IES Abroad Rome – Language & Area Studies

One of my most memorable experiences was getting to be in Rome when the new Pope was elected. I remember my roommate and I were walking home from class one night and we had stopped for cannoli on the way from a Sicilian place near our apartment. When we got back home a friend had the tv turned on to the news and we saw white smoke, we immediately notified everyone and started running through the streets of Rome to head to Vatican City. We got to be there in the crowded piazza when Papa Francesco spoke his first words on the balcony to the people of Rome and since he is from Argentina he spoke clear and simple Italian so we were able to understand him which was so cool. Definitely a night that I will never forget. I chose IES Roma because I heard it was a great program and already knew students who had been on it previously. I lived in an apartment with 4 other girls, it was really spacious. There were two people to a room, one living/dining room and a kitchen with a breakfast table. There is no air conditioning and sometimes the hot water runs out but that is not a big deal! I always felt really safe in my living accommodations. We had balconies which were so nice to sit out on when the weather was good.

Picking one memorable experience seems nearly impossible. The entire semester was filled with amazing experiences. If I had to pick one experience, I would say the amazing day I spent at a small, family-owned olive oil farm. A group of friends and I spent the day raking olives from trees, eating amazing food, and spending time with great people. This was the definition of cultural immersion, and a day that I will remember for the rest of my life! I chose my program after meeting with a girl from my school who had just completed a semester with IES Rome. She told me a story about her getting very sick, and one of the IES Rome staff members drove her to the hospital and stayed with her the entire time. She talked very highly of all the IES Rome staff members and their commitment to making sure you have the best study abroad experience possible. Leaving home to live in another country for 4 months can be extremely scary. IES Rome made it easy! I lived in an apartment with 5 other girls, 1 being an Italian student. I shared a room with 2 other people. We had 2 bathrooms for the 6 of us. Our apartment was about 15 minutes away from our school, right in the heart of Rome. The apartment was pretty old, but we had everything we needed (except a microwave)!

My most memorable experience was seeing the papal inauguration of Pope Francis. I was able to see Pope Benedict XVI's last papal audience and then see Pope Francis' first papal audience. Being apart of these historical moments were something I'll never forget. News reporters and important world leaders from all over the world came to witness these events too, making it even more exciting. I chose IES Rome because I knew I wanted to study in Italy and experience the Italian culture, food and lifestyle. My options were between Florence, Milan, Sienna, Florence, and Rome. After visiting all of these places during my stay, I know I made the right decision choosing Rome. There's so much history, so much to do and see. If I had to choose all over again, I would choose Rome hands down. As far as living goes, students either chose to live in a homestay or apartment. I lived in an apartment in the Trastevere neighborhood. Students mostly lived in either Trastevere, Prati or Monte Verde neighborhoods if they lived in apartments. Apartments had everything provided for us- bedding, kitchen supplies, furniture, etc.