AIFS Abroad Reviews

I wanted to study abroad in a country that not many people have heard of, and not many are familiar with the Czech Republic. I love learning about architecture and Prague is the perfect place to study it, and I always had something new to look at. I have spent 4 months here and still run into new neighborhoods with very unique architecture every weekend. This city has been an amazing temporary home for me, and I got to explore smaller cities in the Czech Republic and outside the country as well. The excursions were incredible, and I am so glad I went through AIFS. I went on a few trips with friends, and had a great time getting to know different cultures. Overall it's been such a wonderful semester, and it will be difficult returning home!

Prague is an incredible city that is centrally located in Europe. The staff and excursions were all excellent and willing to help out in any situation. The professors were all extremely accommodating to travel plans. The AIFS cultural activites each week were helpful in getting to learn more about the city. Volunteering at a local high school was also a great experience to lean more about Czech culture. It was a great semester, with even better people! jkhdjkfhj

My four weeks abroad in Maynooth, Ireland was full of craic. Ireland is the most peaceful and serene country I have ever had the pleasure of visiting thanks to AIFS. My trip took place during the summer of 2014, which was the first year of this program. Despite the lack of experience, the staff did an excellent job of accommodating students and making sure that everyone was enjoying themselves. Every week, there were different cultural excursions that allowed students to integrate themselves into this country's way of life. Some of my favorites included hurling and Irish dancing lessons, and taking a trip to a Riverdance show. Every weekend, there were optional excursions to different parts of the country, which was probably my favorite part of the trip because it was an organized way to see so many areas that tourists are not familiar with while also getting to popular tourist attractions.
At first, I was a little nervous to go abroad by myself, but now I could not be happier with the fact that I went outside of my comfort zone because I made lasting friendships with people all over the world. Studying abroad is such a unique experience that the bonds you develop with others is special which makes it last. I still keep in touch with my friends from my trip!

When I think back on my study abroad semester I can't help but get so excited about Grenoble, the city where I spent four months of my life. I miss it everyday and I want everyone to go abroad when they are still in school in order to get out of the culture bubble we grow up in.
I chose to live with a host family, and was placed with a beautiful family about 30 min from the city center. At first I wasn't sure if I enjoyed being a distance away from the university or the city center but then I enjoyed the commute on the trams, buses, or even my bike I rented from the tourism office.
The program director was very accessible and very helpful from the orientation weekend to the final departure. Miranda provided multiple tools for learning and cultural engagement like, day or weekend excursions, wine and cooking classes, conversational partners, tours of the city, etc. I look forward to reconnecting with her when I get the chance to return.
The classes, while a little bit crazy at first getting situated, were challenging but not too time consuming. I really enjoyed being fully immersed in the classroom during my french class and then at home with my french family. AIFS covers breakfast and dinner for the Grenoble option, so I was only needing to pay for lunch each day.
Being surrounded by three grand mountain chains, was a "jigsaw puzzle view". Somedays I felt like I was dreaming or living in a movie backdrop. Coming from a Florida girl, I was in awe by where I was living. There are many hikes to go on, ski resorts to visit and food to indulge on.
Take chances in language, food, adventures, and life. GO study abroad!!

I did an intensive 4 week Spanish course with AIFS at Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I did this program before taking a semester of classes and it really helped me prepare for the rest of my time in Argentina. Monday through Friday we would have class for 5 hours a day, with breaks in between for lunch. Once classes were over in the afternoon the AIFS director would take us on excursions around the city. Our director, Barbara always made sure we had an activity to do if we wanted to participate in. She gave restaurant recommendations, help with transportation and encouraged us to speak as much Spanish as possible to improve our speaking level. I stayed with a hostmom and had a roommate that was also with AIFS, our hostmom provided breakfast and dinner everyday. The apartment I stayed in was only 3 blocks away from the University which made it extremely convenient t to walk back and forth and also feel safe at the same time. On the weekends, our director always made sure we used our time wisely to explore as much as the city as possible. AIFS was the best fit for me, they made me feel comfortable and safe in a new city with a language I was not fluent in, they gave me tons of opportunities to optimize my time in Argentina to the fullest.

One of the activities the resident directors planned was a team photo scavenger hunt. They gave us clues leading us to different parts of Granada, and we had to take a picture of us at the different locations. I, and two of my friends, got some native college girls to help us out, and we ended up winning 75 euros. We saw many unique and out-of-the-way areas of Granada. This was just one way our wonderful resident directors helped involve us in the culture.

There is a vast amount of different places and people in the world, and being able to see some of the many cultures I did in my time in Europe allowed me to see many different lifestyles and customs and was able to immerse myself in areas I was not used to. Our world is so incomprehensibly huge, and how many people have lived on this planet, how many buildings, pieces of art, stories, scientific discoveries, etc have been contributed. I finally saw this first hand, and found a greater appreciation for other cultures as well as my own. It is very easy to get stuck in a bubble living our day to day lives, but being abroad teaches you there is so much more out there. I find that my perspective is much more open in all areas because of this experience. No matter where you go in this world there will always be people that you meet that turn into friends and acquaintances. This process may be difficult abroad but in the long run the people you meet abroad can change you forever. From small talks in a coffee shop with a stranger, a late night drink with a group of Australians in a Hostel in Italy to co-workers, and groups of girls from France in a nightclub, and so forth. You learn about culture, cool spots you never heard of, stories, and new perspectives of things you otherwise would have never known on your own because you all come from a different background and are headed a different direction but when you cross paths it is a truly amazing thing to hear how they got to where they are and where they are going and everything in between etc. Being in this program is an investment for your future. The things you learn and grow by doing this internship abroad are priceless as well as the marketable skills of a job and internship experience.

I had never been to France before my semester abroad. I chose Grenoble, France because I wanted to live in a city which was not so much touristic. I wanted to experience unknown culture, learn a new language, and live somewhere which I knew no one. AIFS provided me the opportunity to meet international students and keep in contact with them after my return home!
Studying in France enabled me to develop a close relationship with my host mom and also explore Europe. Every free weekend and break I had, I hopped on plane and train and went on a trip. I traveled to 13 countries and 36 cities during my time abroad. It was the most rewarding and unforgettable experience of my life.

This program was perfect for me. It was four weeks in the summer of 2014 when I went, and it was perfect because that didn't interfere with any of my classes during the year. The class that I took was called "Land in the City, Green in the City," and it explored all the ways that Berlin incorporates plants, trees and other greenery into the city. We spent maybe one day a week actually in class and the rest was spent exploring the various forests, parks, rooftop gardens, university greenhouses, and buildings with greenery inside or on the outside of the building. The rest of the time was spent exploring the city and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I wouldn't have had so many delicious meals if I hadn't pushed myself. We also had excursions planned for three of the four weekends. We went to Potsdam, Dresden, and Prague in the Czech Republic. Our director was also super helpful with planning any additional trips, or even just to find the best food around. Leaving Berlin was just as hard as leaving my hometown to go to Berlin. More than anything, I feel like I left a piece of my heart there and I want to go back and visit very soon.

The best experience I had while in Ireland was joining the University of Limerick's Skydiving Club. It was there that I met some of my best friends. I still am in contact with many of them and could not imagine my experience without them. Not only was joining a club great for socializing, but I also made three solo jumps. I never would have thought I would jump out of a plane in Ireland, but it was three of the best moments of my life. Studying abroad is all about trying something new and finding things you love. My new loves are Ireland, travelling, and skydiving.