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Florence: Fall in love with Italy
AIFS: Florence - Richmond in Florence
Program Information
Be a part of the community, not just a tourist, living in your own Florentine apartment and enjoying restaurants and cafes throughout the city with your AIFS meal vouchers. Experience the culinary side of Italian culture with wine tasting and cooking classes. Explore Italy's artistic heritage with visits to mu... More
| Provider: | AIFS |
| Location(s): | Florence, Italy |
| Year Founded: | 1964 |
| Website | Take me there! |
Review By:
Audra B. (Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh) on October 18, 2011
Overall Rating
Personal Information
| * Start Date: | 2011-05-29 |
| * End Date: | 2011-06-24 |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was just right. I definitely earned the credits but I still had plenty of time to explore and enjoy the culture. Peter Porcal is the best teacher ever. He is such an awesome and interesting man. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the women at the Richmond Study Center were exceptionally helpful. I loved all of them!!! |
| * Housing: |
I was the only one to choose a home stay. I did not like not having a roommate. I felt really lonely at times. |
| * Food: |
I can't even go to an Olive Garden anymore. REAL Italian food, there is nothing like it in America. It was incredible, every restaurant, every bar-- I tried so many new things it was delicious. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was up in the air about going to Venice or not. I was SO happy I decided to. It was an incredible city I will never experience anything like that anywhere else in the world. It was beautiful. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be smart. Don't go to the discoteca and get too drunk. Know your surroundings and be alert at all times. Don't stay out too late. I would recommend always going home by 2 or 3 at the latest. |
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* Home Institution Advising:
How well did University of Pittsburgh prepare and support you for your time abroad? |
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same program? | Yes |
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Take art classes. There is no better place in the world to study art than Florence. |
| * What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile? | It was worth every penny. I learned so much. I will cherish the memory for the rest of my life. |