AIFS Abroad Reviews

London with AIFS was an amazing experience. I met people who are still my best friends to this day and experienced a beautiful and diverse city. You can experience almost every culture, as the food is vast with dining from all over the world and hundreds of languages spoken on the tube. It's such an amazing city to get a cultural experience, but still be able to speak English and feel a little bit at home.

Studying abroad in Salamanca through AIFS provided me with a spectacular experience. Not only did the staff do a great job of providing you with a wonderful home stay, but they were always there to help. If you were sick, had a general question, or just even wanted to chat you could always feel comfortable asking the staff. The program allowed for an easy transition from living in the US to the life in Spain by constantly having events and involving you in the culture. If I could go back, I would have no doubt in my mind that this program would be my selection. By the end of the semester, I am sure that you too will feel Salamanca is your home.

Honestly, I didn't compare many study abroad programs when I was choosing which program I wanted to go through. When I saw that I could attend the Cannes Film Festival, I knew that's the program I wanted. It was everything I wanted it to be! I was able to travel to several different places in France through AIFS and to a few other countries on my own during breaks. Sandrine and Aude, the AIFS staff that work at the college, are always there to answer any questions about anything regarding study abroad, traveling, or just general French questions! The Cannes Film Festival was really exciting, and although it is tiring, you can get a lot out of the festival if you put in the time with the resources you are given by the program. Cannes is a fairly small town when the festival isn't going on, and although I didn't believe this would happen, I found myself annoyed by all the tourists that came during the festival (which was at the end of the four months I was there). I really felt that Cannes was my town. It was easy to learn where everything was once you go out and explore, and the school is within walking distance from the beach! I also thought that all of the teachers were nice and that I learned a lot in my classes. It was a great experience in every way!

My experience studying abroad in Prague far surpassed all of my expectations and I can easily say that those have been the best four months of my life. Prague is truly a magical city that looks like it is straight out of a fairytale. I could not have been happier with my decision to study in Prague through AIFS. The opportunities that AIFS provides you with allow you to fully immerse yourself into the rich culture and history of Prague.

I can’t say enough about how amazing this program is. AIFS offers so much for you to take advantage of during your time abroad. It was the perfect balance of freedom and structure. You could choose what you wanted to participate in, but the program directors were always available for any advice or help when needed. They planned cultural events to ballets and the sympathy, outings to historical cafes, tickets to sporting events, and weekly walks through different neighborhoods in Prague lead by Zdenek – or Z – who knows everything you could ever want to know about every European city. All of these activities were included in the program fee and you could go to as many or as little you want. These options enriched my experience by allowing me to fully appreciate the rich culture in Prague.

AIFS also offers a lot of weekend trips and excursions. There is an option to have AIFS organize your flights to and from Europe, with a stopover in London and Munich before arriving in Prague. This prevented much of the pre-departure stress and was a great way to get to know the people on my program. We also traveled all around the Czech Republic, went to Krakow in Poland, Vienna and Salzburg in Austria, and Berlin in Germany. The program directors came on the weekend trips and organized tours and activities for us. Go on as many of these trips as you can! They are so educational and fun and you’ll get to know the people on your program much faster on these trips.

Thanks to AIFS and the people I met I had the time of my life in Prague. I left a piece of my heart in Prague and I would give anything to go back and relive my experiences there. At the end of the semester I had 30 new best friends and we still keep in touch and have already made trips across the US to visit each other. If you’re at all considering studying abroad, just GO. Studying abroad with AIFS was the best decision I’ve ever made and the experiences I had have shaped me into the person I am today.

Studying in Florence was hands down the best decision I've made in my life. For 3 months I lived and worked in one of the most culturally stimulating and beautiful cities in the world. My initial internship placement didn't work out, but the Florence GE staff was so helpful and accommodating in quickly helping to resolve that issue. Interning at the Florence Newspaper was a great experience that got me involved in various events throughout the city and made it feel more like home with every assignment. From morning cappuccino in a side street "bar" to wine at sunset in Piazzale Michelangelo...I loved every minute of it and can't imagine not having had that experience. If you're considering studying in Florence, I have only piece of advice for you: GO!!! :)

During the AIFS Summer 2012 Program in Costa Rica, I was definitely challenged academically as I was a true beginner at Spanish. I had taken only a month’s worth of Rosetta Stone before embarking on this journey to Costa Rica and there were many times when I felt overwhelmed and discouraged as the course kept progressing. However, I must admit I learned a lot of the language from my host family. Even after I was done with class, they continued to expose it to me. Looking back, I can honestly say that eating, talking, and living with my host family was my favorite part of the trip. In my Tropical Ecology course, we actually stayed overnight in the rainforest at the Tirimbina Reserve where I saw tons of awesome creatures during a nighttime tour! The weekend excursions we went on were remarkable and the views on our trip to Monte Verde were unbelievable. Some of the additional activities I was able to experience were hot springs, canopying and whitewater rafting. This was the first time I had ever gone beyond the country’s borders and studying abroad has made me enthusiastic about traveling. I also created a blog to document my trip abroad and I suggest that to everyone so the memories will never fade. If you’re considering this program, I highly recommend it and wish you the best of luck as you embark on an unforgettable journey of your own!

