IES Abroad Rome – Language & Area Studies

My time in Rome was the best 4 months of my life. The IES program did a fantastic job of immersing us in the culture by providing fun activities relating to Italian culture. We enjoyed pasta making, olive oil tasting, pizza making, honey tasting, and art-related projects with the Italian students. Essentially, the courses provided us with tours and information on the main attractions of Rome, but also the niche ones I would not have found any other way. Exploring the city was my favorite thing to do and I would find myself wandering around until I found something new and explored it. I made incredible friends and made memories with people I had just met just to enjoy this experience to the max. I was thrilled to have met such amazing people including the Italian mentors who gave us great insight being our age in Rome. We learned the dos and don'ts of the culture and I felt confident in myself to be independent in a new place. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who is still deciding. You won't ever regret it.

In Fall 2019 I studied abroad through IES Abroad's Rome Language and Area Studies Program. They offer a wide variety of courses and I was able to take classes that counted toward my journalism major. The classes were oriented around Italian culture which helped to make my whole experience extremely immersive. I learned about Italian cinema, Roman history and made an entire documentary in the streets of Rome. Italian language classes were extremely effective and I felt my speaking skills improved drastically in the time I was there. My housing was clean, comfortable and in a beautiful neighborhood. The best part of my experience was making friends with my 7 roommates- many of whom I still regularly stay in touch with. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I dream of going back all the time!

This past fall 2019, I had the exciting opportunity to study abroad through IES Abroad's Rome Language and Area Studies Program. With lectures in and outside of the classroom, my coursework and the IES Rome faculty made my studies in Rome extremely immersive. IES Rome's organized events and homestay housing also gave a great introduction to Roman and Italian culture and inspired me to discover more about my host city on my own. I could not have asked for a better experience!

I studied with IES Abroad Rome for the full academic year during my sophomore year of college and had the time of my life. IES was easy to work with both pre-departure and on-site. Before arrival, any questions that I had were answered promptly and thoroughly and the whole experience was very nice. The on-site staff in Rome were all wonderful. They are kind and dedicated people who are committed to ensuring that students have the best experience possible while they are abroad. All of the professors that I had the opportunity to study with were amazing. They were all very knowledgable in their field and made the classes both informative and enjoyable. My homestay was also amazing. It was located in the center of Rome, very close to the IES Center and with easy access to anything that I could possibly need, and my host family was very kind and welcoming. Overall, I had an incredible experience with IES Abroad and would recommend them to anyone wanting to have a truly fun and enriching experience.

A great opportunity for self-growth, adventure, and a wider sense of the world. IES Rome gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in Italian culture and encouraged me to use my language skills. I became quite familiar with Rome and grew to really love the city and its thousands of years of history. Having a home base in Rome additionally allowed me to travel to many different places in Italy including Cinque Terre, Venice, Amalfi, Florence, Milan, and San Gimignano. It was an incredible 4 months and I am so happy and grateful that I was able to have such a once-in-a-lifetime semester.

I had an amazing time at IES Rome! I was originally hesitant to even consider going abroad, but after some persuasion from my friends, I decided that Rome was the place for me. I heard about IES through some friends of mine who really enjoyed the program and had nothing but amazing things to say about it, my experience was amazing and the reviews I heard were extremely on point. The program director and the professors I had throughout the semester were amazing and an invaluable source of support whenever I needed help or had questions about the program. If you do decide to go abroad, IES and Rome specifically were amazing!!! If you choose IES, say hi to Gianni Ponti, he is the best resource if you have any issues or just want to talk!

Studying abroad in Rome through IES was easily one the best decisions I have ever made. I owe a large part my incredible, once in a lifetime experience to IES and specifically the wonderful staff and students of this program. Before even leaving the United States IES was there every step of the way to ensure I was prepared for my departure. From the second you land in Rome they are there for you, literally picking you up at the airport. They do everything they can to make sure you are comfortable, safe, and immersed by holding a week long orientation and by staff, including the director, having open door policies so you never feel uncomfortable approaching them. The program offers multiple social/cultural events throughout the semester and each class has numerous field studies into the city so you are learning on site. For instance, for my Italian and politics class we were able to go to parliament and even interview a current senator! There is nothing comparable to living and studying in the heart of the eternal city.

I did the Rome – Language and Area Studies program during the Fall of 2018. From start to finish, it was an amazing experience! IES was there to guide me every step of the way. They pick you up at the airport, give you a full week of orientation, and the staff will help you with whatever you need. The staff are super accessible, really friendly, and they want to help. They also are amazing about housing. They will go out of their way to house you with people they think you will get along with. Those people will become your best friends abroad! I was in a homestay, and my host mom was super nice and took care of us like a real mom. If you don't speak Italian, but still are thinking about being in a homestay, I highly recommend it. Most IES homestay moms actually speak really good English! The courses are not difficult but not too easy. The best part, though, is that they are super interesting and the professors will actually take you on-site to show you what you've been learning about. IES Rome plans a bunch of extracurricular excursions, too, so if you like learning about culture you will absolutely have plenty of pre-planned activities to choose from.

