Personal and Artistic Development in Florence Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My educational experience was easily a 5/5, but a good deal of my learning was out of class, with so much free time and a relatively small home work load, there was plenty of time to explore and visit local museums, galleries, historical landmarks and so on. I attended many lectures throughout the city that were not associated with my classes or had to do with my school.

On-site administration of your program

The services were all good, and the staff was great. They took the time to get to know people and help them personally. We were all connected by a cell phone text system, and there was always someone available on the cell phone line.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The neighborhood was safe because it was right in the historical center, so there were plenty of well lit streets and police officers around. It is absolutely beautiful there, everywhere you look there is a famous and historical building. Everything in the historical center is walking distance, this included classes, restaurants, museums and nightlife. Everything was provided for by our landlord Anna.

I lived right in the Central Market Plaza, so I had fresh and inexpensive produce at my disposal at any time. Personally I enjoy cooking more than eating out so this was perfect for me. It was a bit of a task to find vegetarian options around town, but once I asked my advisor she handed me a list of vegetarian friendly restaurants in the area. I suggest Il Vegetariano on Via della Route. I definitely advise against going to tourist focused restaurants as their quality goes significantly down as the number of Americans goes up. Search down lesser known streets and look for people lined up outside, those are sure signs it's worth the wait.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We visited, Pisa, Viareggio, Cinque Terre, Verona, Venice, Bologna, and Fiesole on excursions. On these trips we had activities such as wine tasting, tours, and balsamic vinegar tasting which were well organized and fun. We were also taken to a Fiorentina Soccer game which was exciting, and hiking through the Tuscan Hills which was breathtaking.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had a lecture by a medical practitioner about health issues and another one by a police officer, so the information was there. I did not run into and health or safety issues during my stay.

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

Taking an Italian course is mandatory when attending LDM. Although the course definitely helped and I learned a lot from the classroom setting, most of the learning took place on the streets, in markets and in restaurants. The majority of people did speak English in the Historical Center, but the older generation of Italians not so much. Also all Italians, whether our age or older, appreciated at least an attempt at speaking their native language.

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• Apartment

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Americans