AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in Italy

My time in Florence, Italy was an incredible experience I will never forget thanks to the American Institute For Foreign Study. They made applying and and getting ready for departure easy and seamless by walking me through the visa and passport applications, and by providing the option to have my flight to and from Italy booked by the company. That was such a relief for me because I had never booked a flight overseas before, another perk of having my flight booked by AIFS was a 2 day layover in London on they way to Italy.

After arriving in Florence, AIFS did such a great job helping students make the most of their time, they always had free or cheap events for us to attend like gelato tours, cooking classes, soccer games and even tickets to the opera. There were also many excursions included in the price of tuition, one was a week long trip to Rome and the others were weekend or day trips to places like Venice and Viareggio.

A cool opportunity I got to partake in thanks to AIFS was working as a tour guide at the Church of Santa Croce, this church was across the street from my apartment and is where Michelangelo is buried! All students at AIFS are offered the opportunity to partake in volunteer work, a friend of mine got to help teach children at a local school.

All in all I loved my time abroad and if I were to do it over again I would still choose to go with AIFS!

My experience in Florence was wonderful and Global Experience was very helpful every step of the way. I did an internship in fashion and worked for an amazing jewelry designer right in the heart of the city. I learned so much and grew as a person by exploring both the city and the culture and always saying yes to opportunities that came my way. I felt very prepared upon departing for Florence since we did a webinar with Global Experience beforehand, which went over everything we needed to know. The other interns were amazing and we did fun activities and day trips with our location coordinator throughout the three months. Our LC was incredible and was always there to answer questions and be there when needed. I would highly recommend this experience for anyone seeking personal growth and fun adventures!

I was blown away by my time in Florence, Italy. I got to live in a nice apartment with 4 other girls that were also interning with GE. I never would have imagined how special and transformative these months would be, especially because of the friends that I got to meet, some of which were my roommates! We were right in the heart of Florence and able to access all of the good food and fun places to go! The social events that GE planned were extremly fun and allowed our group to bond while doing fun things like wine tasting and gelato making! Our point person in Florence, Anna, was available any time that we needed her and she was quick to give the best advice. Not only was she educated and wise but also such a fun friend to have! I miss Florence already and am so thankful that GE made this semester possible!

Interning in Florence was the most wonderful way for me to experience what work in the field of Art History would be like post university graduation. I will say that I was hesitant to apply in the beginning, but I am so glad that I went ahead with it. Global Experiences provided me with not only a fantastic work location, the Florence Cathedral, but also with the best work experience. I got to interact everyday with tourists from all parts of the world, and share my love for art with them. This placement also pushed me to continue to educate myself not just about the art and architecture of the building I worked in, but also about the history and culture of Florence, and Italy as a whole, allowing me to grow in more ways than one.Both a learning and practical experience, this internship provided me with valuable work experience that I will be able to use as my career in Art History progresses. Truly an unforgettable experience!

From learning about Ancient Rome in my early history classes and dreaming of visiting a world wonder, I knew Italy was the one place I had to visit. When I got to college, I knew that I wanted to study abroad but thought it was too expensive. When I got to my study abroad office they had recommended me using AIFS because it was probably going to be the program with the most inclusive benefits, and they are extremely good about accepting financial aid and are all around very helpfully. Throughout my entire process of applying to leaving Italy, AIFS was amazing and very responsive to all my needs and questions. I could not have asked more a better hands on program that made me feel safe, protected, yet let me have my own room to grow at the same time in Rome. The amount of cultural and social activities that AIFS and Richmond provided me enriched my experience, and I am forever grateful for having the experience of being able to live out my dreams for four months.
I was nervous for typical things like I wouldn’t meet anyone I connected with or I would feel like the odd one out, but most people in your abroad experience are feeling the Sam way and embark on the journey on their also. I already felt like I was a friendly person who didn’t struggle to make friends, but this experience really made me turn into someone who can talk to anyone in the room confidently. Dealing with foreign language barrier and cultural differences paved a way for me to grow and expand my horizons.

I went abroad with AIFS to Florence, Italy in the spring semester of 2018. Even before getting there the AIFS staff was really helpful with helping me with the application and my obtaining my visa.

