The absolute best experience of my entire life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Studying abroad in Florence, Italy allowed me the option of choosing from so many unique classes that are not offered at Syracuse University in America. These courses allowed students to learn about the different cultures that they were being exposed to (being that we were studying in Europe), and gain a different perspective on education, lifestyle, and perspectives on life.

On-site administration of your program

The faculty and staff at Syracuse Florence were outstanding. They were more than willing to help any student at any time with all questions, comments, or concerns; additionally, they were there for us to talk about anything, even providing us with recommendations and encouraging us to explore. The administration ensured that every student felt at home for the months being abroad, and made themselves more than available to guide us through our time in Florence. Not to mention - every meeting and event that was required of the students was extremely organized and helpful. We were never left confused or concerned, we were always taken care of.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I absolutely loved my homestay. In all honesty, I was very skeptical at first when hearing that I would have to live with a stranger and their family for four months, until I met them in person. Living with my host family was by far one of the best experiences that I have ever had in my entire life. Being integrated into the Italian culture first hand was eye-opening. I am so lucky that my host family made me feel as if I were right at home. We became a true family in the matter of days, and I was extremely upset when it was time to leave. Sitting down at family dinners with my roommate and conversing about our days and what trips we were going on over the weekend is something that I will cherish forever. I am beyond grateful that I was able to experience living with an authentic Italian family during my time in Florence.

I cannot say enough about the food that I had during my time abroad. The dinners that were made by my host mom were the best dinners that I have ever had in my life. The food provided at school was great too - it was very rare that I left school to get lunch. The city of Florence also has some of the best food in the world. I was very lucky that I was able to experience many dinners at great restaurants, gelato outings, and wine tastings with my friends.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated with the local culture while in Florence. Syracuse Florence makes it mandatory that each student is enrolled in an Italian language course, therefore, no student is there without some Italian language instruction. In addition, the school provides many opportunities for students to engage with the Florence community and explore the city. The great thing about my homestay, personally, was that it was located in a a great area, extremely close to the Duomo. This allowed me to explore my surroundings almost every day after school. I was able to meet so many amazing people that worked at or owned the shops around where I was living. At the point when it was time to fly home, I had made many friends in the stores that I frequently visited, making me feel very integrated and at home, both socially and culturally, while I studied abroad.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had a great experience with the healthcare provided while studying in Florence. It was extremely accessible to see the school doctor, you simply had to make an appointment on the appointment sheet. The administration assisted us by constantly reminding students the days that the doctor was in, and where to access the appointment sheet. The school doctor was also very friendly and helpful. I attended the doctor one time while being abroad (for a cold), and she made me feel as if I were seeing my own doctor at home. One cultural difference between America and Italy is that America very often prescribes medication, whereas Italy does not as much. Although this cultural difference does exist, not once did I hear any situation during my time abroad where the doctor resisted treatment to a student who truly needed it - she was truly there for us and treated us as needed. Lastly, studying in Florence did not require any special vaccinations, and there were no prevalent health issues in Florence during my time abroad.

I felt extremely safe while studying in Florence. Florence is a relatively safe city, but of course you should be cautious anywhere that you go. Although I felt safe walking the streets alone, I still always had a friend to walk with if it was late at night. Another concern that many people held while abroad was pick-pocketing. Advice that I would give to future students is to keep all important belongings (including cellphones and wallets) in your coat pocket, or somewhere easily accessible to YOU and easy for you to keep an eye on. If you are carrying a purse, make sure that it has a zipper and is always zipped closed, and wear it so that the bag is in front of your body, and you are holding it with your hand so that nobody can snatch it from you. Luckily, I did not hear of any safety-related incidents or pick-pocketing incidents in Florence, but, I did hear about them occurring in other countries, such as Spain. Again, I felt extremely safe my entire time in Florence, but you should always be alert and careful.

I was extremely nervous to attend this program at first, since I was going into it completely alone, not knowing anybody at all. In the end, it became the best experience of my entire life. If I were to do it all over again, I would not have changed a single thing. I made some of the best friends that I have ever had, and experiences that many people will never get to have. I encourage anybody skeptical of going abroad to do it, you will have no regrets.

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

The reason why I gave this a four-star rating is because the answer to this question greatly varies and is extremely subjective to each individual. It IS easy to be able to live on a student's budget while studying abroad. Breakfast and dinner each day is provided to you by your host family, lunch at school is very affordable, and there are so many costless activities to experience in Florence for entertainment and cultural engagement. But, there is of course more to experience if you do decide to spend some money. For example, if you decide to go out to dinner with your friends, go out to a club or bar, go shopping, and especially go on weekend trips to other countries, that is where the cost will rise while abroad. But of course, that is very subjective to each student. In the end, it IS easy to live on a student budget, but it is also possible to spend a little more money during your time there.

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

The program always encouraged us to use the language! Even if we were not great at it, the locals seeing the American tourists at least try to speak their language and become accustomed to their culture is much better than not.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans
• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Americans

• Cultural Exposure
• Traveling to different countries and all throughout Italy
• Meeting new people

• Nothing

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer