AIFS Abroad: Intern Abroad in Italy

I had such an amazing experience! I gained so much valuable experience to add to my resume that helped to prepare me for me future and I also learned so much about what I do and don’t want for my future career. I loved having the opportunity to experience life and work in a totally new city and environment, as well as being able to travel during the weekends. My housing was definitely another plus, as it was such an amazing apartment in a great area. We also had amazing program advisors, who truly made the experience so special.

This is a great place to go if you want to learn some Italian but also be able to speak English everywhere you go! People are very friendly and Milan is very easy to get around using public transit. Also a great location for traveling to places outside of Milan! I had a great time and loved being able to work vs study because I feel like I am getting to improve my real life skills can get comfortable in a real life work setting! You definitely get a little bit more of a sophisticated abroad experience!

Overall, my time abroad was an amazing experience! I made a lot of new friends and experienced an entirely new work culture I had never been exposed to.

The only criticism I have was the communication and organization between my employer and the program prior to the start of my internship. Since I was doing an architecture internship, I was working with a lot of software and computer programs on my private computer. One specific program was not on my resume and was not mentioned in the interview. My employer and I struggled to share drawings because of this, and not having it risked ending my internship early. Luckily I was able to solve the problem and find an educational license for the software.

The use of my private computer also prevented me from finishing the project we were working on. The softwares I had to download made it shut down permanently near the end of my internship. My advisors did what they could to help me, but in the end, I did not feel like I was set up for success. For internships that require a significant amount of software (and *very* expensive software at that), there needs to be better communication as to what the employer is providing the intern (computer, software, etc.) and what the intern needs to come prepared with. There was a lot of potential for me to walk away with more experience than I did, but due to the above circumstances, that was not the case. This program is not cheap, so if you are thinking about enrolling, ask more questions and make it clear with your early advisor what your capabilities and expectations are.

Aside from my internship, the program did a great job of immersing us into Italian culture. By the end of my time there, I was very comfortable with Florence and traveling to other cities/countries in Europe. I will always be influenced by my time there and can’t wait to return in the future!

Going into this program abroad I didn’t really know what to expect being so inexperienced with something like this. There were times I felt out of my comfort zone, but thanks to other interns, my internship supervisor, and the program coordinators I felt super supported there. The people I was surrounded with would always make me feel so much better to know I am not alone! I am so thankful for the guidance and help from the coordinators Erica and Anna. When I had challenging moments they were great with checking in. I can’t express enough how absolutely incredible Anna Gomez was for the way she showed up for me! Her kindness, dedication and determination goes unnoticed. I’m so glad I chose to take on this adventure that made me learn and grow so much!!

Having an internship in Florence, Italy was an amazing and unique opportunity. I got very lucky with my internship placement at a travel company; it was a great fit for me and I became close friends with my coworkers and boss. I also made friends with the other Global Experiences interns that I was living with. We all lived in the same complex, which had all the amenities we needed, including AC, heat, and laundry. The apartments were in a great area close to the city center.
The Florence location coordinators, Erica and Anna, are great! They were prompt at responding even outside of work hours, and helped with everything from internship questions to suggestions on the best clothing tailor in the city. They provided each intern with hands-on attention and advice.
Overall, I would recommend this program. Global Experiences is a great program to do in your college or post-college years because it helps give you a better idea of what your future goals and plans are.

My experience overall in Milan through Global Experiences was one that I do not regret. Although our program was fairly small (and felt this way at times), it was a way for me to form close relationships with my roommates. The first two weeks we were enrolled in half day language classes which gave us a lot of free time to explore and get situated with the trams and public transportation, as well as the layout of the city. After this, each of our individual internships picked up and occupied most of our time. Because of this, we traveled to various countries early on in the program as we had the time to do so. My internship placement was okay, and although I had some complaints and difficulties, overall I know that I learned a lot and will be able to use this experience as a stepping stone in whatever career path I take. The city is lively and there’s definitely stuff to do, but you have to look for it. Although not the typical study abroad experience with easy classes and partying, this I felt was the perfect happy medium of an abroad experience I missed out on due to COVID while also incorporating a job/internship/career jumper experience.

It was such a great experience! I was able to really dive into the culture and make friends with locals. My internship was so much fun and i was so fortunate for my boss. She was like my Italian mother and was so kind and caring. I absolutely loved working at her clothing boutique. My advice would be to say yes to any opportunity that arises; you’ll grow so much if you do. I learned so much about my wants and needs by coming here. I made friends for a lifetime and made connections around Europe as well.

I did the Milan program for september-november 2022. It was most definitely an experience. I did enjoy it, and made some lifelong friends with other students there. Though, it was very expensive in the end. With no way to make income while living there, running out of funds was not uncommon.
The internship was definitely not what I would have expected or wanted, though it was to no fault of GE or the coordinators. It was an issue with the company and bosses.
In retrospect, this experience was worth it, though be careful with your funds and ability to live independently. Do this trip if you want to experience new culture, meet new people, and see new things. Do NOT do this trip just in the name of credits or just the internship. The internship is part of why you are here, but it isn’t meant to be the ONLY reason you are here.