AIFS Abroad Reviews

When I left my hometown for London, I was 20 years old and had never lived on my own. Upon arrival in Heathrow airport, I met some of my fellow study abroads, and we rode in a car from the airport through the city to our dorm, laughing and getting to know one another.

As soon as you get to London, be open and welcome to new experiences, and most of all, new people. Within the first day, I met the people that would soon constitute my close group of friends. You will be amazed by how quickly you adapt to a situation so unfamiliar and yet intriguing.

The neighborhood of Kensington was,and is, to say the least, beautiful. The streets are narrow and quiet, and the neighbors are friendly yet mostly keep to themselves. The buildings are old and classic, and the dorm building itself is only 2-3 blocks away from High Street Kensington. You'll spend a lot of time here. Whether it be shopping, pub crawling, or dining, there is plenty to do simply in the surrounding area. Hyde Park, a great place to walk, relax, or play sports, is also within the immediate area. By subway, you are only 15-20 minutes away from the downtown.

Since this was my first time living in a dorm, I cannot sufficiently compare living in Atlantic House to any other experience. It is constituted by four floors filled with dorm rooms, a ground floor with offices and a library, and a basement containing a dining hall and student lounge. I loved living in Atlantic house. Every day, you will see friends and acquaintances walking by, and there is never a dull moment here.

Depending upon your major, class difficulty varies. I took four courses abroad, and they consisted primarily of writing courses. To say the least, I had an immense variety of experiences to write about. My courses were not difficult, yet kept me busy, and contained what I found to be an appropriate level of work so that I could thoroughly enjoy my experience in London.

Each day I went to class. When outside of class, I would take walks around the city, exploring new areas and new neighborhoods by bus and by tube(subway). London is very easy to traverse, and you will have no issue with getting from point A to point B.

In the evening, friends and I would seek the night life. London's night life is the best in the business, and Piccadilly Circus is the epicenter of all the fun. This area of town (likened to Times Square in New York) is loaded with dining, pubs, clubs, movie theaters, etc. I have many wild stories involving this part of town. There are buses that run well into the evening that can take you home. Otherwise, the tube closes at midnight and taxis are available. Be wary, though, they can be expensive.

Of course, if you're not interested in clubbing or drinking, there is still much to do. Plays and comedy shows are always available, and you can spend your time lounging in cafes or in parks. London tourism is always in full operation, so go see the sights. Musical artists and bands are always coming to London, so concerts are always available.

I suppose I should mention the food served in Atlantic House. Well, many of my peers would probably tell you it is not so good. Personally, as a non-vegetarian, I liked the food provided. It is served in a buffet style, though you can only help yourself once, so pile up! They offer an assortment of meat dishes, as well as vegetable dishes. For those of you that are vegetarian or vegan, these options are provided, though not in abundance.

As for the food in London? Don't believe all that you hear. London's food is diverse and you can find nearly everything, especially in Kensington. Whether you're looking for Chinese, Indian, American, Vegetarian, or Italian, you can find it in London.

The staff is incredibly welcoming, and they are there to help you, so utilize their knowledge at any opportunity!

Bring lots of clothing, like long-sleeves, short-sleeves, jeans, khakis, dresses, shorts, flip flops, sneakers, jackets, sweaters, etc. I also brought some books and a journal. You won't need to bring tooth brushes and the like. All of that you'd be better of purchasing once you get to the city. Oh, and bring lots of money! London is expensive, and I spent well over 6,000 dollars there (though you can certainly get by with less).

As for the city of London itself, you couldn't be in a more prime location. It is a place rich with history and life. Not only are you in one of the biggest and most diverse cities in Europe, you are in close proximity to the European mainland, so travel as much as possible!

During my stay in London, I traveled to Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, and Scotland. Each of these trips was incredible, and I would highly recommend these places as possible destinations.

Go everywhere you possibly can. See everything. Do everything. Talk to everyone. Live each day until your legs ache and your body is forcing you to fall into bed. Then, wake up, and get back out on the streets. Live, live, live, and most of all, enjoy each moment. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain from an experience such as this.

Going to Rome with the Richmond program was amazing. I was prepared for the trip from the very beginning, thanks to the AIFS representative. Everyday was a new adventure and I had a great time just exploring the city and the rest of Italy. There was a good balance of school work and free time. I never had to skip something because I had too much homework. Housing was great. People were located all over the city so you could spend time in different neighborhoods, and you could interact with real Italians who were your neighbors. Overall I wouldn't trade my experience with Richmond in Rome for anything else.

