying and sightseeing while abroad and check out a recap of a weekend trip to the Campania region of Italy.
Trying to balance schoolwork and free time in a brand new environment can be difficult, especially if the environment is Italy. Whether you plan to study abroad for five weeks or five months, it is crucial to remember that you are overseas for an education first, with entertainment coming second. I am taking a three-credit course about the history of the popes, and it meets Mondays and Wednesdays for four hours per session. There are a couple of classes on-site, meaning we will be taking field trips to ancient Roman locations. It is inferred that the material we learn from these trips will be on the final exam. So far, there hasn’t been any homework and the two tests for the entire summer are take-home tests. Although it sounds easy so far…
Monday, May 21, 2012
Greetings from Italy! Get a student's perspective on studying abroad as I take a class in Rome for five weeks and see what the city has to offer.
Buon giorno from Italia! For the next five weeks, I will be taking a class at John Cabot University in Rome and, at the same time, seeing all of what the Eternal City has to offer. Feel free to follow me in my adventures and see what college life is like overseas. I arrived in Italy early Thursday morning, at around 7 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). After waiting in a snaking passport control line for about a half hour, I cleared customs without a problem and made my way over to the school’s check-in location. Before I go into that, I was really surprised at what customs in Italy actually was: nothing. You hand the customs agent your passport through a glass booth, they look at you, stamp a page and hand it right back, no questions asked. I …
PATTY BILYO
1:41 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. more ›