Erasmus Experience in Rome, Italy by Thais

Why did you choose to go to Rome, Italy?

For three main reasons:
1st: since I'm brazilian and wanted to learn a new language during the semester, I thought italian would be a language that I would be able to learn in this short amount of time - and in fact, I was
2nd: the weather; for me it was very important to be in place with sun and not much rainny/cloudy days. Rome has a very nice weather!
3rd: a place with lots of different cultures. Here I was able to make friends from all over the world, get know different cultures and don't be surrounded by too many brazilians

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

6 months. I didn't receive any money because though I am doing my exchange in europe, I am from Brazil, and we don't have this kind of financial program back there.

What is the student lifestyle like in Rome?

For erasmus people, very chill. I was able to choose my courses, so I picked up ones that I knew I would enjoy and would have time to enjoy my time here as well. For italian people is a bit heavier, they study very had.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Rome to other students?

Yes. Rome is a very historical and beautiful city to be, and my university is very modern (in thoughts) and with a very nice campus as well

What is the food like?

AMAZING. Pizza, pasta, cheese, wine, chocolate everywhere.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Rome?

Yes, it was a bit hard. Here it's very common to rent a room in an apartment with other students, but since most of the buildings are very old, it was quite hard finding a good apartment.

How much does it cost to live in Rome?

For rent I pay 500 + 90 (expenses); I pay more or less 140/month for supermarket, the public transport monthly ticket is 35 and for entertainment I usually spent around 100/month.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

Depends where you come from. If you are from a country that speaks a language that derivates from latin (portuguese, spanish, french), it's easier. Yes, I did an italian course offered by my university.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Rome from your city?

By plane

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Rome?

Trastevere and then a club near Piramide metro station. There a few nice clubs on that area.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Rome?

Cajo&Cajo for pasta or pista, San Marino Pizzeria, Antica Roma 103 for pasta, Numbs Bistro, Osteria Chiana. Finding nice places to eat is not a hard job here

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The cliches: Colosseum, Pantheon, Vaticano, Villa Borghese. But I also recommend going to Roman Forum, watching a Pope's audience on wednesday morning, going to Sant'Angelo Bridge at night, Piazza Venezia, Piazza Barberini, Gianicolo for a nice panoramic view,and having a walk around the river.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Rome in the future?

Though Rome is the eternal city and a gorgeous one, its main problem is public transport. There are strikes almost every week, and buses are very unpredictable. So, if you're coming to live here, I would strongly recommend to live near a metro station, close to your university or a bit closer to the center (specially if you enjoy going out).