Studying abroad for a semester in Rome was the best decision I could have made! IES helped to assist with any problem or question that I had. Transitioning to a new culture can be difficult, but you are surrounded by people in your program who feel the same way. There was never a shortage of adventure and Rome is filled with so much history, good food, and amazing people. There are many opportunities to get involved in the community. My program offered cooking classes, extra tutoring in Italian, and the opportunity to play on a soccer team. Every week we received a bulletin that showed us different events happening in or around the city and gave recommendations on day/ weekend trips. I was able to travel not only throughout Italy but also a few other countries in Europe. I really enjoyed the teaching style offered through IES, as part of the courses you get to go out into the city and learn about the history and what you're learning exactly where it took place (learning about the Roman Forum was way more fun being there and seeing the monuments as opposed to seeing pictures of them on a screen in a classroom). The location of my apartment was perfect, I was located in the city center where I was a 2-minute walk away from the Pantheon, 10-minute walk from the Trevi Fountain, and a 15-minute walk to the Colosseum. I met amazing people that I still keep in touch with and made memories that will last a lifetime. My only regret is that I didn't choose to stay for a whole year!

Choosing to spend a semester studying at IES Abroad - Rome was one of the best decisions I have made in my college career. Studying in Rome gave me the chance to break away from my normal college routine and experience learning, working, and living in an entirely new and enjoyable way. The variety of courses at IES allowed me to further my studies in political science by studying both classic political philosophers like Machiavelli and the current events of modern Italian politics. IES also connected me with a great internship working for The International Spectator, Italy's oldest English-language of international affairs, where I worked as an editorial assistant in charge of communications and social media. The internship gave me excellent work experience and professional insight into the current dynamics of European politics. And even while studying and working, I still had ample time to explore the city of Rome during the week and to travel to different parts of Europe during the weekend. I was able to immerse myself in Italian culture and become more deeply connected to my Italian heritage and identity. IES helped to facilitate this by giving me the opportunity to have a local Italian student as my roomate during the semester, and by giving us a week off for Thanksgiving which I spent visiting my cousins in Sicily. I am very grateful for all that I learned and experienced during my time abroad, and have returned to the U.S. a more open-minded, confident, well-dressed, and all-together more Italian man than ever.

I can't thank IES Rome enough. The administration was honestly so helpful with everything and everything. Knew everyone on my program (100+ students) by name the first day. They were so understanding with any question and were available 24/7. The professors were experts on their subjects and I learned more on this semester abroad than I do at my home institution - which is saying a lot! The apartment I was assigned to was in an amazing neighborhood right next to Vatican City and wasn't touristy at all. I lived with 5 other IES students in a building that was all Italian families, it truly felt like being a local. Overall, IES Rome made the transition to living and studying abroad so seamless, allowing me to have the most fun I've had in my life.

Studying abroad in Rome was the BEST decision I ever made and choosing IES was a huge part of that. The Center is in an excellent location right in the heart of the city, which gives you access to everything. I had at least one field study a week, which was awesome. I got to see so many parts of Rome that I don't know if I would've seen on my own. Our housing was a little spread out, but all in the same area. I lived a block from the Supreme Court and my apartment building was along the Tiber. It took me less than 10 minutes to walk to class and I got to see a beautiful view of Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican every day. I also loved that we had longer classes during the week to make up for the fact that we didn't have classes on Fridays (besides field studies). I thought I'd hate having to take Italian, but it was honestly so helpful. I'm definitely not fluent, but I learned enough to get by all semester, which was very helpful. Overall, I had a great experience because of IES.

Getting the opportunity to study tourism & cultural heritage management in Rome was an absolute joy! I loved my program, the immersive academics and field studies were particularly memorable. As my program was separate and shorter than the semester program, we were separated from the rest of the IES students a lot and made on campus activities and making friends outside the program was difficult. But other than that, the program was amazing and the experience is one I will never forget.

I knew from the moment I went to college I wanted to study abroad in Rome, Italy for the academic year. IES Abroad Rome allowed me to fulfill that dream and experience the best that Rome had to offer. Every professor in this program is extremely passionate about what they teach and the weekly field studies for classes really allowed me to learn about art and culture within its context; a unique experience I will always treasure. In addition, IES is very accommodating to the needs of the students. For example, I wanted to participate in an internship in a gallery, but I also wanted take a painting class at RUFA (a local art university in Rome), and IES was very helpful in making that happen. While the academics were not very vigorous, this allowed for time and energy to immerse myself in the culture and really take advantage of what Rome had to offer.

