Such a great abroad program!

I loved my experience with API in Florence, Italy. My apartment had a good location; close to Mercato Centrale, the Duomo, and several of the LdM academic buildings. I shared an apartment with 4 other API females. The only downside of our living arrangement was that we were the only API students in the building. Other API apartments had more than one apartment per building with students within the program. However, we had nice Italian neighbors who we did not see to often beside leaving and entering the breezeway of the building. We had a few mechanical problems with some kitchen appliances, but API was helpful and quick about having them be fixed.
My daily schedule varied from day to day. I only had classes Monday through Wednesday. LdM did not hold classes on Fridays. My classes were not always in the same building, usually a 3-4 minuet walk to my next class. I enjoyed this time in between classes because it allowed me time to casually walk around the city.
I walked every where! I found the public bus schedule within the city to be very confusing. Unless I was going to Fiesole, which overlooks the city of Florence, I never bothered with taking transportation while in Florence.
I had studied Italian before I arrived and while enrolled in LdM, I continued to take it. I was not fluent in the language, but knew enough to get by. The Italians appreciate the effort! Florence is a popular abroad destination and many of the shops, cafes, and restaurant staff can speak English. However, it more fun to try and speak as much of their language as you can!