AIFS Abroad Reviews

I learned a lot about myself and living in the "real world." I was forced to grow up and act like a responsible adult by having a real 8 hours a day 5 day a week job and living on my own. I learned a lot interning and the experience there was also very worthwhile.

I felt I paid a lot of money to get here and did not really see much of it. While I really did enjoy the social events, none of them actually cost that much and added up to much money so I am just confused to where all my money went.

I was expecting to meet more locals, which is partially my fault for not going out and purposely meeting locals. However, I wish I lived in a local housing arrangement, even a home stay would have been nice. I felt I wasn't as immersed into the culture because all the people I met from our house are international and don't know much about where they are either.

It is all what you make of it. It is your experience for you to make the most of. You have to be will to open up to feed back even if it is not something you want to hear, in the moment you have to be willing to take the feedback make it positive and have it there to help you grow.

I've grown a lot mentally, emotionally and financially during the Dublin expirence. When I first arrived I got a foot injuring which hindered my first couple of weeks Expirences but after while everything was grand. The cliffs of mother was my favorite place and my favorite day was Paddys day because I was able to be in the parade. I Became very close with two of my coworker and my supervisor at work. There's always something to do in Dublin whether it's just taking the dart to Howth and loadsssss of great places to eat. Bring a rain coat the weather is unpredictable! If your interested in history there's tons of it and no one will have a problem telling you a little of Irish history. Dublin was awesome! I will truly miss it here.

Overall my internship went great, there was rarely a time where I would do the same thing 2 days in a row. I would either be assisting the producer, Alwyn, during a session with a band, help Darrel with mastering and duplication or live on site recording, or help Kyle with the social media aspect of the company. I would recommend interning with these guys to anybody that wanted to get into the music business but also have an overall chill and laid back experience.

I had an amazing three months in Milan interning at a magazine for English-speakers. I was given a lot of responsibility that is not always offered to interns and I was able to produce print articles and graphic products to add to my portfolio. Milan's a great location if you plan to travel around- Switzerland, Rome, Florence and Venice are all just a train ride away. Everyone at GE was super nice, you couldn't ask for more helpful people!

It was a great program! one of the biggest things was our location coordinator! she couldn't have been more amazing or more helpful ... i had a problem with my housing and she talked to me multiple times a day keeping me updated on stuff and got me moved to a apartment that was 10 times better then my first one! She was so great and when it comes down to it, Location Coordinators are everything when it comes to picking a program!

I cannot rave enough about my study abroad experience with AIFS last spring semester. The greatest thing about the program was the staff. They helped make an easy transition for the students into a new country. They were also incredibly friendly and supportive. This program gave me the freedom to feel independent, but still go to the staff if I had any questions or concerns. The meal plan was also an incredible addition to this program. My friends and I could not get enough of some of the restaurants included in the meal tickets. Overall, I recommend this program to anyone thinking about studying in another country.

The internship program in Dublin is an incredible experience! It pulled me well out of my comfort zone, faced me with unknown challenges, and shaped me into a stronger and more capable adult. I know I have learned so much from my internship, and I cannot wait to use these skills in my future endeavors. There is so much to see and fun to be had! On a typical weekend, I could tour Dublin or a nearby city, get some delicious food, and check out a local pub. My favorite experience was being able to see a different castle or sample of architecture each weekend. I have only been home for a day, and I already want to be back on the Emerald Isle!

It's amazing how much you can grow when you go outside of your comfort zone!!!

My internship in Milan through Global Experiences was unbelievable and the best decision I have ever made personally and professionally. I was able to gain first hand experience in one of the fashion capitals of the world. I networked with professionals in the industry from various parts of Europe, learned new skills that I can apply to my career in fashion when returning home, and have this impressive experience on my resume, distinguishing myself from other candidates when applying for jobs in Canada. The onsite staff in Milan made the experience even more special, organizing exciting trips around Italy and making sure we were comfortable and taken care of the entire time abroad. I also met amazing people in the program and made unbelievable memories!!

As a Spring 2014 Florence alum, I have no doubt that AIFS was the best program I could've chosen to help me fulfill my nearly lifelong dream of studying abroad. And even now--half a year removed from my experience--there's not a day that goes by that I don't think back to my unforgettable time in Florence and the (what seems like) entire lifetime's worth of happy memories I created there.

To start, my favorite parts about the program were the meal plan and the almost daily activities/excursions AIFS offered once we arrived in Italy. The meal plan was a really great way to experience the food culture of Italy without breaking the bank--with our breakfast/lunch and dinner cards, my friends and I were able to dine at fancy restaurants we wouldn't have been able to afford off plan, grab a quick panino or pizza to go, buy fresh produce at the local fruit stand, go out for aperitivo (which is kind of like the Italian version of happy hour), go grocery shopping, and even buy cocktails at local bars. In addition, almost daily AIFS gave us the option of participating in cultural immersion activities such as attending soccer games, gelato tours, cooking and baking classes, wine tastings, the opera and ballet, and day-long excursions to various destinations throughout Italy. With the help of these activities, I felt I was able to come away from my abroad experience with an excellent grasp on Italian culture and daily Florentine life.

Overall, the AIFS program in Florence made the necessary accommodations for us students to live an extremely comfortable life in Italy without holding our hand, hovering, or babying us through the entire process. I had envisioned gaining invaluable independent living skills from my abroad experience--the last thing I wanted to be was dependent on my program in any way. For that reason, I really appreciated that AIFS took care of the hard stuff for us--arranging our airfare, setting us up in apartments, providing us with meal options, helping us locate doctors if we got sick, etc.--but then set us free to do our own thing as we pleased. With AIFS, you can be as independent as you want to be, but there's always an incredible support system to fall back on if you find yourself having trouble, and that was great to know.

I would enthusiastically recommend AIFS to anyone who is interested in studying abroad!