Emily’s Spring Semester in Rome, Italy

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Wish to hear from a school scholar who did a Examine + Internship overseas program in Italy? We lately caught up with AIFS Overseas participant and Pupil World Management Convention (SGLC) presenter Emily from the College of Arkansas, who spent her spring semester learning overseas within the historic metropolis of Rome. 

Learn on to study extra about Emily’s expertise with the AIFS Overseas Examine + Internship program in Rome. 

Selecting a Examine Overseas Program Vacation spot & Time period 

Deciding the place to examine or intern overseas may be troublesome for some college students (our workforce may help with that!) as a result of there are such a lot of superb locations you possibly can go along with AIFS Overseas. Luckily, regardless of your vacation spot, you’re in for a life-changing expertise. Hear why Emily selected to review and intern in Rome: 

“I selected Rome as a result of I wished to immerse myself in a metropolis wealthy in historical past, tradition, and on a regular basis life that felt completely different from something I’d skilled earlier than. Rome is an ideal mix of historic and fashionable, and I cherished the concept of learning amongst ruins, piazzas, and vibrant native life. Plus, the chance to journey all through Italy and Europe was an enormous bonus.   

I’d advocate this program to college students who’re adaptable, open to stepping exterior their consolation zone, and keen to have interaction with a brand new tradition. It’s nice for college kids who recognize historical past, artwork, and meals, but in addition for individuals who wish to problem themselves by navigating a metropolis that doesn’t all the time cater to vacationers. In the event you’re unbiased but in addition worth a structured help system, AIFS Overseas in Rome is a good selection!” 

Selecting a time period is one other necessary consideration. AIFS Overseas provides superb packages throughout all seasons of the 12 months. You possibly can go overseas within the spring or fall semesters, the summer season, and even January Time period! In the event you’re like Emily and which metropolis you wish to examine or intern overseas in, this may help you establish which time period is greatest for you: 

“I selected to review overseas within the spring semester as a result of I wished to expertise Rome because it transitioned from winter into hotter months. Spring felt like the proper steadiness—beginning off with fewer vacationers after which seeing the town come alive because the climate improved. It additionally gave me the prospect to expertise distinctive cultural occasions like Carnevale and Easter in Rome, which had been unbelievable to witness.” 

Lecturers Overseas 

No matter which AIFS Overseas program you select, you’ll have programs that can deepen your topic data and make it easier to work in the direction of getting your diploma. A few of our packages, like Emily’s, are primarily based in AIFS Overseas World Training Facilities, that are educational establishments designed for worldwide schooling, offering city-specific curricula for college kids and center-based help. Right here’s what Emily considered her program: 

“Whereas overseas, I attended the AIFS Overseas Rome [Global Education Center], which is affiliated with Fairfield College. The expertise was distinctive in that it blended educational studying with a very immersive cultural expertise. The college itself has a robust liberal arts focus, and I discovered the lessons to be participating, with professors who weren’t solely educated but in addition deeply related to the town and its historical past. 

One side that stood out was how a lot we had been inspired to benefit from Rome itself as a studying atmosphere. We had lessons that concerned area journeys to museums, historic websites, and even walks across the metropolis, which made the fabric come alive. It wasn’t nearly sitting in a classroom—it was about interacting with the atmosphere and studying by way of expertise. 

The smaller class sizes and the flexibility to have one-on-one conversations with professors helped me really feel supported and engaged. There was additionally a way of neighborhood amongst college students, lots of whom had been from completely different elements of the world, which made the general expertise really feel [even more] worldwide.” 

Examine overseas college students like Emily usually discover that their programs overseas are fairly completely different than what they’re used to at their dwelling universities: 

“The curriculum at AIFS Overseas in Rome was one of many highlights of my examine overseas expertise. The lessons weren’t nearly lectures; they integrated the town itself, making studying really feel extra immersive and interactive. I cherished attending to go to museums with my journey writing class. 

At my dwelling college, lessons are sometimes extra structured, lecture-heavy, and targeted on grades and deadlines. In distinction, my expertise overseas was extra experiential, discussion-based, and built-in with the encircling atmosphere. It challenged me to study differently and made me understand how a lot hands-on studying can improve schooling. 

I’d advocate learning overseas to college students who get pleasure from interactive, versatile studying and cultural exploration—it’s a totally completely different educational expertise from being on a conventional school campus!” 

