My Experience in Rome, Italy

Why did you choose to go to Rome, Italy?

Originally I was going to choose Maribor in Slovenia without putting down any other options. After thinking about it though, I ended up putting Rome down as my second option.

I ended up being sent to Rome, and though it wasn´t what I really wanted at the time, I think it´s the best thing that could have happend to me.

How long did your scholarship last? How much were you paid?

I received the general Erasmus grant. If I´m not wrong, the total amount was about 1, 500 euros. My Erasmus period lasted from September to February. In any case, you should definitely take some savings along with you or at least know you´ll definitely be able to pay for the first few months without having too many difficulties, since the grant is split into two installments, the second one being paid to you a few months after you arrive.

What´s the student life like in Rome?

Unbeatable. You leave your city saying that you won´t pair up with other Spaniards but it´s unavoidable. You get on better with them, and although they come from the same place as you, it doesn´t stop you learning. By the end we had formed a friendship group with people from all over Spain, and it was very enriching. On the other hand, the parties in Rome are really good. Rome has such a great atmosphere both day and night, so honestly the most difficult part is just deciding where to go!

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

The city, definitely. It´s chaotic at first - I thought I´d be coming home with a broken leg or something like that since you need to have about five eyes to cross the road safely. It´s true though that you learn to behave like the natives and to be more calm.

I went to to university at Tor Vergata... also known as Mordor because it´s veryyyy far away. Despite this, I prioritised living in the centre instead of close to the university. I lived in Re di Roma and had a 45 minute commute to get to uni, but don´t worry, you don´t need to be there enough for it to be a real problem.

What´s the food like in Rome?

Well, I can give you some idea: pasta and pizza, pasta and pizza and more pasta and pizza, and so on! Go to Carlo Menta restaurant, it´s very good value for money - it´s in the Trastevere area and has great food.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Rome?

I don´t remember finding it very easy. In my case, I´d only done a course in Italian in July, and from that I had level A1 Italian. This didn´t stop me from making calls to Italy looking for flats though, because my emails often got ignored and I wasn´t keen on sitting there waiting for someone to eventually take pity and reply to me. In the end, I was really lucky. We found a beautiful flat (three rooms with double beds and one individual, a kitchen, wooden flooring, all decorated modernly etc. ), but in total it cost 1, 600 euros per month and didn´t have a dining room. At first this seemed a bit strange, but when only one out of twenty flats I had looked at seemed to have a dining room, I started to just accept it. In terms of price...at the end of the day, it´s Rome. Don´t expect to be paying 200 euros per month. If you´re lucky enough to be paying that, it´s probably because you´re sharing a room or that the flat´s in horrible condition.

How expensive is everyday life in Rome?

Very expensive. Well, everything depends on your lifestyle - for me though, the flat cost me 400 euros plus bills, food, a monthly metro ticket (30 euros), a phone contract (10 euros if you´re lucky) and anything I spent on travelling. It definitely depends on you as an individual. Obviously though, if you want to go out partying, go anywhere...in my case I didn´t travel very much, and any travelling I did do was within Italy. My parents think I spent about 750 euros per month and they´re probably correct.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language course at the university?

At first, Italian seems like the easiest language in the world. When your level improves however, things get more complicated. I did an 80-hour course at my home university in July before I went, and thank goodness I did. I think almost all the Italian I can speak I learned from that course.

What´s the cheapest way of getting to Rome from your home city?

My parents and I went by ferry from Barcelona to Civitavecchia because they wanted to take the car for transporting my suitcases. I think this was a good idea, if not entirely necessary (it´s more expensive and a very boring journey). When I returned home to Spain at the end of my exchange, we decided to send my luggage via the packing website Packlink (http://www.packlink.es, website available in French, Spanish, Italian and German), and this worked fine.

What are the best places for partying in Rome?

I recommend Sala Boheme, Qube and Circolo degli artisti, among others. Normally they host Erasmus parties in Sala Boheme or Sky Bar with music for Spanish students. They´re definitely the best parties!

What about eating out in Rome? What are your favourite places?

Carlo Menta in Trastevere, Avalon in Re di Roma (it´s worth going just for how it´s decorated - everything in a medieval style), the Bucatini place in Vittorio Emanuele, etc.

What does Rome have to offer in terms of culture?

You know what Rome´s like: you never run out of things to visit. I think I remember rightly that on the first Sunday of every month, the Coliseum and the Roman Forum offer free entry. On the last Sunday of every month, you can get free entry to the Capilla Sixtina and the Vatican Museum.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Rome?

Be optimistic and be up for having fun. At first you feel a bit disorientated but at the same time, you´re up for anything. When you´ve been there for a little while, you´ll start to walk past the Coliseum without looking at it twice. Rome is a great option for an Erasmus exchange if you can afford it and if you´re excited by the thought of living there. I think that a lot of the things I´ve experienced in Rome I couldn´t have experienced in any other place.

In terms of going to university here, relax. Everything will work out fine in the end, but yeah, you do have to study. Obviously don´t study the same amount you do in Spain, but three days before an exam, take a look at the topic and try to memorize some of it. You´ll return home to Spain with an average mark of 8, and you´ll be satisfied with it.