The Most Inspiring Semester Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I got really lucky with the program I chose. SACI's small size and quality of instruction truly blew me away. The workload was the right balance, and I have never had so much fun learning and doing my work. Class time was probably the most fun, with all the stimulating discussions.

On-site administration of your program

The program was tiny, only about 80 people total. This really helped with the feeling of community, and everyone was so nice and open. The size and establishment of the program really contributed to some excellent organization. The program had equal connection with Italy and The US. Most of the professors and faculty were Italian, but spoke excellent English. The founder of the program is from Brooklyn, and he was always in one of the buildings. He is a very accessible person, always willing to talk to students. I think this really helped with the sense of community and made it all the more difficult to leave.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with three other American girls, and I feel that I got very lucky. All three of them were not only easy to live with, but also very compatible for me. The four of us ended up doing most things, like travel and shopping, all together. They became like my immediate family, while my peers felt like an extended family. Never in my life had I felt more part of a community.

Italy has the best food I have ever tasted in my life. In Florence, there are some tourist traps, which are what I call overly expensive low-quality food places. most of these are near big tourist places, like the Duomo. The best place for pizza is across the river, called Gusto Pizza. It's tiny and well-priced, with delicious fresh pizza. My sister is a vegan, and she was able to eat things like marinara (cheese-less) pizza, ribollita, and bread. I am usually vegetarian, but that stopped in Italy once I tried their prosciutto. The best place for paninis is i Due Fratellini on via del cimatori. Go to Mario's near the Mercato Centrale; they are only open for lunch, closed Sunday. Get there before noon before the crowds. Their steak and soup is the best and the cheapest I've had in Florence.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My flatmates and I traveled together over Fall break. We went to Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels. It was an amzing experience to go outside of Italy; it gave me an idea about what a melting pot Europe is. I got to practice French in Paris and Brussels. Amsterdam was beautiful and it felt very safe. We also went to Cinque Terre in September, probably one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. Being from New England, I had never seen such a blue ocean. In November I went with a friend to Bologna for a concert. While there, we stumbled across a chocolate festival in the town center.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any healthcare issues, so I can't comment extensively on that. However, one of my friends who visited had some asthma and pneumonia, which she had before in the States. It was pretty easy, though expensive, for her to go to a doctor and then get a prescription. She was fine for the rest of the trip. I did have to get tested for TB before going abroad, though. Florence always felt like a very safe city. There were sketchy areas which I was told to avoid at night, but it was quite safe where I lived. The only worry was in crowds where pickpockets often roamed. Keeping an eye on your belongings is good advice in any crowded city.

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

I took an Italian class and spoke Italian while out in the city. However, my program was in English and I lived with English-speakers, so my language skills only progressed so far, which often frustrated me. I thought that I would prefer the comfort of speaking English most of the time, but it turned out that I would have preferred a full immersion in the language. However, I regret nothing, because SACI was such a great program. A lot of people speak English in Florence, but many do not. After all, I think it is silly to be living somewhere where you don't try to speak the language.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

• The people

• If it was improved, it would be TOO good