Internship Expertise Overseas 

Emily selected a Examine + Internship overseas program, the proper selection for anybody who can’t determine between examine overseas and worldwide internship packages, or who can profit from a little bit little bit of each. These distinctive packages embody lessons along with a part-time in-person internship. Emily’s program included two part-time internships at an artwork gallery and occasion planning firm, each of which had been closely concerned locally and native points. Hear her talk about her internship schedule and the obligations she took on: 

“My internship schedule was structured however versatile, reflecting the extra relaxed Italian work tradition. I break up my time between [both internships], which gave me a various expertise in each social justice initiatives and occasion planning. 

As a Group Engagement & Occasion Planning Intern, I labored with [both organizations] to advertise social justice initiatives by way of artwork and neighborhood occasions. My obligations included: 

• Group Outreach: Assisted in selling paintings addressing social injustices throughout the Rome neighborhood, making certain engagement with each native and English-speaking audiences. 
• Occasion Coordination: Helped plan and execute fundraisers and neighborhood occasions that raised consciousness for social justice causes. 
• Advertising and marketing & Promotion: Created content material to promote occasions and exhibitions, making certain broad participation. 
• Logistics & Administration: Managed internship logistics independently, together with coordinating occasion particulars, artist collaborations, and promotional campaigns. 
• Cultural Adaptation: Labored in a world atmosphere, navigating language and cultural boundaries to successfully contribute to initiatives. 

This expertise strengthened my expertise in intercultural communication, occasion planning, and neighborhood advocacy whereas offering hands-on expertise in a world nonprofit and humanities setting.” 

Work Tradition Overseas 

American work tradition is thought for lengthy hours and prioritizing productiveness, oftentimes over well-being. One of many advantages of learning and/or interning overseas is discovering how completely different the work tradition is exterior the U.S. Right here’s what Emily needed to say concerning the work tradition at her internships in Rome: 

“The corporate tradition at [my internships] was collaborative, artistic, and deeply rooted in social influence. It was a dynamic, arts-driven atmosphere the place the main target was on fostering neighborhood engagement and elevating consciousness about social justice points by way of artwork and occasions. There was a robust sense of inclusivity, with everybody’s concepts valued, and collaboration was key to reaching the corporate’s objectives. The ambiance felt extra relaxed in comparison with conventional American workplaces, with a deal with constructing relationships and belief over formal constructions. 

Some of the notable variations from an American work atmosphere was the tempo and construction of the workday. In Italy, there was usually a extra laid-back method, with longer lunch breaks and a larger emphasis on private relationships, which created a extra fluid work schedule. In distinction, American workplaces have a tendency to emphasise effectivity and time administration, usually working on a extra inflexible schedule. There was additionally a stronger emphasis on collective decision-making, with group discussions guiding selections moderately than a top-down method that is perhaps extra frequent in some American corporations. 

Moreover, in Italy, work and life had been usually extra built-in, with social gatherings and occasions regularly overlapping with skilled actions. This helped create a way of neighborhood, the place work was seen as an extension of non-public values and relationships. In American workplaces, there tends to be a clearer separation between skilled and private lives, with a stronger deal with productiveness and particular person achievement.” 

Profession Alternatives 

One purpose to decide on an worldwide internship or Examine + Internship program is that it expands your profession horizons, permitting you to bolster your resume, develop worthwhile profession expertise, construct knowledgeable community, and stand out to future employers. As Emily explains: 

“The expertise offered invaluable expertise and insights which have considerably contributed to my profession improvement. The chance to work on social justice initiatives, interact with numerous communities, and handle occasion logistics has deepened my understanding of advocacy and community-based work. These expertise will straight inform my future profession in counseling, notably in household and marriage remedy, the place neighborhood engagement and the flexibility to navigate cultural variations are important. 

Moreover, the mentorship I obtained from the management workforce and the hands-on expertise in managing initiatives has strengthened my potential to take initiative and work independently—traits that can serve me effectively in any future counseling or nonprofit roles. This internship has performed a vital function in shaping my skilled trajectory, serving to me construct a robust basis for my profession in psychological well being and social providers.” 

