AIFS Abroad

Program Reviews

Chloe
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great experience

Having an internship in Florence, Italy was an amazing and unique opportunity. I got very lucky with my internship placement at a travel company; it was a great fit for me and I became close friends with my coworkers and boss. I also made friends with the other Global Experiences interns that I was living with. We all lived in the same complex, which had all the amenities we needed, including AC, heat, and laundry. The apartments were in a great area close to the city center.
The Florence location coordinators, Erica and Anna, are great! They were prompt at responding even outside of work hours, and helped with everything from internship questions to suggestions on the best clothing tailor in the city. They provided each intern with hands-on attention and advice.
Overall, I would recommend this program. Global Experiences is a great program to do in your college or post-college years because it helps give you a better idea of what your future goals and plans are.

Pros
  • Personal growth
  • Work experience in another country
  • New connections
Cons
  • Personal expenses with no income from a job
  • Needs a more streamlined COVID isolation plan
Aleah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Australian Adventure with Andrea

I chose to go abroad to Australia with Global Experiences not really knowing what to expect. I knew I wanted to go abroad to Australia, but I didn't know exactly what that experience would entail. Andrea, the program advisor for Sydney, made this an amazing experience in several areas. She worked hard to make sure that my internship was a good fit for me, and found things for my cohort to do based on our interests. GE made discovering Sydney so much easier, and I definitely recommend! Thank you GE and Andrea!

Rosie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Experience I Don’t Regret

My experience overall in Milan through Global Experiences was one that I do not regret. Although our program was fairly small (and felt this way at times), it was a way for me to form close relationships with my roommates. The first two weeks we were enrolled in half day language classes which gave us a lot of free time to explore and get situated with the trams and public transportation, as well as the layout of the city. After this, each of our individual internships picked up and occupied most of our time. Because of this, we traveled to various countries early on in the program as we had the time to do so. My internship placement was okay, and although I had some complaints and difficulties, overall I know that I learned a lot and will be able to use this experience as a stepping stone in whatever career path I take. The city is lively and there’s definitely stuff to do, but you have to look for it. Although not the typical study abroad experience with easy classes and partying, this I felt was the perfect happy medium of an abroad experience I missed out on due to COVID while also incorporating a job/internship/career jumper experience.

Pros
  • Easy Transportation
  • Great Shopping
  • Very Lively
Cons
  • Very Metropolitan, Not Very Green
  • Food Isn’t Incredible, But Okay
  • Summer Months Are Incredibly Hot
Drew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fantastic internhsip

Best internship I’ve ever had. I visited a lot of Spain it was great. The program did an overall great job planning fun activities for me to do, and places to visit. A great experience and would reccomend to all students who want to intern abroad, Madrid was a great city to live in. It Was a fun three months for me, a great experience. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about Spanish culture. Could be a life changing experience for some people. I got to travel all over Spain and I enjoyed that very much. The internship was my favorite, I have interned at multiple companies in the US and this internship in Madrid has been the best in office experience yet.

Cora
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Florence

It was such a great experience! I was able to really dive into the culture and make friends with locals. My internship was so much fun and i was so fortunate for my boss. She was like my Italian mother and was so kind and caring. I absolutely loved working at her clothing boutique. My advice would be to say yes to any opportunity that arises; you’ll grow so much if you do. I learned so much about my wants and needs by coming here. I made friends for a lifetime and made connections around Europe as well.

Pros
  • Meet new friends around the world
  • Experience a new work culture
  • Travel
Cons
  • Shared rooms
  • Expensive
Sara
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Milan

I did the Milan program for september-november 2022. It was most definitely an experience. I did enjoy it, and made some lifelong friends with other students there. Though, it was very expensive in the end. With no way to make income while living there, running out of funds was not uncommon.
The internship was definitely not what I would have expected or wanted, though it was to no fault of GE or the coordinators. It was an issue with the company and bosses.
In retrospect, this experience was worth it, though be careful with your funds and ability to live independently. Do this trip if you want to experience new culture, meet new people, and see new things. Do NOT do this trip just in the name of credits or just the internship. The internship is part of why you are here, but it isn’t meant to be the ONLY reason you are here.

Pros
  • Learning Italian
  • Vintage Shopping
  • Stunning Views
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Busy/Hectic
  • Only Okay Food
Kate
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Best 3 Months

Through my 3 month experience in Florence Italy, I was able to build my resume while simultaneously creating the best memories and friendships possible. As a psychology major, I was able to work first-hand with a psychotherapist who taught me a lot about the occupational field, as well as a lot about myself. My boss was a therapist who primarily worked with young adults. Because I am a young adult myself, this was very beneficial to me. I was able to take lessons from his clients and apply it to myself, which was very enlightening. I also had never been able to observe this particular realm of the psychological field, so I learned a lot from that aspect as well. Overall, the individualistic attention from my work experience only benefit my resume, as well as my understanding of the work realm.
In terms of the social life, I was far from bored. Although I came to Florence primarily for the work experience, I also created many friendships and memories that I will never forget. I spent a lot of time with the other individuals in the program, and we all eventually became very close. Time spent together ranged from shopping, getting dinner, exploring, or even just watching Halloween movies together on Netflix! On top of all of the excitement Florence has to offer, we were also able to travel outside of Florence to get the full Italian experience. From wine tastings, to day trips to surrounding cities, there were always activities available to participate in (regardless of the location). I am forever thankful to Global Experiences for the amazing opportunity and memories that will last forever!

Pros
  • Great food!
  • Fun activities
  • New friends
Sorelys
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Abroad internship

This abroad internship was an experience of a lifetime! It helped me learn more about myself as a person and a working professional. It also helped me experience life abroad and working among locals without having to commit to a full time job. This program helped me prepare for the future in my career and I am excited to see where I go from here. I have also learned more about my likes and dislikes when it comes to what i seek on a professional level. I am happy to have completed this program as well!

Pros
  • New experience
  • Growth
  • Out of your comfort zone
Cons
  • Language conflict
  • Roommate conflict
  • Can be confusing at times
Giuseppina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience!

I had an amazing experience here in Florence. If I can do it all over again, I really would. I’ve learned so much since being here and I’m so happy I did. I’ve definitely grown so much since getting here and I’m so grateful for all this experience has given me! I would recommend this program to students looking for a change, while also wanting to gain work experience in their major. It’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone, see new places, learn new things about yourself and about your career field.

Pros
  • Gaining work experience
  • Learning things about yourself
  • Making new friends + connections
Cons
  • The housing wasn’t the best situation
  • Be prepared to walk a lot!
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Global Experiences Florence, Italy Fall 2022

I highly recommend taking the leap and interning or studying abroad. It sounds scary. Not every moment is going to be amazing (people forget to tell you that) but you learn from overcoming these challenges and grow as a person. I was really lucky with my experience. I fell in love with Florence. I thought it was a perfect sized city. I figured Rome and Milan would be too big for me and I think I was right. I recommend Global Experiences. My location coordinators, Anna and Erica were nothing but helpful, supportive, and kind. I know that if I needed anything, they would be right there to help. My internship placement was also perfect. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in marketing, and told GE that my interests were in the fitness industry and they placed me at a member's club, fitness and yoga studio. I got to do social media marketing for them and I learned so much, not to mention my coworkers were so welcoming and kind. I felt that the work I did for them was really contributing to the company's needs. Long story short - if you have any interest in studying or interning abroad, you should do it. You won't regret it.