Program Reviews

My semester in Florence Italy was the best four months of my life. Abroad experiences are unlike anything else you can possibly encounter at home. Choosing SAI as my program for the semester was everything and more I had hoped for. I was able to complete my fashion internship abroad, meet some of the coolest people, and live in Florence Italy! SAI was there for me anytime when I needed it, and I never felt alone. In a place that can feel foreign at times, I never really felt that way in Florence studying with SAI. One time in Florence my roommates and I managed you get ourselves locked out of our apartment. We were able to call SAI and within minutes someone was able to help us. When we moved in to our apartment in January it was so cold, and for some reason our apartment wasn't staying very warm. Come to find out that our heater was partly broken. SAI fixed this for us quickly, and while we were waiting, provided us with extra blankets for our apartment. My list goes on about all the great things that SAI did for us. Go abroad and choose SAI for your abroad program! :)

Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made! I was able to attend Fashion Week shows and create a photoshoot with a professional photographer, that I will be able to put in my portfolio! I have created professional connections through my professors, as well as lifelong friendships with students all over the world! SAI was incredible in acclimating us to the Italian culture while letting us be independent and experience things for ourselves. Studying abroad with SAI is a must!

My semester abroad was my first time traveling outside the U.S. I went by myself and it was the most fulfilling decision I could have made. The classes were unique and always interesting; very different from my home University. From the whole experience, I have gained confidence, firsthand exposure to one of my favorite cultures, and life long friendships. SAI was helpful throughout the whole process and the opportunities were endless.

I studied abroad in Florence, Italy in Spring of 2015. I had an amazing time abroad, traveling to 11 different countries and 46 cities. While I did have an amazing time traveling throughout Europe, Florence was definitely my favorite. Living in another country, learning the language, the culture, and discovering the beauty of the city is something I will cherish forever and never forget. Some of my most memorable experiences include attending a Toga Party at the Pink Palace in Corfu, Greece; holding a falcon at a palace in Budapest, Hungary; partying at the Bermuda Triangle in Vienna, Austria; and walking through the streets of Prague. Studying abroad changed my life and I am homesick every day for my life in Florence.

I studied at London College of Fashion with SAI and gained educational experience as well as real-world experience I never would have any where else. SAI housing was in the best part of London, near shops, restaurants, and markets. SAI gave me a unique experience that other programs wouldn't have. We had travel opportunities around England as well as around the European continent, not only with SAI but also with London College of Fashion. LCF provided excellent education and I was able to take classes my home university doesn't offer. We attended London Fashion Week and traveled to Paris, during Paris Fashion Week as well. Excellent tutors and excellent classes! Take advantage of education and travel while in London.

Lots of fun with school. I definitely recommend this program for everyone. I went through the SAI program and Claudia Castaneda was an absolute life saver. I cannot speak highly enough of her. She was there for anything i needed, from basic questions to bigger problems. She definitely made the whole experience much much better. My advice for anyone coming in the future is go to the school and SAI events, and do your best to travel. This is a once in a lifetime chance and enjoy yourself.

Best personell: Claudia Castaneda
Best teachers: Damon Pittman, Matia Bonato

When you go abroad, more often than not you get caught up in how big an experience this is and you focus on all of these big things you have to do. For me, in Florence, Italy, I had to go to the Uffizi, see the David, climb to the top of the Duomo, go to the San Lorenzo Market, visit the Boboli Gardens, and so many other big events that I kept focusing on until one day, early in my semester abroad I decided to just sit for a little. I found a spot along the Arno river that splits Florence in half, jumped up on the cement wall that runs along the river and pulled out my little sketchbook. With my back propped up against one of Florence's elegant lampposts (yes, even the cities lampposts are beautiful), I gazed down the river at the Ponte Vecchio and began to sketch. People passed on the sidewalk next to me, tourists, residents of Florence, visitors from all over the world. Some tourists even paused behind me, watching the strange girl sitting on the wall sketching. I even had a few ask if they could take a picture of my drawing with the bridge in the background. They would stand over my shoulder for a few seconds before continuing on to their busy day. For once, I was the slow one. I was the one taking her time to really see every detail of what I was seeing, how almost every window on it was different, how little rooms jutted out over the river, held up by only a few supporting beams beneath it, how the sun created shadows on the river beneath the bridge. I watched little people walk over the historic sight, take selfies with it, take pictures of it but not really see it. This was the moment I realized that going abroad wasn't just about seeing the big sights, it was about these small moments. The small moments where you can take your time to appreciate something you might not have noticed if you were just a tourist because you're not a tourist. For four months, you're a resident, a Florentine.

