The Happiest Months of my Life

IES Roma is truly a fantastic program that enabled me to enjoy an amazing experience in the Eternal City. The location (about a 5 minute walk from the Vatican!) is perfectly nestled right along the Tiber River in the historic center of the city. The classes were engaging and relevant, but not over-burdensome in terms of workload; in other words don't expect blow-off classes, but I never felt overwhelmed or unable to take weekend trips due to classwork. Additionally field trips are never lacking as professors will take you to museums, landmarks, and other spots of intrigue on a weekly basis. The city is confusing to navigate, a little dirty, and public transportation is a mess but is generally unnecessary as almost everything worth seeing is relatively close. The program also does a great job of keeping you informed regardless of the occasion. Their are tons of extracurriculars as well, which were great ways to bond with my fellow students outside of the classroom. I played in a soccer league, participated in cooking classes, and dined with my classmates in some of Rome's renowned restaurants at a subsidized cost. The administration is very nice and helpful and they maintain a good balance between keeping you safe and not holding your hand as you experience your semester in a foreign location. I look back on my all-too-brief time in Rome with a fondness beyond words. While the city of Rome in itself is an incredible place overflowing with beauty and history that couldn't help but amaze everyone that has the fortune to visit, I strongly believe that IES is a special program that helped me relish and experience Rome to its fullest.