Florence is a very lively experience that every person should have Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

For the most part, the environment was very relaxed and the professors did their best to help us out with any problems we may have had. Many of our classes were held outside of the classroom so that we would have visuals for the topics being discussed as well as an opportunity to just see the city and learn about its history and culture. I much prefer the methods used here because they caused much less stress and the professors seemed more understanding and helpful.

On-site administration of your program

I think that the number of students was almost perfect for this trip and it made things a lot easier when it came to classes and just being here in general. There were always AIFS members around if we needed their assistance and our faculty leader was just an email, phone call, or short walk away. When we first arrived I wasnt sure what the classes or other students would be like, so I based my expectations on past experiences in Europe, but just a week in I found that this semester was going to rise high above those expectations and its turned out to be an unforgettable experience filled with amazing people who Ive become really close to.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with the other 4 girls that came abroad and we had a few problems here and there but it always worked out in the end. Our apartment already contained the basic living items so we didnt have to go out and search for much stuff in the first few days. Our apartment was located in the city center just a 2 minute walk from the school and was surrounded with nightlife. I think that it was a great spot to live.

I am a vegetarian but it was very easy to find good food. Most of my meals I cooked myself as a way to save a few dollars, but when I went out to a restaurant they would always accommodate my diet, even if everyone else there was eating meat.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We took many trips, both on our own and as a class. Every place we went was memorable in its own way. The museums we went to applied to what we were studying at the time so we were able to connect with what we were seeing. We experienced the nightlife and all aspects of the city that were offered to us. We even went to an opera and there was a christmas festival basically just outside the door to our apartment.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The city is safe as long as you are smart and keep your head. I personally did not experience the healthcare system, due to lack of money when I was sick, but a couple people in our group seemed unsatisfied with their experiences.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Our Italian class didnt help out too much with my language skills. The professor refused to speak any english so when we had a question about something that we didnt understand we had trouble understanding the answer. There were also many aspects of the grammer of the language that our professor basically told us to just guess on because she couldnt always give us specific situations in which to use said grammer.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

• The housing was great
• The city was spectacular
• The professors and school in general was awesome

• they should give food vouchers to students