Rome J-Term Was Awesome!

I chose AIFS because it was the perfect combination of location, academics, affordability, and experiences! AIFS is a partner with my university so I was able to transfer credits back to fulfill my degree requirements. I went abroad to Rome, Italy for the winter J-term and I was able to accomplish so much during such a short amount of time. I chose the travel package through AIFS so I had transportation to and from the Rome airport and had staff with me until I got to the program meet up location. My Rome support staff were awesome and all had very unique backgrounds. They even taught a wine tasting class in house! There were a bunch of excursions offered through the program like an opera visit, tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, a cooking class, and trips to Florence and Assisi. My class focused on Italian Culture and we had regular field trips to places like an olive oil tasting class, grocery markets, and the fashion district near the Spanish Steps. While I did go in with friends from my university, I became friends with other people from other schools and with people from my home university that I didn't know prior to going abroad. I gained a lot of experience learning how to shop for myself in a different country, navigating a language barrier, and learning how to manage fun and academics. I actually switched the focus of my second major because I loved the concept of Slow Food that I learned while abroad. I really would recommend AIFS for anyone that wants to learn authentically and experience things firsthand, rather than sitting in a classroom all day.