GIF was a great experience for me - I was able to study in Florence, Italy for an entire school year (rather than a single semester, as is common with many undergraduate study abroad programs). GIF has been present in Florence for decades and therefore has a well-established presence and great connections with local businesses and individuals. The housing (pensiones)were safe-feeling, well-operated, and, in my case, very beautiful (Manola's House). My main regret with this program is that you live among other American students, mainly students from Gonzaga, and not with Italian people. Unless you make a concerted effort, you will not find yourself in situations where you are forced to learn the language. However, for those students who are living abroad for the first time, GIF provides a very accessible experience. You will travel a TON - all over western Europe, with opportunities to travel to eastern Europe and Northern Africa. The faculty and administrative staff are for the most part very kind and helpful. The GIF students are pretty tight-knit and fun-loving. The entire experience is quite expensive, but for those who can afford it - it is a wonderful experience. One last note on academics - the business classes were not very rigorous and most people did not take them seriously. I found the most intensive classes to be those focused on Italian history/art as well as philosophy (I highly recommend that all students take at least one history of Florence class).
