Studying abroad in Rome - how much spending money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid went to John Cabot for the semester. Spent about $7,000-$10,000 plus $3,800 a month for an apartment. DC didn’t get into the dorms, so we had to rent. The high cost was for travel many weekends all over—Prague, Copenhagen, Ibiza, Morocco, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Barcelona, Greece, Sicily, Switzerland, Paris, etc. Then they rent Airbnbs in each city, go to clubs, etc. Semester abroad is soooooo expensive.

That's ridiculous. They're in ITALY. In an expensive apartment for a semester. They should have stayed there for the semester and enjoyed the city.

It doesn't have to be that expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is spending the spring semester in Rome (John Cabot). Besides bigger ticket excursions, how much should she expect to spend? She is currently at GW and spends about $300 a month for eating out/movies/shows. Thanks!

Just wondering if your DS has gotten his visa for Italy? How many days before his program starts did he get it? My DD and I are kind of freaking out because she hasn't received hers yet and she leaves next week.

[Anonymous]

Our child spent 2 semesters abroad (one was a summer session) and for both, spent their own money from working while there. We pay for tuition, room and board, the rest is on them. Our child did travel all over Europe, but it was their own money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Dp, this is a very strange response. Everyone gets to chose their own priorities in life. Spending on travel, if one can afford it, is one of the better ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS spent about $2500 of his own money. I gave him $1000. That covered food (no meal plan), travel, etc. This was in Prague last year.

Prague is significantly cheaper than other European cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

[Anonymous]

$3,800/month for an apartment in Italy is… certainly a choice. About double the cost of a basic one br in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid went to John Cabot for the semester. Spent about $7,000-$10,000 plus $3,800 a month for an apartment. DC didn’t get into the dorms, so we had to rent. The high cost was for travel many weekends all over—Prague, Copenhagen, Ibiza, Morocco, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Barcelona, Greece, Sicily, Switzerland, Paris, etc. Then they rent Airbnbs in each city, go to clubs, etc. Semester abroad is soooooo expensive.

No. The extras are expensive: your son certainly denied himself nothing! Most kids can’t afford all that.

+ 1. Traveling all over Europe on Mommy and Daddy's dime and partying and AirBnBs are expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$3,800/month for an apartment in Italy is… certainly a choice. About double the cost of a basic one br in DC.

Yeah, $3,800/month is weirdly expensive. The $7-10k spend on everything else for the entirety of the semester is a more reasonable figure if they traveled a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

+ a million to all of the above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Dp, this is a very strange response. Everyone gets to chose their own priorities in life. Spending on travel, if one can afford it, is one of the better ways.

Another clueless rich person. Most of the American population has no such option. They spend their money on necessities, not luxuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is spending the spring semester in Rome (John Cabot). Besides bigger ticket excursions, how much should she expect to spend? She is currently at GW and spends about $300 a month for eating out/movies/shows. Thanks!

That is a lot.

Mine went abroad and the ivy advisors said budget $50 a week in addition to the room and board fees, which is what it was with leftover. However their italy program fee included most non-dinner weekend meals. The semester abroad, all in, was less than what we spend for a regular semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid went to John Cabot for the semester. Spent about $7,000-$10,000 plus $3,800 a month for an apartment. DC didn’t get into the dorms, so we had to rent. The high cost was for travel many weekends all over—Prague, Copenhagen, Ibiza, Morocco, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Barcelona, Greece, Sicily, Switzerland, Paris, etc. Then they rent Airbnbs in each city, go to clubs, etc. Semester abroad is soooooo expensive.

No. The extras are expensive: your son certainly denied himself nothing! Most kids can’t afford all that.

Agree. PP 's student way overspent. There is no need for that at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

Nope, you are still in the wrong. You do not complain about how expensive it is in the same breath as detailing a wealthy student's life. You do not pretend that your student isn't a spoiled rich kid just because he "slummed" it while doing extra travel he did just for fun.

I am wealthy. My kids are "spoiled rich kids" because they were born into my family (very nice ones, and they volunteer and are aware of their privilege). I would NEVER write what you wrote, or what the other PP wrote. We can afford some luxuries. We do not complain about how expensive they are. We do not pretend that our extras in life, however modest they might seem to our circle, are anything but privilege.

Most of the US is suffering under inflation and struggling to buy what they need, let alone what they want. Get out of your bubble and choose your words more carefully.