Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Work load was very small. The educational system was pretty much like the American system because it's an American university abroad.

On-site administration of your program

They were really welcoming. The first week, we had a lot of workshops and such that really introduced us to the city well. Throughout the semester, everyone was willing to help us out with anything we needed.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the furthest housing away from campus possible, but there were about 40 other students living in the same building, so we created a pretty nice environment for ourselves. We lived near Santo Spirito on the south side of the river on Via Maffia 19. It was a good neighborhood and the actual living arrangements weren't bad, but the internet, which we were paying for, was horrible. <br /><br /> We cooked for ourselves breakfast and dinner and mostly got lunch on campus. It was a pretty nice apartment and apartment complex.

Lunch on campus was really good and really cheap. Once we got used to buying our own groceries and cooking for ourselves, we did well. Eating out could be expensive, but we found good restaurants and go to know the people that worked the restaurants, so it was more fun.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

NYU organized little trips to towns near Florence, and I participated in a lot of them. I travelled to Lucca, Viareggio for Carnaval, and Modena to name a few. Each trip was about 10 or 15 euro extra, and they were day trips, so you left early and came back late. A lot of fun and highly recommended.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It's never smart to walk alone at night in Florence, but that pretty much goes for anywhere. I hardly ever walked alone during the day, but when I did, I felt pretty good about walking around by myself. I only got sick once, and I actually had a doctor come visit me at my apartment, and that was pretty easy. NYU helped a lot if you were sick and needed to see a doctor. It was pretty easy to get English speaking doctors.

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

Practice the language all the time. Learn a little bit before you go abroad, so you can start practicing right away. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - the locals will treat you completely differently if you try to speak their language.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Americans