When Can I Go Back?! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Most of the classes were interesting and had site visits. The professors friendly and helpful. The classes consisted of a midterm, final, and research paper each that you needed to work for, but were not too difficult if one put in the effort.

On-site administration of your program

All of the staff was incredibly helpful and engaging. They set up a lot of programs and events to get students involved.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with a wonderful older Italian woman. She was very sweet and caring, but also respected our privacy. She didn't have many rules for my roommate and I as long as he respected her property and her lifestyle (like any other family or roommate would ask). There was no curfew or anything like that and she didn't need to know where or when we were going.

The meal plan was incredible. We had meal vouchers to restaurants all over the city and these were restaurants that both locals and visitors enjoyed.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There are a lot of study abroad students in Florence so it is difficult to blend or adapt to the Italian culture. Being in a home stay definitely immersed me more than living in an American apartment would have, but I still wish that I had been able to practice the language more and not stand out as an American student so much.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't personally have an experience where healthcare was needed, but one of my good friends broke her ankle during a game of soccer. She was rushed to the hospital and needed to stay there for two weeks because she needed surgery. It is difficult to rate this section because while the AIFS staff was wonderful (about visiting her and pardoning school work and absences from class), the hospital was difficult and slow.

There are many tourists in Florence and therefore many pick pockets and people looking to take advantage of strangers. However, it isn't difficult to stay safe if one uses common sense (don't walk alone at night, keep your belongings close, lock doors when not home).

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

The amount of money spent per week is almost completely up to the student. With the meal plan, a student didn't need to spend much extra. While not every single meal is covered, planning and budgeting could allow a student to spend very minimal on food. The rest of expenses were probably travel, souvenirs and other activities. Additionally, there were extra costs for those living in apartments that I do not know much about because I was in a home stay.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

There were many different options for language course level, but everyone had to take some sort of Italian class. The teachers encouraged us to use the language in Italian class, cafes, shops and restaurants. However, the staff would speak English to us (aside from the Italian teachers in class). The locals appreciated when we first tried to speak their language rather than just assuming they understood English.

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• Host Family

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• Americans
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• Program Excursions
• Meal Plan
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• End of program travel options

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