I participated in the IES Abroad Rome - Language & Area Studies program during the Spring of 2017. I lived in an apartment, took classes in economics, art history, political science and Italian and immensely enjoyed traveling through Europe and exploring the city of Rome! I took Intensive Italian, which really enhanced by language skills and enabled me to be conversational in Italian by the end of the term. The IES Program instructors are engaging and passionate. I also traveled extensively during my time abroad—I went to 22 European cities and 14 countries! IES allows for a Monday - Thursday class schedule, with Fridays off - this structure is fantastic since it provides an extra day for travel or exploration of Rome. I cannot emphasize enough how amazing of an experience this spring was for me. My classes and professors were incredible, living as a Roman was truly like living a fairytale, and being immersed in the Italian culture day in and day out was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. I would do it again and again if I could!

I participated in this program in the Fall of 2016 and it among the best four months of my life. I lived in the heart of Rome, just minutes away from the Vatican, so it truly felt Roman. My classes were extremely interesting as the much of the classes actually took place outside of the classroom, in churches, museums, ruins, and monuments around the city, which was an amazing way to learn about the art and culture of Rome. The professors are all highly accomplished and clearly very passionate about their subjects. The program was constantly offering cultural programs at little or no cost. Some of the activities I participated in were tours of the spooky Capuchin crypts, a mosaic making class taught by the best mosaicists in the Rome, a behind the scenes tour of Castel Sant'Angelo, and a hot chocolate tasting. Additionally, this program offers one weekend trip included with tuition. I got to go on an amazing trip to the stunning Amalfi Coast, which was one of the best trips I had when I was studying abroad. The staff was always ready and willing to help us in any way they could and would answer any question no matter how big or small. This program exceeded my expectations and has created memories for me that I know will last a lifetime.

I was nervous, like many other students, before I went abroad. When selecting a college, a big thing to me was choosing a university where many students studied abroad. I was so enthusiastic about all of it until about a week before I left. I started to panic about what I would miss at school, if I had made a mistake going abroad, what if I had no friends abroad, what if I actually hadn't been learning Italian, what if I actually hated pasta? I won't say that all of my fears immediately vanished, but over the course of the semester, I had an absurdly overwhelming positive experience that I wouldn't trade for any frat party, any experience in America, any semester. I saw things I never knew existed, things that everyone knows exist; I met people who were kind, people who were mean, people who taught me things about myself, people who taught me things about the world, people I forgot in a second, people I will never forget. The only way to get this feeling and to get these experiences is to take the plunge yourself. Trust yourself, trust your desires, get away from the things you know and out of your comfort zone. You'll thank me and yourself later.

The best part of a semester abroad is the opportunity to truly live in another country. While this may seem obvious, anyone who has studied abroad will tell you that living in a country is so much more than just visiting it. During my semester in Rome, I truly felt like I was immersed in the culture and the country. Instead of a homestay, I chose to live in a program-sponsored apartment. One unique component of this was the chance to live with an Italian roommate. My roommate Lorenzo helped us with everything from the language to getting around the city while avoiding the crowds if possible. I soon realized that making espresso in our little kitchen and getting fresh vegetables at the market was much more of a Roman experience that just being able to walk by the Colosseum or the Vatican everyday (though that was nice too). IES not only encouraged us to reach out to the locals, but gave us the chance to live among them and like them. Roma o morte!

This program had it all: the freedom to travel around Europe, the ability to live with an Italian family, an inclusive and planned trip to Tuscany or Amalfi, amazing academics, but most importantly, the ability to make a difference while having a blast in la Bella Roma. In our time here, I feel we were able to leave an impact or a part of us in Rome; we became parts of the community rather than long-term tourists. The internship program really shaped my time in Rome. Some of my friends curated art galleries, others worked alongside chefs, and some taught in Italian schools (and didn't have to be fluent to do so.) I was able to get a first-hand look at the refugee crisis in Rome, through my public policy class (that had many great speakers and field trips) and my social action internship. I taught refugees English through IES, and it added such a meaningful dimension to my semester. My different IES professors were phenomenal teachers, who brought the city to us in the classroom and us out into the city on various field studies. I saw St. Peter's tomb and the underground necropolis there, I did a bike tour of Villa Borghese with my Italian class, and I visited an ethnic market in Rome's multicultural neighborhood. I never felt like I was stuck in the classroom. Although you have the option of living in apartments, I choose to live in a homestay, and it was a great decision for me. I learned a lot about the Italian culture while living in the very-hopping area of Trastevere, along with other homestay students. All in all, it was a fantastic program in a breath-taking city.

My semester in Rome was incredible. Getting the opportunity to live and intern in Rome, a city I had always dreamed of visiting, was absolutely amazing. There was always something to do and another hidden treasure to find. The classes I took were interesting and actually helped to enhance my experience. I wish I could go back to eating incredible food and drinking fantastic wine every day.