AIFS Abroad: Intern Abroad in Italy

I am so glad I chose to participate in this experience. I was able to immerse myself in a new culture while learning more about the field I'm studying and also making a ton of new friends. I feel like I have also grown personally and I have shown myself what I can be capable of. My program supervisors, Amanda and Antonella, were so helpful to me and all of the other interns. They were always there to answer our questions no matter how big or small. They dealt with our serious concerns but also became our friends - giving us their genuine advice on how to have the best time possible here in Milan. I will be so sad to leave all the people I met during this experience.

My trip to Florence with Global Experiences is something I’ll always remember. I met so many amazing people, tried so many new things, and visited some of the most historic sites in the world. I also developed more professional skills and matured on a personal level. Being in Florence allowed for so many new and amazing opportunities and I’d go back in a second if I had the chance to do it all over again. Global Experiences is a great program and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a unique abroad experience.

Interning abroad is one of the best decisions I have ever made! Global Experience's Florence program was the perfect opportunity for me to leave home and fully immerse myself in a new culture, as well as make me go outside of my comfort zone. I not only grew personally, but I also grew professionally.

As my degree is in hospitality, I was very fortunate to be placed working on a rooftop bar and restaurant learning from such passionate employees who are very good at what they do. I learned so much from my boss and she learned from me as well; these types of internships are extremely eye opening as you are going in with an outsider perspective. I was able to present different ideas I had, assist in writing business emails and event proposals myself, as well as create menus, seating charts and brochures for different events being hosted. They gave me these tasks and believed in me even in times that I did not feel very confident. However, because of this, I had little to no edits by the time I left. My boss's goals of having me do things on my own was only accomplished because she pushed me to do everything, even when I didn't think I could. I know that I will benefit from this internship through out my whole career.

On the weekends, GE set up excursions for all of us interns to get together again and do something fun. We had a cooking and fresca painting class and were taken on a wine tours bike ride, and several day trips! These were great for everyone to bond and get to know each other even more, which created a sense of community between us all.

Overall I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to test themselves. You will be faced with challenges and difficulties, but it is worth it. While you are supported along the way, this program will teach you to be independent and strong for yourself.

Even though this whole thing may seem scary at first, it truly is the best thing you can do! The people I have met and the places I have seen made sure of that. I have made lifelong friends and have gained a sense of confidence when it comes to travel that I never had before. I cannot stress this enough...if you are even considering doing this program, do it!! You will not regret it.

Not only did I meet the best people, I was also able to grow in the field of psychology and as a person. I always felt safe, comfortable, and supported. The advisors were always there for us with we needed anything at all which made it way easier to be so far from home. My internship was the perfect balance between work and fun. I learned so much but still had time to travel and explore my host city. This experience will definitely boost my resumes. I will never take this experience for granted. It was amazing!

Living abroad in Florence Italy, again, after I first started here in the fall of 2016 through AIFS program it just took my breath away once again. But this time around, I had the opportunity to intern with student tour company Bus2Alps. Where I got to work alongside Leo, who was an amazing boss, and very chill person. I left only five minutes from the main office and I would always grab a cup of espresso on my way to work and begin today.. overall, I wish I could do the whole experience again because it was that amazing and I absolutely love the city of Florence. If you’re thinking of studying abroad or interning in, Florence, don’t think just to do it. You will not regret your decision.

Global Experiences gave me the opportunity to get experience in the work force I want to continue in while also allowing me to explore a new country. I was placed in a sustainable fashion company which is exactly what I want to do in. The internship was as a social media intern and I had such a great experience that I actually got hired afterwards! I will be continuing at this company as a social media manager now.

While I had some experience beforehand in this job force, I was able to get a new experience. I saw some more behind the scenes of this industry and learned a lot. I would just be sure to ask questions about your internship beforehand like commute, what exactly you'd be doing, how often you'd be working, and more beforehand so you know what to expect from all aspects.

We were able to travel to other countries in this time as well which was really exciting. Global Experiences sets up different activities so that we could have different experiences like wine tours, cooking classes, painting classes, and dinners.

This experience in general was a great learning experience. It teaches you how to be independent and figure things out in the moment. There can be problems that occur that could occur anywhere, big and small, but you figure out how to fix it or advocate for yourself so you can resolve these issues. It was a great growing and adulting experience.

I didn’t know I needed something like this. Being abroad in Florence was the best fit adventure and opportunity for me. I majored in English and applied for either journalism or tourism and eventually got placed in a new placement that had a mixture of both. I worked with a business owner one-on-one and it gave me the chance to build a true and lasting connection, it never felt like a serious or unenjoyable commitment, I felt as if I was a valued person with my supervisor.

This placement allowed me to explore my options for my career, and I could have complained about it not being the traditional office job or set schedule, but it allowed me to explore more of the city on my own and work remote to be on my own schedule which I loved.

This was a great chance to build independence and gain a little insight on what kind of person you are. I always knew I had some qualities within me but this was a time for bringing it out of me. I felt very comfortable in Florence and felt safe and had lots of outlets like the advisors and their information and resources. Erica was an amazing location coordinator, she made time to meet up with each of us throughout the program and prioritizes the people who need the most help. She will always get back to you with answer and is willing to research for you and lead you to your connections. Her and I have a great friendship too, so it is worth knowing there is reliability from her.

Housing was a good fit for our roommates, we were separate from other groups but it still allowed us to arrange get-togethers and not lose touch. The events held by the program were perfectly spaced out and allowed us to catch up with other members that we might not see as often.

I came here to travel foremost and I got work experience with it, which upon my arrival, I now have the connection with my supervisor to be a recommendation to future jobs.

I offer the advice, it is what you make of it and the advisors even suggest to have an open mind and little expectations, that’s what will make your experience something you didn’t know you needed.

It was amazing being in a city where fashion is such a big deal. I would recommend this program to anyone that is in a creative field and especially interested in fashion. I learned a lot and feel like I applied my major to my job. This was such an eye opening experience and has pushed me outside my comfort zone so much. I really do feel like I have grown a lot and now have realized I would maybe like to live in a different country at some point in my life. Amanda and Antonella have been so helpful during this experience and have always been there when we needed it.