What inspired you to travel abroad?
I was inspired to go abroad after going on a family trip to France & Spain. My sister moved out to France after graduating college in 2021, so my family and I went to visit her in 2022.
This trip opened my eyes to how much of the world I had been missing out on by staying in my comfort zone in New Jersey and had me eager to travel more.
Why did you choose AIFS Abroad?
I chose AIFS after comparing it with ISA, as these were the two abroad programs offered through my university. The biggest reason why I chose AIFS over ISA, was because of the amount of trips & excursions they offered within the study abroad.
Things like weekend trips to Rome & Venice really enticed me along with cooking classes, culturally immersive experiences, and excursions all offered within the program. These things were my deciding factor for AIFS, and I'm so thankful for that decision.
Andrew & his roommate meeting some of the locals.
What was your favorite part about Florence?
My favorite part about Florence, Italy was how captivating the city was. While Florence is a city, it felt more like a small town to me, and I had no trouble in making myself feel at home quickly.
It was not too crowded in Florence, especially if you knew some good spots. I found so much joy in aimlessly exploring the city during my free time, which really helped me get familiar with my temporary home overseas.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
My experience abroad was extraordinary because I went in alone, but came out with so many friends from all over the world. Going in alone was certainly nerve-racking, but I am so thankful because I was not confined to a familiar group of friends. Going abroad by myself really forced me out of my comfort zone.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff at AIFS was incredibly supportive during my time abroad. They offered tips for navigation & travel, and restaurant recommendations, and were always available to respond to any questions.
I got sick and injured a few times during my time abroad, and the staff at AIFS were able to get me in with an English-speaking doctor the next day or even the day of. I am very thankful for how helpful the staff at AIFS was during my time abroad.
Andrew & his friends made abroad hiking in Cinque Terre.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
Something that I wish I had done differently during my time abroad was planning my trips better. While studying abroad, I was fortunate enough to go on multiple trips to other parts of Italy and different countries in Europe.
One thing that I definitely learned from my travels is the importance of planning ahead of time. There were many times that I traveled to different destinations with no plans. Looking back I could have better maximized my time in these wonderful places if I had taken the time to do some research and book activities in advance.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical day in my life while abroad looked like waking up early and going to the gym to start the day. While AIFS did not provide a gym, I made it a point to get my own membership at a local gym to stay fit during my travels.
Next, I would have class from around 10 am to 2 pm each day and afterward grab lunch using my meal plan. Depending on the day I would either sit down for lunch with friends or by myself, bring lunch back to my apartment and study, or walk around the city with my food.
I would always make it a point to try to walk around the city for at least 15 minutes a day or just spend some time outside.
Next, I would go home, do some school work or laundry & talk with my family back home. My friends and I would typically watch the sunset from a hill every night and head to dinner and maybe go out afterward.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
The thing I enjoyed most during my free time abroad was just walking around the city of Florence. I would try to walk in directions I was not familiar with so that I could get a little lost.
After walking around aimlessly in unfamiliar directions, I would then try to find my way back home. This is something I would do multiple times a week, and really helped me to understand the landscape of Florence.
Making Florentine marbled paper with a classmate.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I lived in an apartment with 3 other American guys who were studying abroad with AIFS. The apartment was styled as that of the city of Florence, giving us a more raw experience. Our apartment building was made up of other study abroad students, so we were easily able to connect with them.
My favorite thing about my accommodation was the location. It was located in a nice part of the city that was not far from school, restaurants, nightlife, and tourist attractions, but was still quiet at night.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
One thing that every future participant should know about AIFS before going abroad is to get a meal plan.
The meal plan was truly a blessing and allowed me to try so many great cuisines without having to break the bank on eating out all the time. While I did still make food at home, the meal plan helped me to try all different kinds of food and meet incredible restaurant owners.
Would you recommend AIFS Abroad to others? Why?
I would 100% recommend AIFS to others because they provided great opportunities to experience Italy as a guest rather than a tourist.
Through their excursions, weekend trips, and activities I was able to experience Italy from a different perspective than if I was just traveling there. These activities also made it very easy to bond with other students in the program who all had a similar interest in travel.
Andrew and his professor on a field trip.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is the enablement to experience different cultures firsthand. While you can watch videos of what life is like in different places, the videos will never compare to firsthand experience.
Traveling allowed me to see what life is like in so many different places and truly gives you a different perspective on the world.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Now that I'm home, my time abroad has impacted my life in so many different ways. I am now much more open and eager to try new things.
You truly do not know what something has to offer until you dive into the experience with your full self. Trying new things forces you outside of your comfort zone and enables growth.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means to me, making the most out of your travel time.
When going abroad you have two options: Are you going to live overseas and practice the same life that you live back home, or are you going to indulge in the experiences offered by the country of travel? The second option will always be better and will allow you to look at things from a different perspective.
