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Studying In Florence

Since I get so many emails about studying abroad I thought that I would compose an epically awesome PACKED page of everything you could possibly want to know about studying in Florence. I have thrown my experience and all of my favorite, most detailed resources for you. Please don’t hesitate to post other resources below if I left a great resource out.

Select Study Abroad

Part 1

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Part I: Tips for Studying Abroad in Florence
Pre-departure & Arrival
1. Money
2. Packing
3. Arrival Info

Part 2

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Part II: Getting Settled & Learning The Ropes
4. Phone & Internet (How to buy a phone and get access to the internet, a bit about calling plans, and how to call or email home to tell them you’re alive)
5. Getting Around (How to get from point A to point B in the city via feet, bikes, or public buses)
6. Eating (Key vocab, tipping, and the dos and don’ts of eating the best food in the world*)
7. Daily Life (Grocery shopping, doing your laundry, and seeing a doctor)

*This is the common belief among Italians. Bring it up with them if you have a different opinion. If you have only eaten Italian food in America, your opinion is void. – See more at Select Study Abroad Florence 

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“After a summer full of travel and adventures in Italy and at home, I was reminded that even the most confident and prepared traveler has lessons to learn. As a former Girl Scout, I do my best to adhere to the official Girl Scout motto “Be prepared.” I arrived to the airport early, carefully packed and weighed my luggage, and made sure my passport, laptop, and quart-size bag of liquids were placed in convenient and easy to reach places. Despite my best efforts to plan ahead, I hit an unexpected bump in the road. Actually, I hit the same bump in the road twice. My luggage was lost both on my way to and from Italy this summer. Thankfully, I had taken a few precautionary steps to ensure a smooth arrival with or without my checked luggage. Unfortunately, there are also things that I only wish I had done or thought of. In honor of my temporarily displaced luggage, here are some tips on how to prepare in case your luggage is lost.”

Top Ten Tips for Americans Traveling in Italy

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There is nothing worse than a cultural misunderstanding, especially if it has the potential to ruin a trip. I find these incidents especially painful in Italy simply because they can so easily be avoided if you’re properly prepared. Every time I happen to overhear an American traveler recounting some miscommunication, I make a mental note. There are, of course, your classic repeat offenders, but there are also some that stand out because they represent the points at which these two cultures differ. Hence, they are the same things that Italians misconstrue when they’re on American soil. So instead of letting another potential mix-up ruin even just one afternoon of someone’s long awaited adventure, I thought I’d jot down ten of the most common cultural disparities specifically for Americans traveling in Italy. Knowing these before you leave will save you headache and heartache, I promise!”

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