Studying abroad in Florence was a life-changing experience for me. I am a junior at Cal Poly SLO studying graphic communication and minoring in studio art and Chinese. Because of my studio art minor, I chose to do a CEA CAPA and SRISA art split program to take classes at both schools in Florence. I took Beginning Italian and Intro to Contemporary Cinema with CEA CAPA and Beginning Painting and Graphic Design Studio with SRISA. Learning about art and the Italian language while abroad heightened my experience in Florence. I had a unique and immersive experience in the city, gaining a new perspective on Italian culture and the city's history and art. Thanks to CEA CAPA, I got a rounded abroad experience with things such as excursions broadening my experience with the country of Italy, and classes I took in Florence, broadening my perspective of Italian lifestyle and history. The faculty on-site for CEA CAPA were helpful and attentive, and my housing situation was in the middle of the city. I made new friends through the program's various activities and met my roommates through CEA CAPA's housing portal. I would recommend this program to anyone who appreciates history, art, and Italian cuisine. The city of Florence is full of these things and more, and CEA CAPA's program enabled me to enjoy these qualities with little stress.
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I were to go abroad again, I would work on having goals before going abroad. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the experience I wanted to have abroad, but if I had decided I wanted to use that experience to learn more, make new friends, travel more, etc. I would have had a bit more of a focused abroad experience and be able to delve into one area specifically.
Pros
- Self Growth
- Immersion into city's culture
- Increased knowledge of Italian history
Cons
- Taking care of mental health
- Finding time to work on school work