I had the opportunity to be part of the Global Experiences program in Florence this past summer. My experience with the program went well beyond my expectations.
I greatly improved my Italian language skills at the language school. The professors are incredibly helpful and there are students from all over the world, so not only will you make friends with your fellow Global Interns, but you have the chance to become friends with students from other countries as well.
After the three weeks of the language school, I had an awesome, one-of-a-kind legal internship where I was able to experience the Italian civil legal system, work with international business contracts, write and prepare legal documents, and get client interaction. Best of all, I developed close connections with my supervisor and co-workers that made going to the internship great everyday.
The staff was very kind and helpful, the trips were fun and exciting, my housing was conveniently located, and the other students in the program were awesome people. Your transition to living in Florence will be easy and effortless thanks to the support you will be surrounded by.
I really have no complaints from this summer. It was an unforgettable experience that has no comparison. I wish I was still working there!

This past summer I spent in Florence was one I'll never forget... and one I wish I could go back to every day! I'm bilingual in Italian, so I started the program after the language school portion. I wouldn't say I'm the most outgoing person, so it took me a little to meet all the other interns. However, as soon as I got comfortable, I had the best summer of my life. Not only did I have an awesome internship (yes, I cried when I had to say bye to my co-workers) but I had so much fun exploring Florence and all the other cities Global Experiences takes you to! For my internship, I was in a small showroom in a town right outside downtown Florence. There were only 7 sellers and 2 secretaries who worked the showroom, so I quickly got to know everyone and how everything worked. It was amazing getting to see all the spring/summer collections a whole year before they are released to the public and be able to sit in on client meetings with buyers who came in to purchase merchandise for their stores. I was also lucky enough to be placed with another intern who has become one of my closest friends! In the end, I gained some incredibly valuable experience in fashion business and had an amazing summer while doing it. Plus adding a fashion internship in Italy on my resume doesn't sound too shabby! This was my first internship I've ever had and it is definitely one I will never forget.

My time in Florence Italy was by far one of my most valuable experiences I have ever had. Not only was I given an amazing opportunity to intern in a high-end showroom, I learned more then I could have imagined outside of my internship. The Showroom experience was like none other. I had the best time and was able to gain so much knowledge from my coworkers. They were extremely supportive and gave me responsibilities as if I were a permanent part of their team. Not only was I able to go to the biggest fashion trade show in Italy, I learned how international business works. I did everything from displays to helping them sell. Global Experiences helped me throughout each step of the process, the interview, first day, and anything else I needed along the way. I also was surrounded by the best people and have made life-long friends in the process. Global Experiences had so many activities for us there was no time to be bored.The staff was very supportive and was always there to listen if we had a problem or conflict. We were given the opportunity to travel outside of our internship, as well as spend time with our friends. I used this amazing time abroad to learn about my surroundings as well as myself. I walked away from this experience a well rounded individual and ready to start my career in the fashion industry. Interning abroad has been the best decision I have made regarding my college career!

After I was accepted to Global Experiences they guaranteed an internship placement. My first choice interview went well and I got a marketing position in a company I really liked. For the months leading up to the program, they hosted regular interactive webinars and called us individually to help us through the interview and visa application process. Mine went smoothly and I didn't really require much extra help, but it was nice to know it was available.

When I arrived in London at our housing facility, the advisers I had been speaking with the last few months were waiting to help us move in and give us some advice about settling in. We had a orientation session, icebreakers for the people in our groups and two tours that weekend.

During the internship our advisers held office hours, visited us at work, spoke with us about any issues that may have cropped up at work. They also had lots of social events for us from bar crawls to day trips around England. Our adviser was very knowledgeable about life in London and had suggestions from cheap pubs, to free museums and unique cultural events around the city.

The other interns in the program and I quickly became friends. Several months later, some of us are planning a bit of a reunion back in the US.

My actual internship was great. My manager gave me a lot of freedom and a lot of responsibility after proving myself early on. I got experience in the sales and advertising side of marketing and realized which I like best. My work was actually put to good use in the company. At the end I had a great letter of recommendation and a lot more confidence in my decided career path. It was a lot of hardwork, but I definitely grew over the course of the summer.

Night life is obviously fantastic in London. While I hung out with my GE friends a lot, I broke out and made local friends, which really made my experience something special.

A few months back in the US, and I still keep in touch with my GE advisers, former employer and of course my friends I made in London.