CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy

I had such an amazing time in Florence! Something I really appreciated about the CEA program was having Fridays off from class because it allowed us to travel to new places in the most affordable ways. Without these, traveling would've been much more difficult and I wouldn't have had the same experience abroad. I also really enjoyed how the classes would take us one excursions based on what we were learning. The art history class I took brought me to many new churches and areas I never would have explored or even known about on my own, and it was like going with our own personal tour guide.

My experience was awesome!! I went to Florence, Italy and I can honestly say I think it is the best study abroad destination in Italy. I also was able to visit Venice, Pisa, San Lucca, Cinque Terre, Paris, and Barcelona. I met a ton of new friends and learned so many incredible things. I am a foodie for sure so I loved learning about Italian food and wine. The streets of Florence were easy to navigate and remember so it felt familiar and more like home within a week. I would highly recommend it!

Ever since I have gotten back from studying abroad in Florence, Italy with CEA CAPA, I have been telling friends and family that I probably peaked in life during this experience. I went with one of my best friends from high school/college, in which we were able to travel to other areas of Italy every weekend. One weekend I even went to Croatia! Travel agencies in Florence makes traveling for students affordable and easy, since they plan every part of the trip from transportation to housing to activities. In Florence, I took two classes during the six week stay. I was in Food and Culture in Italy and History of the Mafia and Anti-Mafia in Italy, both of which were extremely interesting and engaging. Near the end of my trip, my good friend suffered a spontaneous lung collapse in which he had to be hospitalized until the end of our trip. The CEA CAPA staff did amazing things to comfort him through this tough time. His Food and Culture teacher even delivered him food while he was in the hospital! Since he couldn't fly back on his scheduled date, the CEA CAPA director in Florence, made sure my friend had housing until he could safely leave and fly on a plane.

Studying abroad in Florence was an unforgettable experience. The staff at CEA CAPA made my educational experience enjoyable while providing opportunities to learn things I wouldn't have been able to back home in the U.S. Florence as a city was a perfect size for me as I was able to memorize my way around the city in just a few weeks. There is so much history and culture to experience every day. I still stay in contact with some professors and use every chance I get to talk about how amazing my experience was to all my friends. 10/10 experience. Of all the cities I traveled to in Italy and Europe nothing was able to compare to the charm of Firenze!

I had the absolute best time studying abroad in Florence! The city is the perfect place to live abroad because it is not too big which makes it feel like home. Florence is so easy to navigate and to learn the ins and outs of living in Italy. CEA CAPA provided so much support both before I left and during the program. The classes are so fun and we were always doing fun activities in them! We got to do wine tastings, take tours of local museums, and present our own food and wine pairing which was so cool!

I cannot say enough good things about this experience. I went overseas not knowing anyone, which can be very scary, but CEA CAPA made me feel so supported throughout my entire trip. The class went so well and I brought all of my knowledge back home. But CEA CAPA went above and beyond what I expected. They have excursions, cooking classes, tours, etc all included in your plan which helps immerse yourself into the culture. No matter what I needed, they were always so supporting. They CEA CAPA office was in a perfect location as well, easy access to it! 100/10 recommend this program!

My first week in Florence was a culture shock. From the open-air city of Los Angeles to a more compact town like Florence, I was initially taken off guard and scared for my new adventure. Quickly, I realized the worlds that sat behind the yellow concrete buildings. The local coffee shop, which looked similar to the ones on most streets, became a home in itself. The barista quickly learned my name and order, and each morning, I was comforted by the familiar face. Between classes, I'd wander off into a random church, only to experience the astonishing sights of Brunelleschi's work. His ability to create illusions of space in otherwise standard construction was incredible. My free time was never boring. I often went with new friends to check out the local markets or thrift shops between classes. Or, we would grab a cappuccino with our professor and hear about her favorite places in Florence. We would sit outside the Duomo just minutes from campus to admire the building and people-watch tourists. The school and city filled my time with learning so much about the city's history and how to experience Italy's culture best. I took quick trains around Italy many weekends to see amazing new places. But, at the end of those trips, I was always excited to return to my new home away from home.

What I appreciated most about my experience with CEA CAPA Florence was how integrated my program was with the host city and culture. Because the CEA CAPA Florence building is located in such a lively and bustling part of the city (Santa Croce), it really felt like the city was our campus. Each day, we were encouraged by the staff and faculty to take advantage of this. There were numerous excursions to go on and activities to do.

During my semester abroad, I had the opportunity to participate in Ganzo! (an Italian slang word meaning “cool"), a cultural exchange program that matches study abroad students with local families. Being able to create a connection with my Ganzo! family allowed me to practice the language and immerse myself in Italian culture in ways that would’ve been difficult to encounter otherwise. Ganzo! was definitely a highlight of my experience. I appreciate CEA CAPA’s commitment to pushing students to immerse themselves in their host country’s culture by offering volunteer programs such as Ganzo!