Global Experiences/AIFS Abroad

From start to finish I felt fully supported and that my voice was heard. Global Experiences helped me find an internship that was best placed with my desires & skillset. The accommodation was located in a perfect area with a 1 min walk to a subway and convenience stores and importantly I felt safe! My in-country co-ordinator Maoimie was amazing. She curated a great list of activities for us to do, was able to answer any questions we had & made us feel VERY welcome! The experience I have gained from this internship is PRICELESS. Thank you GE

Overall, my time abroad was an amazing experience! I made a lot of new friends and experienced an entirely new work culture I had never been exposed to.

The only criticism I have was the communication and organization between my employer and the program prior to the start of my internship. Since I was doing an architecture internship, I was working with a lot of software and computer programs on my private computer. One specific program was not on my resume and was not mentioned in the interview. My employer and I struggled to share drawings because of this, and not having it risked ending my internship early. Luckily I was able to solve the problem and find an educational license for the software.

The use of my private computer also prevented me from finishing the project we were working on. The softwares I had to download made it shut down permanently near the end of my internship. My advisors did what they could to help me, but in the end, I did not feel like I was set up for success. For internships that require a significant amount of software (and *very* expensive software at that), there needs to be better communication as to what the employer is providing the intern (computer, software, etc.) and what the intern needs to come prepared with. There was a lot of potential for me to walk away with more experience than I did, but due to the above circumstances, that was not the case. This program is not cheap, so if you are thinking about enrolling, ask more questions and make it clear with your early advisor what your capabilities and expectations are.

Aside from my internship, the program did a great job of immersing us into Italian culture. By the end of my time there, I was very comfortable with Florence and traveling to other cities/countries in Europe. I will always be influenced by my time there and can’t wait to return in the future!

Going into this program abroad I didn’t really know what to expect being so inexperienced with something like this. There were times I felt out of my comfort zone, but thanks to other interns, my internship supervisor, and the program coordinators I felt super supported there. The people I was surrounded with would always make me feel so much better to know I am not alone! I am so thankful for the guidance and help from the coordinators Erica and Anna. When I had challenging moments they were great with checking in. I can’t express enough how absolutely incredible Anna Gomez was for the way she showed up for me! Her kindness, dedication and determination goes unnoticed. I’m so glad I chose to take on this adventure that made me learn and grow so much!!

Having an internship in Florence, Italy was an amazing and unique opportunity. I got very lucky with my internship placement at a travel company; it was a great fit for me and I became close friends with my coworkers and boss. I also made friends with the other Global Experiences interns that I was living with. We all lived in the same complex, which had all the amenities we needed, including AC, heat, and laundry. The apartments were in a great area close to the city center.
The Florence location coordinators, Erica and Anna, are great! They were prompt at responding even outside of work hours, and helped with everything from internship questions to suggestions on the best clothing tailor in the city. They provided each intern with hands-on attention and advice.
Overall, I would recommend this program. Global Experiences is a great program to do in your college or post-college years because it helps give you a better idea of what your future goals and plans are.

I chose to go abroad to Australia with Global Experiences not really knowing what to expect. I knew I wanted to go abroad to Australia, but I didn't know exactly what that experience would entail. Andrea, the program advisor for Sydney, made this an amazing experience in several areas. She worked hard to make sure that my internship was a good fit for me, and found things for my cohort to do based on our interests. GE made discovering Sydney so much easier, and I definitely recommend! Thank you GE and Andrea!