AIFS Abroad in Florence, Italy: Semester Study + Internship

Ever sense I was a little girl I have always told people I wanted to be a fashion designer in Paris and I think if I would've known what the duomo was I would've said italy. Over my internship I worked with Ilaria Tollsi a fashion designer who opened her own atelier. with her I gained real life experience and got to feel what its like to work in my dream career field in a beautiful place. I dont think I would change my experience for anything. i think about florence every day.

I recently did a semester abroad in Florence, Italy with AIFS this past fall semester and it was such an absolutely amazing experience. From the application process to the time I left Italy the AIFS staff was incredibly helpful and truly wanted to make your experience as amazing as possible. All 10 of us in the program attended all of the events AIFS organized except for 1 and they were absolutely amazing. The welcome dinner and exit dinner were also at 2 places that I had been wanting to try and they were so delicious. The AIFS team was super helpful and made the whole experience just that much better!

The most incredible 3.5 months of my life! I met the most amazing people, professors, locals, food - everything. Everyday felt like a dream, it was very surreal. I wish to go back already, with partial regrets of ever feeling homesick, which is obviously a normal feeling. I think about being in Italy very often and will find myself reminiscing on my old photos and videos nightly. If you are given the opportunity to study abroad - DO IT!! This was one of the most experiential things I’ve done in my life. The freedom of being able to travel each weekend and be adventurous to try new foods and meet new people really gives a new outlook on the world and life! There are so many wonderful cultures, people, lessons many people won’t understand or learn without the abroad experience. Being in Florence, everything was walkable and the views were incredible. I’ll never forget walking across the Ponte Vecchio every day to class. I was able to intern for a private chef/cooking company which was incredibly fun. My boss was soooo welcoming and loved to show me the culture of Italy. I miss the bottomless gelato, pasta, and wine!

It was such a unique opportunity, not only being able to study a semester abroad but get the chance to have an internship as well. AIFS made it a very easy process leading up the start of the program which made it an easy transition once I got over there and am extremely appreciative of this experience I was able to have.

I went to Florence right after Covid in 2022. AIFS did an amazing job prepping us for any health and safety measures we needed to take and I felt so comfortable there. My placement was the best - a marketing intern for a Tuscan wedding cake designer, I learned so much and it set me apart from so many others in my future career endeavors. I am so grateful for the cultural education I received and I highly recommend any and everyone to go to Florence with AIFS!!! P.S. Anna is the BEST!!!

I loved my internship that I did in Florence. I did a semester long marketing internship and it was great. The people I worked with were lovely and I felt like I got so much valuable experience that I can use in my future career!

Interning abroad was the most thrilling and transformative experience I’ve ever had. It offered the right amount of push out my of comfort zone. Yet maintaining just the right amount of support from the program to feel safe in such a new environment. Without my internship at Global Experiences I wouldn't have the full-time job I have right now. I think a program like this is even better than studying abroad because it forces you to learn and adapt.

I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to intern abroad in Florence, Italy. The company I interned with, Madai, had some great mentors and I really got to connect with them 1 on 1. I learned a lot about the technical side of advertisement and I met some great people along the way! My internship was located in Belloscuardo, a really picturesque part of the city. Overall, I feel like my placement was ideal; my internship wasn't so time consuming that I missed out on quintessential study abroad opportunities, but I spent enough time there to actually learn something.

AIFS not only gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity, but forever friends. Being able to complete my internship credit and do so while abroad is an amazing opportunity. I got to experience living in a new country with my new best friends while completing an amazing internship in the field I hope to have a career in. I got the opportunity to intern for one of the best in luxury wedding planning companies. I learned from the experts and without AIFS, I would not have this opportunity.

I have lived abroad in Italy before this experience so I had some knowledge of what to expect before coming back. However, the program still had its surprises and perks. Our housing situation was conveniently placed, close to the other interns in the program, close to work, and the city center (given, the city is very walkable and small). My work placement could not have been any more perfect but I do have to credit my persistence on this matter as much as the AIFS staff that made this possible for me. After the first interview with a prospective employer, I didn't get the immediate satisfaction that it was the right job for me. By discussing these doubts with the AIFS staff, they worked hard to match me with a better employer and it ended up being a perfect fit. Communication with the AIFS staff is an essential part of getting what you desire from the program. This experience will be exactly what you make it, the staff are here to help you succeed but it comes at the cost of using your voice. Living abroad for some time is not always easy, but it is worth trying at least once in your life and I would highly recommend doing this through AIFS. One thing to note... if you plan on coming here to Intern, make sure your priorities lie with your work. Depending on your employer, you may be given a lot of lenancy with time off to travel but this should not be taken advantage of. Building connections with your employer will help you in the future and any disrespect will only harm the connection between AIFS and the employers, making the experience harder for future students.

Global Experiences has allowed me to have the best 3 months of my life! Living, learning, and working abroad has been an incredible opportunity for growth and adventure! I've learned so much about myself and the world through my new social and professional experiences abroad. If you're looking for a chance to expand your worldview and gain real life skills outside of the classroom, this program is for you! The weather was beautiful, the people are friendly, and the food is amazing!