Allora

As the semester came to an end I was overcome by both the joy of being able to go home and see family and friends and being able to use my debit card freely with no extra charges, but also with sadness realizing years will probably pass before I will be able to return. Throughout all the experiences I had in Florence, good and bad, altogether I had an amazing time. There are definitely things that I wish I had known and think other participants should consider before choosing to study in Florence. For example, I was not aware of how Americanized my day to day was going to be. You go to school with Americans, travel with Americans, and mostly everyone speaks English. This being said many people come to Florence with a group of friends so this could be a challenge socially since CIS and FUA provide no student hub where people can go to either study, relax, or mingle. Even if you don't find a group this shouldn't stop you from exploring and expanding your knowledge of culture and travel. Some of my favorite trips were ones I took alone and I was able to finally meet different people from around the world. There are definitely improvements that could be made, but your experience truly depends on whether you are able to escape your comfort zone and enjoy every little moment that you can.