Making Pals Overseas 

Whether or not you select to examine overseas with pals from dwelling or set out by yourself is your determination. Whereas taking that first step can really feel scary, do not forget that you’ll be making new pals as quickly as you arrive in your program vacation spot, simply as Emily did: 

“Constructing each private {and professional} connections whereas overseas was probably the most rewarding elements of my expertise in Rome. I made an effort to satisfy new folks by becoming a member of group actions, comparable to social occasions organized by my program, attending native meetups, and exploring the town with classmates. I additionally made connections with locals by way of occasions and even in on a regular basis settings, like espresso outlets or markets, the place informal conversations usually led to deeper connections. My recommendation to future members is to take the initiative—don’t await connections to return to you.” 

Language Studying 

In the event you’re like Emily and aren’t fluent in one other language, however wish to examine or intern overseas, don’t fear—you might be not required to be fluent in one other language. Whilst you don’t want to talk one other language for many packages, many college students like Emily use the chance to enhance their overseas language expertise: 

“Throughout my program in Rome, Italian was the first language spoken, and whereas I wasn’t required to know the language fluently to be eligible for this system, a primary understanding of Italian was useful. Though many individuals within the metropolis spoke some English, I rapidly realized that understanding Italian made every day interactions and navigating the native tradition a lot simpler, particularly in additional casual settings. 

All through my time in Italy, I labored on bettering my language expertise by actively participating with locals, utilizing language-learning apps, and attending occasions the place I might apply talking. By the top of my internship, I felt extra assured in primary conversations, particularly in work-related contexts, comparable to speaking with artists and occasion organizers. Whereas my fluency didn’t enhance dramatically, I used to be capable of handle on a regular basis conditions and contribute meaningfully to my work in a bilingual atmosphere.” 

Housing 

All AIFS Overseas packages embody scholar housing. Hear about Emily’s housing expertise in Rome: 

“Throughout my internship in Rome, I stayed in an residence with three different ladies. The residence was cozy and positioned in a vibrant neighborhood, which made it simple to discover the town, attend occasions, and meet up with pals. I appreciated that it had a completely outfitted kitchen, permitting us to prepare dinner meals and lower your expenses. The shared residing area additionally created a way of camaraderie, as we had been capable of bond over our experiences and profit from our time collectively.” 

Why AIFS Overseas? 

Let’s be trustworthy, if we had been to enter all the particulars of why college students select AIFS Overseas, we’d be right here all day; as a substitute, let’s hear why Emily selected our program: 

“I selected AIFS Overseas due to its sturdy status for offering immersive examine overseas experiences with nice help programs. I had heard that AIFS Overseas provides a well-organized program with built-in excursions, cultural actions, and internship alternatives, which actually appealed to me. I additionally appreciated that AIFS Overseas dealt with a whole lot of the logistics, like housing and visa help, making the transition smoother. Plus, I had heard from previous college students that the workers was actually supportive, and the programs had been participating and transferable to my diploma. 

The AIFS Overseas assets, workers, and advising had been extremely useful all through my examine overseas expertise, particularly when it got here to offering help and steering earlier than, throughout, and after this system. Earlier than I left, the pre-departure supplies had been thorough and offered worthwhile info on adjusting to life overseas, navigating cultural variations, and what to anticipate in Italy. The AIFS Overseas workers was all the time accessible to reply questions and provides recommendation, making certain I felt ready for my journey. 

Whereas overseas, the AIFS Overseas workers in Rome was supportive and accessible. They organized cultural excursions and provided alternatives to attach with different college students, which helped ease any emotions of isolation. Some of the worthwhile assets was mindhamok, a psychological well being instrument offered by AIFS Overseas that gave me an area to replicate on my experiences and feelings. Although I discovered psychological well being assets overseas weren’t closely promoted or simple to navigate, mindhamok was an excellent start line and helped me keep grounded throughout difficult moments. 

The advising I obtained throughout my time overseas was additionally incredible. The AIFS Overseas workers was all the time fast to reply to any considerations or questions I had, and so they made certain I used to be conscious of the assets accessible to me, each for educational and private help. Publish-program, they continued to test in and supply steering as I transitioned again to life at dwelling. General, AIFS Overseas performed an integral function in making my examine overseas expertise smoother and extra enriching.” 

Are you a scholar who’s prepared to review and intern overseas like Emily did in Rome? We’d love that can assist you begin your journey! 

Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to school college students examine and intern overseas. All our packages include many helpful inclusions, which takes a whole lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site workers, and extra, you’ll take consolation in understanding you’ll have help all through your total expertise overseas.