AIFS Abroad in Florence, Italy: Semester

an incredible program, with some of the greatest and most unique characteristics of an abroad program, including:
- meal plans: use provided meal cards to dine at some of the greatest restaurants throughout italy. a great way to save money and get exposed to places and people you would not otherwise. restaurant staff look forward to having american students, give you GREAT deals on food because of AIFS' established connections with each restaurant. this opportunity cannot be missed!
- pre-organized trips: Venice, Milan, Rome, Cinque Terre and more!
-extra curriculars: cooking class, wine tastings, vineyard tours, pizza making class, arts and crafts, trips to various cities throughout italy, soccer games- pay with MEAL PLANS- SAVE SO MUCH MONEY THROUGH AIFS!
- housing is incredible!

MEAL PLAN MEAL PLAN MEAL PLAN! Restaurant vouchers for 20+ various and different restaurants all over the city where you eat off their special menu for Richmond students (2 or 3 courses, wine & dessert)or add up your food and pay the difference.

Apartments were nice, clean, safe located in unbelievable locations around the city.

Staff was extremely nice & helpful and always there if you had any issues/questions

Orientation was a huge success and really got you prepared for life in another country

Weekend/day trips around the country included in price (Rome, Pisa, Venice, Cinque Terre, day trips to vineyards, cooking lessons, pizza making, wine tastings)

Academics were very interesting, some challenging but well worth it! (Take renaissance art & History of the Mafia)

AIFS has left me with hands down the best experience of my entire life that I will never forget. Studying Abroad is always a great experience but going through AIFS has changed my life in the most positive way possible. The classes that were offered were all interesting and fairly simple to complete as long as some effort was put in. The teachers all spoke English (some broken English but not difficult to understand) The hours for the classes were great and all teachers were helpful and understanding. The staff at AIFS were always willing to assist me with an issues I was facing from homesickness, to health issues, to a reccommendation to a good restaurant. These people gave me a family away from home and were available 24 hours a day. A major positive that AIFS has compared to other programs (A friend of mine went through a different program and was jealous of this aspect) was that we had a 2 week orientation in a different part of the country where we took the language for 2 weeks prior to starting our semester. While there, I was able to meet and become friends with all of the students in my program. Other programs throw you into school right away and those people have seemed to find a difficult time adjusting and making friends. AIFS also includes a few weekend trips to see the country in which you are staying in and include great tour guides. These trips include transportation and stay. If I have one thing to say to anyone reading this, it is to GO ABROAD WITH AIFS. They have single handedly impacted my life forever.

The AIFS Study Abroad Program Richmond in Florence was one of the best experiences of my life! The students were from all over the US and were interested in similar subjects and open to new experiences like me. Though for the first few days of my trip my luggage had been lost by the airline, the staff were as helpful as possible by providing translation with local airport staff. The classes were everything I hoped for. My favorite part was that I not only learned about the art history and culture of Italy, but I was immursed in it. As one of the teachers in the program would say "you can touch it, you can look at it, you can smell it, you can bite it". I learned a lot of information in a shorter amount of time than I might in a whole semester class at my university, and feel like I have a very in-depth understanding of the material. I loved learning about paintings and sculptures and then going to see the actual pieces either locally in Florence, or in other places like Milan or Vinci. My favorite part of the experience was actually a seemingly mundane activity: my walk to school every morning. Every morning my roomates and I would make the fifteen minute walk past the Duomo and across the Arno to get to class. Florence is beautiful and calm in the morning. After I found my way around the city, Florence felt like my hometown during these morning walks. Of course the social aspect and the nightlife was very exciting as well. With all the friends I made in the program, I got to explore the restaurants, bars, and attractions of Florence and enjoy all the diverse people. Our apartment was in a great location and was very comfortable for me and my three roomates. We especially loved our landlady who would take us out every week to get gelato and talk to us about our experiences and help us with our italian (while we helped her with her english!). While the program sponsored trips and activites were a blast, I also liked that we had plenty of independence and free time to plan trips of our own to explore a foreign country using our own resources while learning some important lessons in traveling and social interaction. There were a million more things that I loved, but I can't list here. However just a few more; the gelato, the shopping, the friends, the views, the art, the music, the food, and the Italians. My only complaint is that I had to leave!

Absolutely one of the most memorable and amazing experiences! From the beautiful scenery to the delicious food, everything was perfect! AIFS is a wonderful, safe, educational and extremely entertaining program. I wouldn't have changed a thing. You are NEVER bored and are constantly experiencing different things everyday.

There are countless memories I made while abroad and I recommend to every student to do it. Choosing a program was hard but it was clear AIFS was the right one when I got to Florence. They give you every opportunity to experience the city, museum passes, meal vouchers for ALL over, volunteer opportunities...and the list goes on. The trips with the program were always really fun as well and you get to bond with every other member on them. The hotels we stayed in easily held all 150 of us and were never dirty. Pick one of your teachers to be your guide and you can't go wrong (Angela is the BEST for whoever is in Florence.

Prior to college I knew I wanted to study abroad. When it finally came the time I was bombarded with a list of different programs and unsure I which to go with. My main concerns included getting the most for my money, inclusive experiences, and meals. AIFS provided me with the best opportunity. During orientation, we were able to go on weekly trips throughout the area of Lido di Camaiore. Whether it was open markets, see the leaning tower of Pisa, I feel like I saw so much in just two short weeks. Once in Florence, AIFS ensured that we were educated on safety rules. They would even email us to remind us about important information. The school provided us with ample internet access and the program directed us to getting our own internet access at home if we wanted it. The meal plan was by far the greatest bonus of the program. I was worried about spending so much extra money on food, it was Italy after all. The meal plan AIFS provided us with was amazing. We were giving meal tickets each month that allowed us to not only explore traditional Italian cuisine but also provided us with an array of different restaurants and cafes. We had trips to Venice and Rome within the program and aside from the organization of the trip being so easy for me as a student. I was able to learn about these areas through the help of guiding staff but we were also given plenty of free time to explore and experience the cities. It has been almost 3 years since I visited Florence and to this day I feel like I was there just yesterday. I miss all the teachers and staff and hope to one day visit them again. Between holiday dinners and our good bye dinner, everyone in the program became this diverse family. I was able to make life long friends that I am able to visit and stay in close contact with. In the beginning the great difficulty I had was not knowing how to get around and missing my family. By the end of the semester, I felt like I knew Florence better than my hometown and I wished I could stay for one more semester.

I have spoken to many of my friends who went abroad and no one has been able to top this program. The BEST part about this program are the meals. NO OTHER program utilizes the meal ticket system better. The restaurants are top notch and not touristy... they're authentic Italian cuisine. The staff was also very helpful. They offered numerous activities on a daily basis. I can not say enough about this program, simply the best. But don't take my word for it... GO! Overall I would say if you're looking to travel abroad, go to Italy. If you chose Italy go to Florence. If you chose Florence pick Richmond in Florence.