AIFS Abroad in Florence, Italy: Semester

I studied abroad in the beautiful city of Florence in the Spring of 2018, and it was definitely the best decision I ever made. After traveling to Europe on a high school trip the summer before my Senior year, I knew that studying abroad was something that I wanted to do in college. As a Pre-Nursing student, I knew it might be a little more difficult for me to study abroad. I was determined to make it happen, and decided that I wanted to go in the Spring semester of my Sophomore year. I decided that I wanted to study abroad in Italy, because I have always dreamt of visiting places like Florence, Rome, and Venice. I was scared and nervous to be heading to another country completely by myself, but I am so glad I decided to do it. I ended up meeting such amazing people and met some of my best friends who I have been able to meet up with again since we have all been back in different states. I was able to see and experience so many things that I have only ever read about or seen pictures of, and learn so much about other cultures in the process. I was able to travel and see so much more of the world than I ever thought possible in four months. AIFS and the staff at Richmond in Florence did an amazing job of providing cultural activities and events for us students. I never would have done some of the things that I did had it not been for the school organizing the activities, such as attending the world-famous Carnivale in Viareggio (truly and unforgettable experience!). One of the best parts of the Florence program in my opinion is the meal plan. Being able to experience dining in authentic Italian restaurants became one of the highlights of my experience abroad and became a routine for my friends and I. One of my favorite parts of a typical day in Florence was getting to go out to dinner with my friends, enjoy amazing food, and create memories. I could not imagine my semester abroad without the nights spent at our favorite restaurants, all thanks to the meal plan! Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made, and if I could recommend it to anyone and everyone I absolutely would!

I studied abroad in Florence, Italy for the spring semester of 2018, and I can confidently say it was the best decision I ever made! Florence is not only a culturally rich city, but the people are friendly, and the food is to die for! The city and the food were not the only reason I had a great time abroad, the program I chose to go with was the American Institute for Foreign Study and I truly believe they made my experience the best it could be. Here's why:

-Academics:
• Wide variety of classes available to choose from (I was a junior studying fashion when I went, and I was able to take all fashion related courses which kept me on track for graduation)
• Amazing Instructors (I LOVED all my professors and felt a personal connection to each one; it was obvious how much they cared for the students)
• Small class sizes (classes aren’t too large which made communicating with them when I needed extra help easy)

-Immersion:
• AIFS wants you to be immersed in the local culture!
• They set up dinners and lunches to allow students to mingle with locals their age
• Almost every day AIFS has different cultural activities students can participate in for free or at a low cost (ex: Gelato tours, discounted tickets to the opera, cooking classes, etc)
• AIFS allows students to have an “Italian Buddy” during their semester (A local who has volunteered to show students around the city, help students practice their Italian, and be their buddy!)
• Program also includes a 2-day stopover in London and a week in Rome

-Food and Safety:
• The best part of the program is the food plan! AIFS gives students meal tickets each month which work at tons of restaurants all over the city. It’s a great way to explore the city, try new things and save money!
• AIFS provides students with a number they can call at any time if they are ever in trouble (I never felt unsafe during my time in the city!)

Overall, I loved my time in Florence, and if I were to go back in time and do it again I would without question still choose AIFS!

I decided to study abroad spring of my sophomore year of college. I had always wanted to, and it was something I considered when looking at colleges. My sophomore year was incredibly challenging. I had a heavy class schedule and was involved all over campus. I began to lose myself in all of it. I needed a break. So I decided to study abroad to get away, explore a new place, and most importantly, find myself again. I knew I wanted to go to Italy, since that's where my family originates from. I met with the study abroad office on campus, picked my program and made it happen. I fully believe it was the best decision I've ever made, to study abroad. I met so many new friends, traveled to some beautiful places and was able to do some soul searching. I had never been to Europe before so I definitely took advantage of that, traveling to six new countries. I was ahead of required course at my home university so I took class in Italy that allowed me to indulge in the culture of my new home. Being away from home and my friends at school allowed me to focus on myself and focus on what I needed. It allowed me to appreciate the connections I did have at home, and give attention to the areas that may have needed growth. I allowed myself to be selfish that semester. I did not only what I needed to do, but what I wanted to do. I had been so caught up in the pressures of work and school at home that I had forgotten how to enjoy myself. I can remember my trip to Cinque Terre. When I stepped off the train into the sunlight, could smell the ocean, I was so overwhelmed with so much happiness, I actually teared up a little. I couldn't remember the last time I was that happy. Studying abroad really allowed me to come full circle and fall in love with school and life again.

Cities become your home when you get to share the city to your family and friends. One of the best 'aha' moments I had while abroad was when my mom got to visit me about half way through the semester. We were walking around the city and I was sharing everything that I knew about it, simply going on and on about how marvelous it was and why. I would talk about the Duomo and the small piazza by my apartment. My mom was impressed that I not only knew all of this information, but I knew every which way to turn while we were walking. She finally said that "Wow. This truly has become your new home." And it was simple moments like these that I truly miss the most about my time in Florence, Italy.

