CET Italy

I chose to do this program to catch up on my Italian courses. I just declared an Italian major and needed to learn the language more quickly, since I didn't start taking it until my second year. This course was perfect for me. I got to spend time in a lovely medieval city in Tuscany while practicing my Italian every day and learning so much about what life was like in Italy and in Siena. The program staff was very friendly and helpful, and they made an effort to get to know us and host fun programs for us. I lived in an apartment with an Italian roommate, who was extremely kind and helpful in showing us how to get around in the city, the best places to eat, etc. I know that my friends who lived in homestays loved their host families as well. The weekend began Thursday afternoon, so we had plenty of time to take weekend trips all over Italy, and even abroad. And of course, as a Classics major, I loved the opportunity to connect all the things I have been learning with the actual landscapes where they took place.

My semester in Florence was incredible! The CET staff was very helpful and engaging, and the CET activities were a great way to engage with Italian culture and with Italian locals. I loved living in a city with such beautiful culture, buildings, and landscapes for a few months. I also loved traveling around Europe, and I would highly recommend traveling to smaller Tuscan towns near Florence to get a true feel for Italian life. I personally really liked Arezzo and Volterra. Learning how to travel practically is also a good learning experience and I feel that I have become more confident in solo travel. And of course, the food in Florence is amazing and I have never eaten better pasta. This was such a fun experience and I would recommend a semester abroad in Florence to anyone!

I always said I would never be one of those students that claimed "abroad changed me", but I was wrong. After spending 4 months in a new country and navigating a new way of life, it has definitely left an impact on who I am today. Never would I have felt so confident in a place where I did not know the local knowledge, or have the patience with things not going as planned. Abroad allowed me to have a reality check on life, and I am so thankful. I will come back to campus less stressed about school work and realize it is important to savor the moment- indulge in a 3 hour dinner if necessary. I was able to practice Italian with locals, find my favorite spots to study, and master the grocery store. You cannot truly experience a place by just visiting, you need to live there and see it first hand for an extended period of time. Sure there were times where I cried and was homesick, but most of the time I was able to try a new gelato with friends or wait at an airport to check off another place on my bucket list. CET staff were helpful with trip planning, housing issues and being just a local guide to the city. They knew where all the gyms were, how to find the authentic leather stores and how to navigate the post office. They also planned weekly events such as a cooking class or opera night to help me get acclimated with the city and my peers. I am so grateful to have had them every step of the way. Abroad has been one of the most impactful moments of my life, and I will never forget it. I do not understand why it never crosses the mind for some people, since there is nothing better!

CET Siena has all the basics you might be looking for: a supportive and incredibly kind teaching and administrative staff, immersive language learning, amazing homestay opportunities, etc. What really made my semester incredible was how everyone in the program went above and beyond what was required to make me feel comfortable and also to help me explore Siena and Europe! The environment was incredibly supportive, and I made amazing friends and learned so much about Italian culture and the language!

The CET Siena study abroad program is organized very well. The staff is extremely supportive and caters to your every need as well as offering helpful tips. The teachers were very attentive and due to the small class sizes they were able to personalize each course towards the level of their students. In fact, every student improved drastically in Italian. I also really enjoyed my Sienese Art and Architecture course since it offered historical background on the local Sienese culture.
Siena is a great town to study abroad in since its small size allowed us to actually explore the whole city on foot and by the end of the two months we all knew our way around. The location in Tuscany makes it a perfect place to do day trips from and explore the surrounding beautiful rolling hills. Also, the tuscan food is superb, we even learned how to make pasta from scratch in our cooking class. Another fun activity that CET planned was a wine tasting course. However, the most important thing in Siena is the Palio. We waited in the piazza for 5 hours to watch the horse race, and it was worth it.
I stayed in an apartment with 3 other college students and one local Italian student. I really enjoyed this set up since we had our own kitchen and a large living room to hang out in. Living with an Italian student allowed me to practice my Italian and it offered an authentic view on Sienese culture.
The program was organized perfectly since classes were only Monday through Thursday, allowing for many weekend trips. For instance, I traveled to the Amalfi coast, Cinque Terre, Elba, Capri, London, the Alps, Milan, Bologna, and Lake Como. From Siena it was easy to hop on a bus or train and explore the nearby tourist attractions. The traveling was tiresome but it was so enjoyable traveling in groups with new friends and exploring foreign cities.
Overall, I highly recommend this program. Not only are the teachers great but the CET staff is super supportive and Siena is the perfect study abroad town.

I studied in Siena through CET Academic Programs for the summer of 2018, and it was by far the best summer of my life. Siena is an incredibly unique city, unlike anywhere else I've ever been. Big enough to feel like a city but small enough to feel like home, the sense of community in Siena abounds. Although I wasn't a local, by the end of my two months there I came to feel like I belonged as I saw the same familiar faces in the park each morning and at my favorite cafe's and shops. The most amazing part was to see my Italian improve as I became more and more comfortable conversing with the friendly locals.
The academics in Siena were also amazing. My teachers there were honestly the best that I've ever had. Class sizes were small so I formed close relationships with my teachers. My Italian professor was incredibly passionate about teaching and making sure we were happy and successful. My elective was Sienese Art History, taught by another dedicated and passionate professor, and our field trips to see the artwork we studied allowed a connection between the classroom and my life in Siena that was absolutely priceless. The head staff at CET were always cheerful and attentive to each of us, always striving to make sure we were having a wonderful time.
Siena is honestly such a wonderful place. Between the Piazza del Campo, the beautiful city square where one can relax and study by day and come to socialize by night, the experience of the Palio horse race and the sense of community held by each contrada, my cherished morning runs at the fortress (a park with amazing views of the city and countryside), the stunning Duomo in the heart of the city, the endless gelato, and the overall safety and comfort that I felt in this city, coming back to Siena after a weekend exploring the rest of Italy felt like coming home.

I honestly can't imagine having a better experience anywhere in the world than I did this summer in Florence with CET! Living in an apartment in the heart of Florence was such a unique experience and, unlike with programs that house students in dorms, I actually got to immerse myself in the city life and have the independence to explore the city. I loved how invested the professors were in their subjects and, though the courses were challenging, I really found myself enjoying them and learning a lot! I didn't know how many field trips we'd take in Food and Culture, but being on-site for most classes was amazing - we even got to take a cooking class at Cordon Bleu! Italy itself is so beautiful and easy to navigate from Florence since it's so centrally-located. Already counting down until I can go back!

CET Florence was amazing this summer! From the first day we arrived in Florence, we were taken by CET to an amazing lunch with multiple courses and delicious, authentic food. I loved that we were taken on field trips every Tuesday—we even had a cooking class where we made our pizza and gelato! The classes were great. CET brought one Vanderbilt professor, who was great. I also took a class with an Italian professor who was probably the best professor I’ve ever had. CET clearly put a lot of effort into choosing their professors. The housing was also great. Our apartment was centrally located and very spacious. All of the staff made sure we were comfortable in it. They also helped us find amazing restaurants and helped us with all our travel plans. Thank you CET for the best summer ever!