The Best Four Months of my Undergraduate Career Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academics were not very rigorous. There was only one class where I felt truly challenged, which was a change of pace from my classes at the University of Maryland. However, the classes were extremely interesting and I always felt engaged. It was obvious that the professors were truly passionate about what they were teaching, and it showed in their engaging and interesting lectures. The available resources were fantastic; teachers were often available for office hours or meetings by appointment, and were quick to answer emails. Though there isn't a huge option for classes, it seems that you can't go wrong with any of them. Even classes that I initially didn't think I'd be interested in taking taught me so much valuable information that I'll hold with me forever.

On-site administration of your program

I found that the ISI staff was even more helpful than my home university's staff, because the program is so small that they are able to give each and every student individual attention. I felt as if I actually made connections with the faculty and staff, which is something that not many people can say about their universities.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartments are far better than any dorm I've been in on a college campus, with large bedrooms, readily equipped kitchens, and spotless amenities. They were large and there was more than enough rooms for all of the roommates.

This goes without saying- the food in Italy is fantastic! You really can't go wrong: from late night pizzas, to midnight bakeries, to baked gnocchi, or fresh fruit from the farmers market, you always have delicious options. Being a vegetarian was something that I was concerned about before coming here, but there were plenty of vegetarian and vegan options at all of the restaurants, and even several juice bars spread around the city. Some of my favorite places to study were internet cafes, where I could drink coffee, eat cornettis and get my work done.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You can tell that ISI made a continuous conscious effort to have their students fully immerse themselves in their surroundings. They encourage you to try to speak the language when you're out and about, and their staff is always readily available for advice and questions.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

When I had a health problem in the middle of the night, I called the emergency line and a staff member arrived at the hospital almost instantaneously. There was never a moment when I felt unsafe in the program. Health care was easily accessible; pharmacies are all over Florence so getting my prescriptions or over-the-counter medication was never an issue. I didn't need any vaccines for this program and there were no prevalent health issues in the city.

I have had no safety-related incidents occur personally during my 3.5 months abroad in Florence. Since it is a slightly small city where everything is pretty much in walking distance, it really felt like home to me. Of course, it was important that I was cautious, especially in busy parts of the city that were filled with tourists, but the city is very easy to get around in, so as long as you remain mindful of your surroundings, you'll be safe and feel safe at all times. This was a really important factor that I had in mind before I decided which city I wanted to study abroad in, and I was happy to be able to feel safe the entire time while I was abroad.

Right off the bat-- there is not much about any program that could make studying abroad for four months in Florence anything less than magical. The city itself is beautiful, and you'll never run out of things to do. However, International Studies Institute (ISI Florence) made my experience the best that I could have hoped for.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Americans

• The monthly lists sent out by Francesca of things to do in the neighborhood each month (fun and often free)
• The extremely kind and involved staff. I feel like I actually became friends with some of the staff members and I could tell they cared about my success in the program.
• The amount of activities that they organized for students to participate in and get to know their city and other students.

• The rigorousness and intensity of the Italian class.
• The living situations: living with people from different universities to get a chance to meet people aside from those that you go to school with.
• A more international component: not going to school with only American students could help us make more friends with local Italians and become more immersed in the culture.

The Academic or Linguist