CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Florence, Italy

CAPA is an amazing study abroad program. Not only is it a wonderful opportunity to explore not only another culture, but you also explore a lot of personal views and personal growth while abroad. My experience was a blessing in disguise, from the cultural immersion, the classes, the people, and all of the friends I made through my university and in Italy were life-changing.
I highly suggest CAPA for this one in a lifetime opportunity. The courses are not your typical college lectures with three hundred plus students, it's very hands-on, very indulging, plus for most classes, you're exploring the city during daytime excursions. Even though the classes I took while abroad does not pertain to my major, I still gained a lot of knowledge and personal growth.
If you're considering this program or any study abroad opportunities, go for it! It's a life-changing experience for anyone who's looking into abroad programs. CAPA is a phenomenal program and I highly suggest studying through them!

This summer I had the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen, Italy. When I first arrived the first thing I noticed was how narrow the roads were. The taxi driver was navigating the street with easy but I feel like if it was me driving I might have been on the side walk. The second thing that struck me was how much everyone was walking. I thought at first the amount of walking would be daunting but by the time I left I found that my group and I were easily walking 5-10 miles a day and loving every step! We even became masters of the public transportation with the help of phone apps. One of the things I loved the most about Italy was that even without a car my group and I were about to travel far and wide throughout the country and stay in different cities for very cheap. During my time there I explored not only Florence, which was where our apartment was located, but also Rome, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano,Padova, Cince Terre, Levanto, and the Vatican City. While in Rome I was able to see the Coloseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Roman Forum and Panthan. In Siena we got to climb the crazy hilly streets and learn about the different sections of the city and how each section is a build-in family for anyone who lives there. In San Gimignano we got to eat “arguably” the best gelato in the world and climb a tower to see the country side. In Padova we got to learn the rich medical history and how it affected the rest of Italy. In the Vatican City I got to do what most people will only dream of doing…. I got to see the Sistine Chapel close up. I could not take pictures for fear of getting tackled by security but I took very vivid mental pictures. I did an impromptu hike between the cities of Cince Terre in only flip flops. I would highly recommend the hike, just not in flip flops. My most treasured memory of all was sitting on a rocky beach in Levanto and looking out out the pristine sparkling ocean and up at the mountains and the sky and thinking I had to be the luckiest woman in the world! How many people in the world can say they had the opportunity to go on this wild and wonderful adventure. My roommates and I got lost… several times….the mosquitoes ate me alive until I figured out how to work the plug in repellent… I almost missed the train… my travel group and I got locked out of out Airbnb for hours, only to realize that we were not putting in the key correctly…. I had blisters on the bottom on my feet the first week… I was exhausted. In the end I would not trade a minute of that adventure nor would I trade the opportunity that I had to make life long friends.

I had the pleasure of studying abroad in Florence, Italy this past winter through CEA. Although I was studying thousands of miles away from my hometown in North Carolina, the CEA team made my arrival, transition, and overall experience comfortable and exciting. The accommodations CEA provided went beyond the classroom. They offered safe housing in desirable city spaces, alternative scholarship opportunities and travel vouchers, out-of-the-box extracurricular activities, and 24/7 personal assistance if necessary. I HIGHLY recommend traveling with CEA and would seriously consider traveling with CEA again in the future.

Studying in Florence was amazing. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place with such a rich history for four months. However, my experience with CEA, which included being talked down to countless times, brushed off repeatedly, and being harassed by two male staff members, was awful. The classes were not hard and weekend traveling was relatively easy, but by the end of the program I was actually afraid while at school.

To be able to say that I lived in Italy for 3 months seems unreal. To say that besides Italy, I travelled to 9 other countries, seems beyond me. But I did do all those things! I explored a new, beautiful culture and fell in love with it. I strongly encourage everyone who has the opportunity to do so, to go for it. These experiences turn into lifelong memories you will cherish for the rest of your life.

Studying abroad with the CEA Florence program was the best ever! I lived 3-4months in the beautiful region of Tuscany. Florence, being the capital, is the hub of that. Everyday I spent time tasting delicious Italian cuisine, immersed myself with the locals, learned Italian, and enjoyed learning more about the Italian culture and life.

The staff at CEA are some of the best. When needing guidance or even suggestions, they are there for you. In terms of academics, the classes aren't too difficult at all. The teachers are amazing as well, don't be afraid to speak up when in need of help, they will be happier than ever to help. Fret not, the support you need and want will be there.

I could ramble on and on about this program! 10/10 I would recommend this program to future students.

CEA’s Florence program was the perfect first place to visit in Europe. Not only did the staff do the utmost to ensure a great time for their students, but they truly care as well. Any doubts, concerns or random questions were answered with true honesty. Classes were at a perfect learning level, and all the activities and traveling available outside of school is a cherry on top. Highly recommend! I can’t wait to go back and see the place that changed my life.

From the day I got to Florence, I could tell that CAPA really cared about us as students and wanted to help us have the best experience possible. With culturally enhancing activities and classes, I found that I not only got to immerse and learn more about Italian culture, but also myself in the process. I was able to make long lasting friendships with locals while studying towards my marketing/graphic design degree in the process. I learned so much by taking my learning from inside the classroom out into the real world.