Why Choose Temple Rome's Adult Study Abroad?

It's an opportunity to make new friends.The Temple Rome Study Abroad program is an excellent way for those fresh out of college or well into retirement to travel, learn and meet new friends. Throughout this program, students collaborate through weekly excursions to places like Pompeii and Naples and extracurricular activities like jazz night and pasta making. Students are also motivated to have their own adventures and make meaningful connections along the journey. The relationships you foster and the diverse peer perspectives you encounter further enhance the experience. Parker spoke further about this:

"When you join the program, you meet your kindred spirits. We are all intellectually curious people looking to expand our minds and share our experiences with others. I loved spending time with my group and having conversations over family-style meals. They were all different ages, from 20 to over 80. Some had been to Rome before, some had traveled the world, but everyone had a different perspective. I got to learn from them as well as the phenomenal professors. It was enlightening and invigorating."

It's a chance to mix things up.

It's easy to feel lackadaisical when you get bogged down in routine. The cure lies in transforming your environment and challenging yourself. When surrounded by the charm and history of the ancient city and idyllic hilltop views of the countryside, our interviewees agreed that the change of scenery helped spark inspiration, energy and even focus. This program is also flexible enough for people currently working from home. Feld discussed this:

"I'm a professor in California, and my courses are online currently. I was live on Zoom once a week for my morning class, but it was nighttime in Rome, and my students didn't even know I was in another country. I was the only one coming home at the end of the day to work, but I got so much better at grading quickly. I felt more on top of things in Rome; I felt less distracted. It was a bit difficult at first, but it was worth it, and I had an amazing experience and still had time to participate in weekend trips and activities."

"I felt more on top of things in Rome; I felt less distracted. It was a bit difficult at first, but it was worth it, and I had an amazing experience and still had time to participate in weekend trips and activities."

It stimulates your mind.Exercising your brain is as essential as exercising your body; you get a little of both with the study abroad program. Temple Rome offers a dynamic, beyond-the-classroom learning environment on the city's historic cobblestone streets. The fall 2021 course schedule included: Language and Culture, Highlights of Rome and Neighborhoods of Modern Rome. Language and Culture provided basic communication skills for everyday Italian life and study outings to empower students with confidence and fluency. Highlights of Rome explored the history of the city's distinctive museums and cultural sites. Lastly, the optional Neighborhoods of Modern Rome course focused on residential areas and experimentation in urban design. Our interviewees clocked an impressive 300–400 miles of walking throughout the semester and left feeling more capable, knowledgeable and energetic. Cohen said of the experience: "This is the perfect program for someone who is intellectually curious, open to new experiences, or is eager to discover new ways of learning and looking at the world. We walked through the city—through what we were studying, immersed in the culture, and learned enough Italian to feel like we belonged. I also had many opportunities to do things that I don't normally do. This program gives you a different angle based on what you already know. It helps you expand your world. And it's a different perspective studying as an adult. I hope to see this program expanded."

You will make unforgettable memories.There's never a dull moment during this venture. Classes are scheduled from Monday to Thursday, leaving students with the freedom to paint the town red or see other parts of the country on the weekends. However, academia and social recreation blend seamlessly with lively coursework like scavenger hunts at the Villa Borghese and wine tasting. The optional excursions really shouldn't be missed. The fall 2021 cohort raved about the beautifully preserved temples of Paestum and the excitement of the unearthed city Pompeii and its neighboring active volcano, Vesuvius, in Naples. However, you may not want to leave the picturesque city of Rome, which according to our interviewees "really lives up to the hype." Feld added:

"There is no disappointment in Rome - from the pizza, pasta, and gelato, to the amazing sights and experiences. The first time I saw the coliseum, I was blown away. You can go in every day and still not see all the detail. I also went to the Vatican five times. It was incredibly fascinating. I'm not sure I would have appreciated how spectacular this experience was in my teens. Being surrounded by such marvels and immersed in the culture, I walked away with something greater than when I had visited any other place. If I never make it back to Italy, I did everything I wanted to do."

The Temple Rome Adult Study Abroad program welcomes students back for fall 2022 and spring 2023 sessions with COVID-19 protocols in place. Temple Rome makes the health and safety of its students a top priority. Parker said, "I felt trepidation to travel; however, I never felt uncomfortable during my stay because of Temple Rome's safety protocols." The Temple University Rome Adult Study Abroad Program is also one of five finalists for the Innovative New Study Abroad Program Award from the GoAbroad Innovation Awards Academy. The winners will be announced on June 2nd at a private reception showcasing the best in international education.

If you'd like to enroll or learn more about this program, please visit the Temple Rome Adult Study Abroad homepage.