API Study Abroad Program at Lorenzo de Medici (LdM), Rome

I looked at a lot of different study abroad programs before I decided on API. I chose LdM because of the classes it offered, and chose API because their website was incredibly helpful. This was definitely a great decision overall!
Although LdM was a very small school, this paid off because we got to go on field trips whenever possible in classes.The small groups made the educational experience very personal, which was especially helpful in Italian class.
API was an awesome program. They planned THE best excursions for us, which were always complete with delicious meals. The program directors were so friendly and willing to help. The apartments they found for us were some of the best I saw.

Daily life included classes and exploring the city. My roommates and I had a list hanging on the wall of everything we wanted to do in Rome, and we went on new adventures every day. The best part about Rome is that there are unending things to explore!

I had a relatively smooth transition to my temporary life in Rome, and I think I have API to thank for that. They chose my living accommodations perfectly, helped me navigate my way around the city, and gave me plenty of resources to survive in a foreign country.

I studied abroad in Florence in 2005 and still talk about my experience constantly. Being immersed the magnificent culture of Italy was life-changing, and one that I encourage everyone to take part in should they have the chance. I found API to be extremely helpful, both in the states and in Italy. The API staff was incredibly friendly and helpful in getting me situated in my apartment, and they offered free and convenient computer/internet usage at their office.

I was incredibly grateful when one of the staff members took me to the hospital in Florence when I badly sprained my ankle. Having her at my side was priceless...she translated for the Doctor and made me feel so much better about being injured in another country. She even went and bought me crutches that I had to use for the next six weeks.

The staff and faculty at LDM were wonderful, also. All of my professors were incredible and so passionate about teaching and highlighting their beloved city. I took several trips with LDM in addition to those offered through API, and they were spectacular.

API and LDM gave me some of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I would have never met some of my best friends had I not been placed with them as roommates in Florence. I was blessed to find API and LDM.

Rome was nothing like I imagined it--it was a million times better. I spent my fall 2010-2011 semester abroad there and had what I call, a Roman Romance. I fell in love with the city.

API helped me make the most of my time in Italy. The program planned unforgettable trips. Just to name a few; we soaked in the thermal bathes of Orvieto, rode bikes around Tarquina, and climbed Mount Vesuvius. API also provided tips and information on how to plan our own trips, like the one my roommates and I went on to the Chocolate Festival in Perugia.

When we weren't traveling, my roommates and I were cooking Italian dinners like Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, visiting local markets, or people watching in Trastevere. Our apartment was beautiful with four large bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and two bathrooms. The neighborhood was quiet and full of true Italians, which gave us ample opportunity to converse (or at least try to converse) with the locals.

I kept a journal while abroad for my travel writing class (which I highly recommend)and I think my final entry best describes my day-to-day experiences and overall Roman Holiday. If you have some time, check it out! If not, here is the bottom line; go to Rome and do it with API!

"I am feeling quite sentimental today, not towards my roommates, but rather my feelings about Rome. I love this city. When I first got here, I remember thinking, “this just isn’t a place where I could see my self living later in life.” Now, it’s a different story. I love the cafés, the culture, the shopping, and the weather. Each day I fall more and more in love with the language, despite my difficulties speaking it. December is the perfect time to fall in love with Rome. There are elegant Christmas decorations on every major street that exude the “class” that is Rome. I love the smell of chestnuts as I pass the little man on my street corner. I love how my door man always says “ciao!" as step on to the cobblestone streets each day.
The very best part of my day is, without a doubt, my walk home. I have the best walk home from school that has ever existed. I walk down toward Barberini, down Via Sistina, I descend the Spanish Steps, cross through Piazza del Popolo, and across the Tiber River which it is lit up at night to give it a special glow. I walk down the bustling Cola de Rienzo and admire all of the window displays, and finally make my way down a little side street to my apartment.

My favorite part of the walk is right before I hit the top of the Spanish Steps, as I make my way down Via Sistina. There is a point where I can see a full view of the city as well as the Vatican lit up in the evening far in the distance. Just a little closer, is another large and well lit dome of some Roman monument I never learned.

Sometimes I stop there and look out at the city and think about how lucky I am. Today was one of those days. When will I ever live a life like this again? I know all good things must come to an end—and I really am happy to be going home—but man, I am going to miss Rome."