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!

I ended up living off of tomatoes, mozzarella and baguettes with balsamic vinegar because I would eat it twice a day! My roommates were addicted, as well! Make sure you're aware of how delicious mozzarella cheese is in Italy and plan accordingly (save money just for mozzarella balls)!

Florence is an amazing city and it is full of Italian culture and history. It was so cool to walk through the same streets as such influential people. I traveled a lot in my time and I think that was really important to my study abroad experience. With that said it was really important to me to find a balance between traveling, studying, and exploring Florence. Overall my experience was amazing and I would highly recommend studying abroad to anyone!

The first few days were difficult, but once a student gets involved in school and social events the experience becomes so much better! Those who did not enjoy all of their experience in Florence did not seek friends and involvement on campus. I personally enjoyed simply participating in the ABS class in the gym with the soccer coach and other school related activities which helped me meet other students and friends. The program was great, academics were a breeze compared to my liberal arts school back home but I still learned so much from my professors! They will be mentors for life and great to keep in touch with. Housing was good and nice and close to school (right next to Santa Croce).

I traveled through SAI to Florence, Italy. I really enjoyed my time and my class schedule was not overwhelming at all. It turned out that I only had classes three days a week so I had a lot of time to explore around Florence, Italy, or other places. I thought I was going to have trouble with the length of the classes (2.5 hours once a week) but it worked out really well for me. The SAI staff was also very helpful to me. If I ever went to their office with questions I would always leave with more knowledge and satisfaction because they were so pleasing to work with. I think the best part of my experience was just walking passed all of the attractions and beauty of Florence, especially on a day like walking to class; it could really boost up your spirits. Florence being in the region of Tuscany is a major plus. The landscape is beautiful around Florence and is great to explore. The biggest struggle I found when I was in Florence is having the time to see everything! There was so much I wanted to see in Italy and also other countries. Time just flew by!

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!