Florence University of the Arts - The American University of Florence

The staff never informed us there would be an additional course fee to the class I signed up for until AFTER I returned back to the United States. This should have been informed before I chose my class. They emailed several times upset about a late course fee and would always inform us to pay in person, which is not possible. Additionally, the entire staff and emergency lines refused to assist me and fellow classmates in finding transportation from our apartment to the airport because it was a national holiday.

I had the pleasure of studying abroad in Florence, Italy about two years ago. As an Italian major, this was perfect for me. I believe I was fully immersed in the language, rich culture, and warm community that Florence had to offer. Through Florence University of the Arts, I took language and culture courses, participated in two internships, and even got to teach in a bilingual elementary school. The university offered possibilities I couldn't even dream of. I was able to truly get a glimpse of what teaching Italian would look like, and this experience made me love it even more! Between the helpful staff at FUA, the prestigious professors, and global ties that the university offers, I would recommend studying here to not just Italian majors, but to students of ALL majors.

I took Florence Sketchbook at FUA. We had assignments to do every week, but I found myself inspired to draw outside of class and that which was not assigned to me. Every day I would take my sketch book and sit on the Arno and just find some ornate design or piece of architecture that I was captivated and intrigued by. I sat on the ledges by the Arno River and just sketched. What I found was that people would walk over to me and just look at what I was drawing. The difference between Europe and the United States is that if I were to draw in New York, no one would really find that activity all that interesting and with the hustle and bustle of that city, everyone is always on the move and extremely busy. In Florence, the pace slows down, and people are actively involved in the beauty and history that is Florence. Individuals look around, interact with strangers, and different cultures converge in this magnificent city. I miss the feeling of comfort that I felt in Florence just being able to be alone and talk to others who were actually interested in the art that I was rendering.

Studying abroad for a semester in Florence was the best semester by far. Even though we did not have a dryer, a microwave, and ranch dressing, and I had to pay for water at all of the restaurants, those were memories I will never forget. I loved learning new things every single day and how the culture in Italy and Europe is different than in the U.S. Although some days were slightly difficult, it was all worth it in the end.

My class exceeded my expectations. I loved every day I was in Italy and Florence is the perfect city to live in. I would do it again in a heart beat! Studying abroad is a learning experience that can not be taught any other way.