I had always known going in to college that I wanted to study abroad for a semester sometime during my four years. I chose Italy and immediately also chose Florence because I appreciated that it was a vibrant booming city but also a small city, in hopes that it would feel homey. I wanted to be in a place where another language was spoken. It turned out that many of the cafes I would go into often, the workers would want to help you learn Italian and would help you as you mumbled the little Italian you knew to order a cappuccino.

My next step was choosing which program I wanted to study abroad with. I was initially drawn towards AIFS (American Institute of Foreign Study) because, 1. It was an affiliate program for my school (University of Alabama), 2. It had a great flight package that would allow me to spend 3 days in London prior to arriving in Italy 3. It had a meal plan package that had great reviews and 4. It appeared to include a lot for the cost that was similar to other programs.

I ultimately chose AIFS and all I can say is AIFS went above and beyond everything I expected. It started off with the great flight package which included a 3 day all-inclusive trip to London and then a 5 day orientation in Rome. I really liked having an orientation in another city because in the morning, we would have orientation, and then in the afternoon, we got to explore the city, go the Vatican, etc.

The meal plan WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! There is no better way to experience the culture of Italy than being able to eat at about 25 different restaurants throughout the city each night. Each restaurant ranged from a meal "gift card" or a set menu. And these restaurants had incredible food. It may have helped me gain a few pounds, but I also got to explore some of Italy's best food for no price. I know so many other students studying abroad that ended up cooking pasta and sauce for dinner every night to save money, whereas my friends and I got to go out to eat each night of the week.

AIFS also had an incredible and friendly staff to help you out if you need them, and planned many social events including volunteering the local schools, colleges, etc.; social nights with local Italians to practice your Italian and meet other students; free trips to the Italian country side as well as a 3 day trip to Venice; and even got to stay right on the river in an Italian style apartment. I’m telling you, AIFS did an incredible job of making sure we had every opportunity to fully engage in the Italian culture and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. With that, I urge anyone reading this to go for it and GO STUDY ABROAD.

I had the best time in florence on the three week, Maymester program. I took Italian food and culture and I actually learned a ton and really enjoyed the class. We did have work, but it was very manageable and did not detract from my experience at all. The teacher was very relaxed and new that we were there to have a good time in florence and to explore the city. The program itself was so well structured and there were activities set up for us to attend every day that were really really fun--like pizza making, a walking tour, and one of our last nights we all went to a castle and had a lovely wine tasting and dinner together as a group. The program is truly jam-packed and non-stop, in the best way. And the housing is much much nicer than I expected. I was in a huge apartment with 6 other girls. It was so nice with a really nice kitchen and living room. The apartment was very clean, well kept, and very well located--we were in the middle of everything. I cannot recommend this program enough--it exceeded my expectations and could not have gone better.

One of my favorite stories from abroad comes from the week my family visited me. I want to start by saying that your goal abroad should be to make friends with anyone you meet and try to brighten their day.

We walked into a restaurant and were seated by a waiter who wasn't exactly rude, but he wasn't very friendly either. My family is a little overwhelming (even though there were only five of us) and we can be pretty loud. As the waiter left to get our drinks, my dad says "We are going to make him love us by the end of this dinner". We all laughed and agreed thinking that we could at least get him to smile maybe and have a conversation that consisted of more than a couple words.

We started off by asking his name and what his favorite dish was. We eventually asked him where he was from, where his favorite place in Sorrento was, about his family and other easy questions. Little by little he would share more with us. I think he especially loved when we asked his opinions on dishes we ordered.

He loved my sisters and me and by the end of the night he was kissing the three of us on the cheek! He gave us postcards from the restaurant and was extremely flattered when we asked if he could sign them. We then asked to get a picture and he was adorably happy to.

I like to share this story to encourage people to get to know the locals and others around them. Your immersion in the culture that you are visiting or studying in is completely up to you and you get out what you put in. Make it your goal to make friends with everyone you meet including drivers, waiters, hotel employees, anyone! Expanding horizons is what being abroad is about!

My study abroad experience was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. The staff for Richmond was fantastic and helped us ease into the culture. I loved experiencing the culture and being able to travel to so many different countries. I would have loved to spend more time there. I made so many friends that are the only ones that understand what the experience was really like. I couldnt have asked for anything more from the program or the living situation they provided me with. The best 5 months of my life!

December 1st, 2006, generally a wintery day to me, was sunny and warm and we got the chance to go picking olives. Two old gentlemen workers didn't think a bunch of females could work like they did and they grumbled in Italian about it. By the time we quit mid afternoon, they were impressed. Old doors were laid flat on saw horses, tablecloth thrown on, and a rustic lunch was served outdoors. These two old men were smiling, and although they didn't speak English, and none of our group spoke Italian enough to know what they were saying most of the time, we understood the camaraderie that grew that day as they kept pouring us more wine and offering more food. It is one of my favorite memories of my time in Florence.
I felt at home in Firenze. I felt safe. I felt like I could live the rest of my life in Italy and be happy. The best thing I ever did in my life was to choose Florence for study abroad.