Finding myself away from home

CEA's Rome program allowed me to go further than continuing to gain credits for my college degree. In the past four months, I have found out more about myself than I could have imagined. Leaving my home university to study in a foreign country was challenging, but the opportunities that came with it have been invaluable. I have made plenty of new friends from all over the world, have been inspired to travel more around Europe, and have greatly strengthened my adaptability and communication skills. Academics at CEA leave some to be desired, as the professors are very qualified for their respective studies, but sometimes struggle to connect with students and teach the material effectively due to language barriers and international education differences. Administration and included activities at CEA are by far their strongest advantages. I know by name each department head, and no matter if the problem was something broken in the apartment or roommates issues, CEA was always there to help the best that they could. You can really tell that they care about the student experience because of this, and because of the near-weekly cultural excursions and activities that they have available for students at no extra cost. I'll never forget sun-tanning on the beach of Capri and having traditional pasta in Florence, both of which completely set up by CEA!