Message from a Fellow Sociology Student Abroad in Rome

Ciao UMass Sociology Students!

I am studying abroad in Rome, Italy this semester and am having the time of
my life.  I am with API and studying at John Cabot University.  I have been
here for over a month now and can’t imagine leaving this place…although
much to my parents happiness I will be.  As a sociology student, I can’t
imagine a better thing to do then study abroad.  I have been unconsciously
observing the people, society and culture from the moment I got off the
plane (*for one thing they do not refrigerate their eggs here, go figure!
and everything closes from like 2-5 everyday so everyone can go home and
relax for a bit). I am taking some time off of sociology here, with classes
like: Intensive Italian, Fresco Painting, and Italian Cinema – not exactly
my average UMass schedule – but I am getting my SBS – global education
requirement out of the way.  With Italy’s class scheduling students only
have classes from Monday to Thursday.  This leaves plenty of time to travel
on weekends or stay and explore Rome.  I have already been to Sicily,
Florence, and Prague with my spring break booked for the end of March to
Barcelona and Paris.  I am on a tight budget and I am still able to do this
traveling – flights within Europe are so cheap. But I am making sure to
spend most of my time here in Rome: practicing my Italian with old women on
the tram ride to school, sitting near the fountain in Piazza Santa Maria
eating a gelato, fresh pasta and mozzarella at the drop of a euro… these
are just a few of my favorite things!  Rome is beautiful and despite some
rainy days the weather has been gorgeous!  There is so much to see in this
city – the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Vatican City,
Villa Borghese, and all of those piazzas.  The nightlife here is also great
– discotecas & clubs blasting techno music (i recommend I Rock, I Sweat, I
Dance by: Morris Corti), irish pubs playing all the sports,  and the
American bars to get a taste of home.

So as a peer adviser, I am not trying to brag here or anything I am just
trying to give you guys a taste of what it’s like to study abroad because I
highly recommend it! If money is an issue (it was for me too) it is still
doable – financial aid carries over, there are tons of scholarships
specifically for studying abroad, and worst worst case scenario – you take
out a student loan.  Well, I hope anyone who seriously thinks about the idea
of studying abroad.  I mean I would not pick any other location but Rome to
study abroad BUT Rome is just an example, you can study in London, Dublin,
Paris, Turkey, Australia…

I welcome any and all questions you might have about my experiences, just
email me at jgrazi@student.umass.edu.

Arrivederci!

Jaimie