I really don't know where to begin describing my experience in Rome during the Summer of 2011. The AIFS team worked very diligently in making my dream a reality for the summer. Once in Rome, the Richmond staff were all very friendly and eager to aide us in our summer adventures. I met amazing students from all across America, some of which I still keep in contact with and visit frequently. The program itself was wonderful because included in your fees, are vouchers for meals (and drinks!), housing, and a side trip to Florence. I felt as though I got the most bang for my buck and I avidly recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad while in college!

This program is amazing, specifically the international internship program. The experience was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It provided a real chance to experience British culture. The course, Contemporary British Culture, was extremely enjoyable and the internship I was placed in was my favorite part of my time in London. The dorm in Kensington wasn't amazing, but the location was. It was so close to everything in central London. The program provided tickets to a lot of fun events and outings, including a cruise down the Thames, which offers some of the best views of London.

The experiences I had in London were life changing and the people I met I will always remember and keep in contact with for the rest of my life. The school was a great experience and the professors want to see you succeed. I definitely recommend this program to every person that reads this.

Studying abroad through AIFS in Rome was easily one of the most rewarding, exciting, fun adventures I have ever embarked on. From living in Trastevere with many local Italians to walking through Campo Di Fiori to get to class everyday, AIFS integrated you into the Roman lifestyle and equipped you with the tools to have the best semester of your life. Not only did our meal plan work at over 3,000 restaurants in Rome so we could enjoy the local cuisine, but they arranged weekend trips for our entire program to both explore Italian culture outside of Rome and also get to know and interact with the other kids in our program. My semester in Rome with AIFS was the perfect 4 month Roman Holiday that I will never forget.

The AIFS Study Abroad Program Richmond in Florence was one of the best experiences of my life! The students were from all over the US and were interested in similar subjects and open to new experiences like me. Though for the first few days of my trip my luggage had been lost by the airline, the staff were as helpful as possible by providing translation with local airport staff. The classes were everything I hoped for. My favorite part was that I not only learned about the art history and culture of Italy, but I was immursed in it. As one of the teachers in the program would say "you can touch it, you can look at it, you can smell it, you can bite it". I learned a lot of information in a shorter amount of time than I might in a whole semester class at my university, and feel like I have a very in-depth understanding of the material. I loved learning about paintings and sculptures and then going to see the actual pieces either locally in Florence, or in other places like Milan or Vinci. My favorite part of the experience was actually a seemingly mundane activity: my walk to school every morning. Every morning my roomates and I would make the fifteen minute walk past the Duomo and across the Arno to get to class. Florence is beautiful and calm in the morning. After I found my way around the city, Florence felt like my hometown during these morning walks. Of course the social aspect and the nightlife was very exciting as well. With all the friends I made in the program, I got to explore the restaurants, bars, and attractions of Florence and enjoy all the diverse people. Our apartment was in a great location and was very comfortable for me and my three roomates. We especially loved our landlady who would take us out every week to get gelato and talk to us about our experiences and help us with our italian (while we helped her with her english!). While the program sponsored trips and activites were a blast, I also liked that we had plenty of independence and free time to plan trips of our own to explore a foreign country using our own resources while learning some important lessons in traveling and social interaction. There were a million more things that I loved, but I can't list here. However just a few more; the gelato, the shopping, the friends, the views, the art, the music, the food, and the Italians. My only complaint is that I had to leave!

AIFS provided an exceptional program. There was a total balance between work and play, and they were really good about providing cultural experiences that you may not commit to doing on your own. It was great how close all the program participants lived to each other, and they made it easy to make strong bonds with others quickly. The staff was extremely helpful and available to answer questions, and the office was in a convenient location for popping in or printing your travel confirmations for individually planned trips.

Absolutely one of the most memorable and amazing experiences! From the beautiful scenery to the delicious food, everything was perfect! AIFS is a wonderful, safe, educational and extremely entertaining program. I wouldn't have changed a thing. You are NEVER bored and are constantly experiencing different things everyday.

Life in South Africa is so rich, so diverse, and yet sometimes so unexpected that I found myself waking up every day excited to see what new adventure I would find. The biggest impact that studying abroad has had on my life was learning how to appreciate even the smallest of details in a new environment. Initially, you'll miss your university in the states, you'll miss your favorite food, you'll miss your parents. Then at some point, whether it's 5 weeks or 5 months into living in Stellenbosch, you'll refer to your apartment in Concordia as home, you'll crave an ostrich sausage, and you'll be on the phone trying to convince your parents you need to stay for another term. You will meet some of your best friends while studying abroad because when that semester ends, there really is nobody else in the world that can relate to those kinds of feelings. The international staff at Stellenbosch plans fantastic trips that get you to see the country but they also encourage you to explore on your own. Take advantage of the clubs through the university and take a course that isn't only offered to international students; you can learn a lot from the South African students as well.