SAI Study Abroad: Florence University of the Arts (Italy)

I had a wonderful semester, and absolutely loved studying in Florence.
My one regret was there were no Italian students and it was difficult to make Italian friends.
Otherwise, I highly recommend this program! The staff was friendly and helpful, and Florence is a wonderful city!

I absolutely loved my time studying abroad with SAI Programs at Florence University of the Arts. Prior to my departure, the staff aided me with whatever questions or concerns I had, and made sure I felt prepared for the journey that awaited me. As soon as I Arrived, I met my three roommates, who thanks to the housing survey, were the perfect fit for me! We became fast friends, and I immediately felt at home in this big city. The Orientation was also helpful, allowing us to meet other SAI students, and to get to know the SAI staff. The staff is amazingly kind, understanding, and willing to help out in whatever way they can. At no point did I feel confused, unsupported, or scared; the SAI staff made me feel right at home! On top of that they provided great recommendations for restaurants, gelato, and things to do around the city.
My time at FUA was unlike any other. I took beginning Italian and Introduction to Art History, two classes that couldn't be taught anywhere better than in Florence! My teachers were very nice, wanted to get to know us as students, and understood our desire to experience all the city had to offer! The course load was definitely manageable, and we were constantly being immersed into the subject area we were practicing. Whether it was interviewing local shop owners or ordering our food in Italian, or even visiting museums filled with works by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the learning never ended in a city rich with culture.
The apartments were also really nice. Mine was in the neighborhood part of the city, which I loved. There was a little coffee and pastry shop right next to our apartment and every morning my roommates and I would order an espresso. The man at the register knew very little English, so we were forced to practice our Italian. Due to our daily routine of ordering coffee, we became fast friends with the man and his wife even though a language barrier existed. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture in such an authentic way, free from tourists.
I also loved going on the FUA excursions and enjoyed times in Pisa, and Cinque Terre that were filled with activities led by our professors! There was also plenty of time to travel on the weekends which provided for a summer filled of adventuring!
I met so many amazing people through the SAI program, and loved every moment traveling together, taking in the view from Piazza Michelangelo, and enjoying huge dinners of pizza, pasta, and wine! I would recommend the SAI program to anyone; as they gave me an experience I will never forget and supported me unconditionally along the way!

I chose this program because I knew I wanted to be in Florence, and they offered classes that sounded interesting to me. I went for 7 weeks during the summer of 2014. I took the cultural introduction week, which I highly recommend because it was a perfect transition into life abroad in a smaller-group setting, and it gives you a feel for the culture before settling down into one place. Once in Florence, I took the history of Italian renaissance and wine culture in Italy, both of which I really enjoyed. Both classes had engaging field trips, and in my wine class, we had a tasting in almost every class! As far as outside of school, I became really close with other people in my program and also my roommates. We traveled almost every weekend since I only had classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I went not only places within Italy like Rome and the Amalfi Coast, but also to Prague and Croatia (definitely check out Bus2Alps for easy and cheap weekend trips). Overall I had the summer of my life, and I would 100% recommend going abroad with SAI.

Studying abroad in Florence through SAI was the best decision I have made! The staff was incredibly helpful and the school building locations were in easy to find areas. SAI was there to make the study abroad experience even more incredible by taking us on excursions through other parts of Italy and aiding students in becoming immersed with the community. If I have the chance to study abroad again through SAI I would definitely do it all over again! Great city, great staff, and an overall amazing experience!

SAI does a really fantastic job of helping you plug into the local community. They love Florence and love helping students discover it. Whether you need travel tips, local hangouts, or your lightbulbs changed on your impossibly high ceilings, they're there for you.

Studying abroad with SAI Florence was the most amazing and memorable experience of my life. I traveled to many countries and also had the opportunity to explore Italy. I loved exploring Florence the most because there were always new places to go and sites and museums to visit. I am from the suburbs and also go to a small college so I am not used to city life, but I absolutely loved exploring on my own and through this I became more comfortable traveling and doing things independently. I did travel with SAI on one weekend trip which was very organized and informative. Through studying abroad, I did meet many other American students who became travel buddies and lifelong friends (some of which were my roommates). I did appreciate that SAI did set up gatherings for students to get to know each other. I only went to one or two, but it was still nice to know that it was an option. I could literally write pages about how incredible my experience was in Florence (and I did keep a journal and blog which is useful). I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go and explore other cultures and I highly recommend SAI to anyone considering going abroad!

I knew I was going to love every second of study abroad going into it, but I never anticipated how attached I would become with Florence by the time I left. SAI had a lot to do with me feeling so comfortable in a foreign city. My apartment was in one of the best locations, a few streets over from Santa Croce, and happened to be an old Palace. The walls and arched ceilings were covered with orginal fresco paintings which made it seem like I really took a step back in time. When i look back on it, I can't believe I got to live in such a beautfiul historic building. In general, SAI was extremely accommodating and gave a great introduction to Florence with recommendations on travel information, where to buy groceries, shops and places to eat out.

Something that I strongly recommend if you study with SAI is take advantage of their free excursions offered. These include weekend trips but also day trips-for example, a spa day or a visit to the chocolate festival. There are limited spots so make sure you sign up early! I still reminisce about the Giglio Island trip that was absolutely stunning, truly one of Italy's hidden gems. I also loved the wine tasting trip that was located in the hills of Tuscany.

I really wish I could experience it all over again for the first time. It's insane how fast your time over there goes by. A year later and I still think about it every single day. Luckily, I documented my four months in Florence so I wouldn't forget a single moment. From pictures to videos but also by saving little everyday things for my scrapbook (From the San Lorenzo market, of course!). Everything from the culture, food, shopping and people made me fall in love with my new home. So much, I tried to extend my stay!

From the moment I chose to study abroad with SAI, they offered nothing but the most excellent help and guidance. They helped me through every step of the study abroad preparation process. At Florence University of the Arts in Florence, Italy, I experience a type of education that had just enough familiarity to the way the subjects were taught in America, while also having a different international feel. SAI also put on many non-academic trips that offered a chance to see more of Europe and to build bonds with the other SAI students. Even if you don't choose to study at FUA, I would definitely choose to study abroad with SAI!