Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The AIFS Richmond in Florence program is amazing! Past Review

By (University of Hartford) - abroad from 01/23/2020 to 05/08/2020 with

AIFS: Florence - Richmond in Florence and Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live a different lifestyle and how to interact with people in a different culture. It helped me gain knowledge on different ways of living.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The educational experience I received through this program was great. The courses were very interesting to learn about and gave a whole new outlook on Italian culture.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration of this program were all very helpful. They understand that we are new to the way of living in Italy and are very open to helping us with anything we need.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied with the living arrangement. I had three other roommates and the apartment we had was the perfect size and had just about everything we needed.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

This was a once in a lifetime chance that I took and I am definitely looking forward to planning another trip there in the future.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

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

It was very easy for me because the program provides us with meal tickets that allows us to eat at certain restaurants and grocery cards that we can use at a certain grocery store.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The meal plan
  • The area it is in
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between students and professors
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how many euros I should bring before I left because I went through mine pretty quickly and the exchange rates there were a little higher. I also wish I brought notebooks and folders with me because it was difficult to find a normal lined notebook there.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.