Studying abroad in Florence, in one word, was amazing. For most of my life, I had heard stories from my father, telling me stories about my grandmother who made these delicious Italian meals and desserts. She used to tell me stories when I was younger about her vague memories of living in Italy, and I loved hearing her speak to my grandfather in Italian. I had always dreamed of traveling to Italy to explore my Italian roots and heritage, and studying abroad through SAI provided me the perfect opportunity to do so.

When I arrived in Italy, I contacted some family members who live there, whom I've never met before. They were more than willing to meet with me at some point, and we planned to meet during Easter time. Once the time came, I took a train from Florence to San Benedetto, a coastal town on the eastern side of Italy. My father and boyfriend had also came down to visit during that time, so they were able to meet my Italian family as well.

As I arrived at the train station in San Benedetto, my family was there to greet me. The night before Easter, we went to one of my family member's house, a beautiful home in the hills overlooking the town. All the food was prepared that day, fresh from the oven. Fresh breads, pizzas...things I have never heard or smelled before. All my family members (only a few could speak English) crowded over to my boyfriend, my father, and I, asking one family member to translate everything we said into Italian, and asked us so many questions. The room we were eating in felt warm and cozy, and we sipped on some homemade dessert wine, the strongest wine I've ever tasted. It was an amazing feeling, being surround by these people I have never met before, yet feeling so welcomed and comfortable.

For actual Easter day, we attended a church service. The service was beautiful, and it was the first service I had attended since being abroad. And being able to experience it with my Italian family members was such a special experience. For Easter brunch, we went to a family owned restaurant, and were served a five course meal. I had to force myself to eat everything on my plate, and it seemed like all my family members were able to get it down no problem. The stereotype that Italians eat a lot is in fact true. But the food was delicious...three different pastas, breads, veal, beef....holy cow!

After spending two nights there, we had to leave San Benedetto. It was harder to say goodbye to my Italian family than I thought. Their kindness and hospitality provided me with so much joy and feelings of togetherness. Today, I still keep in contact with some of them, and hope to make plans to visit them again someday!

Studying abroad with SAI in the beautiful city of Barcelona was such an incredible experience. Mireia, the program coordinator in Barcelona, was absolutely amazing and so helpful whenever I needed her help with anything. The excursions included with the program were so much fun and I definitely recommend taking full advantage of all of the trips/activities offered. My personal favorite was the weekend trip to Sevilla in Southern Spain where we took a bike tour of the city, went to a flamenco show, toured the cathedral, and had lots of free time to explore. My apartment was a little further from the city center, but it was still very nice and it was so easy to walk or take public transportation anywhere I wanted to go.
Now onto school since believe it or not, I did go to Barcelona to STUDY abroad. I took 15 credits in business, marketing, and spanish classes at UAB. Even though the workload was much less, I feel like I learned so much that I can actually apply to my future because there was much more practical work rather than just busy work and lectures.

Studying abroad is one of the biggest ways a person can live outside of their comfort zone. When faced with such an exciting but nerve-wracking opportunity, it is helpful to have a study abroad provider that is helpful every step of the way. SAI made sure I could study abroad with ease, helping be get through the dreaded visa acquisition, offering transportation from the airport to our apartments (which they also set up), and planning amazing excursions throughout the semester. Studying abroad was the best thing to ever happen to me. I got to travel to 7 different countries and explore all of Italy. It is an experience I wish I could live again and again, and thanks to SAI I was able to enjoy it all without any stress!