I utilized their flight package option which included a 2 day trip to London before getting to orientation in Rome and then eventually Florence. This was so nice since I was able to make connections before classes even began. It also helped to know I was flying with other people in my program.

The Rome orientation was so cool! Every day after school orientation, we would go on tours of the city. A great start to the program.
The staff in Florence are absolutely amazing. They were so kind from the start and helped me with everything from course selections to more serious issues as well. They made school a safe and welcoming environment.
The classes were my favorite, I loved learning about so many different parts of Italian culture. From espresso to the vespa, I really learned a lot. The best part was you do a lot of hands on learning in the actual environment itself, not just from a textbook.

I stayed in a beautiful, spacious apartment located >1 minute from the Duomo, and >10 minutes from school itself. The meal plan was unreal it was so amazing. We were given breakfast vouchers and dinner vouchers as well as grocery store gift cards. The vouchers could be used at a ton of cafes and restaurants around town. (I didnt even get to them all) The food was always delicious.

My experience with AIFS in Florence was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I studied abroad in the beautiful city of Florence in the Spring of 2018, and it was definitely the best decision I ever made. After traveling to Europe on a high school trip the summer before my Senior year, I knew that studying abroad was something that I wanted to do in college. As a Pre-Nursing student, I knew it might be a little more difficult for me to study abroad. I was determined to make it happen, and decided that I wanted to go in the Spring semester of my Sophomore year. I decided that I wanted to study abroad in Italy, because I have always dreamt of visiting places like Florence, Rome, and Venice. I was scared and nervous to be heading to another country completely by myself, but I am so glad I decided to do it. I ended up meeting such amazing people and met some of my best friends who I have been able to meet up with again since we have all been back in different states. I was able to see and experience so many things that I have only ever read about or seen pictures of, and learn so much about other cultures in the process. I was able to travel and see so much more of the world than I ever thought possible in four months. AIFS and the staff at Richmond in Florence did an amazing job of providing cultural activities and events for us students. I never would have done some of the things that I did had it not been for the school organizing the activities, such as attending the world-famous Carnivale in Viareggio (truly and unforgettable experience!). One of the best parts of the Florence program in my opinion is the meal plan. Being able to experience dining in authentic Italian restaurants became one of the highlights of my experience abroad and became a routine for my friends and I. One of my favorite parts of a typical day in Florence was getting to go out to dinner with my friends, enjoy amazing food, and create memories. I could not imagine my semester abroad without the nights spent at our favorite restaurants, all thanks to the meal plan! Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made, and if I could recommend it to anyone and everyone I absolutely would!

I studied abroad in Florence, Italy for the spring semester of 2018, and I can confidently say it was the best decision I ever made! Florence is not only a culturally rich city, but the people are friendly, and the food is to die for! The city and the food were not the only reason I had a great time abroad, the program I chose to go with was the American Institute for Foreign Study and I truly believe they made my experience the best it could be. Here's why:

-Academics:
• Wide variety of classes available to choose from (I was a junior studying fashion when I went, and I was able to take all fashion related courses which kept me on track for graduation)
• Amazing Instructors (I LOVED all my professors and felt a personal connection to each one; it was obvious how much they cared for the students)
• Small class sizes (classes aren’t too large which made communicating with them when I needed extra help easy)

-Immersion:
• AIFS wants you to be immersed in the local culture!
• They set up dinners and lunches to allow students to mingle with locals their age
• Almost every day AIFS has different cultural activities students can participate in for free or at a low cost (ex: Gelato tours, discounted tickets to the opera, cooking classes, etc)
• AIFS allows students to have an “Italian Buddy” during their semester (A local who has volunteered to show students around the city, help students practice their Italian, and be their buddy!)
• Program also includes a 2-day stopover in London and a week in Rome

-Food and Safety:
• The best part of the program is the food plan! AIFS gives students meal tickets each month which work at tons of restaurants all over the city. It’s a great way to explore the city, try new things and save money!
• AIFS provides students with a number they can call at any time if they are ever in trouble (I never felt unsafe during my time in the city!)

Overall, I loved my time in Florence, and if I were to go back in time and do it again I would without question still choose AIFS!