Transcript Document

MSM
Florence Spring Program 2010
January 24th to April 16th
In collaboration with the
American Institute for
Foreign Study
ITALY !
Firenze!
WHAT TO PACK
DO NOT PACK:
DO PACK:
Prescribed medicines
A towel
Appropriate clothes
Patience
More than you can
carry – stairs!
Bed linen
Large/heavy
electrical items e.g.
hairdryers
Remember : bagagge weight limits !
AIFS Flight Details
January 24th
Depart Washington Dulles on AF 39 at 4.50pm
(tickets will be received approx10 days prior to departure date)
January 25th
Arrive Paris 6.10am
Depart Paris on AF 5040 at 10.05am
Arrive Florence 12.10pm
Remember passports and tickets!
Airport and Arrival
•No sharp objects
•Mark and label your bags – AIFS address
•Hand luggage – weight and size restrictions, liquid
restrictions
•Keep passport and tickets in hand luggage
•Get some Euros in cash before you set off – to buy drinks
and snacks when passing through France, and for the first
few days in Florence
•Early check-in – 3 hours prior to flight departure time
•Immigration - visiting for tourist reasons
•Keep baggage stubs in case of lost luggage – make a claim
giving school address. Let AIFS staff know.
Arrival in Italy
Monday 25th January
Students will be met at the airport by an AIFS
representative, given a Welcome Pack and transported
to their accommodation where they will be checked in
by housing staff.
Tuesday 26th January
AM
Orientation Meeting at Study Center – you will be
given program information and a security briefing
PM
City Walking tour with professional local guide
Wednesday 27th January
AM
Cultural Differences workshop
PM
Travel workshop
Staying in Touch
There are no phones available in the apartments
AIFS staff will help you buy inexpensive cell phones
when you arrive – the cost will be approx €60
 Use calling cards in conjunction with Italian cell phone
or local call centres
 You may have problems putting an Italian sim card into
an American phone
 Avoid buying “European” phones before you depart


AIFS NUMBERS

AIFS office phone : (from US) 011 39 055 2399236
9am- 5:30pm

AIFS 24 hr emergency phone:
(from US) 011 39 340 836 5089
Internet Facilities
• Various places around Florence with free wireless
connection
• Free Wireless at school during school hours
• Internet in some apartments for a fee
• Card with 50hrs internet time on to use at chain of
internet cafes
• Internet cafes all around the city
NB: If you bring a laptop please
make sure that it is covered by
insurance
MAIL

All mail must be sent to the given mailing address
and not the student apartments

Mail takes at least a week to arrive by regular US
mail

FedEx and UPS are quicker and more secure but
more expensive

Care packages containing medicine, cosmetics,
electrical items will be stopped in customs and will
be subject to large import taxes – they may not even
arrive. Is it worth it?

Put “used personal goods” on packages.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
•Let the bank know you are leaving US
•ATM and Credit Cards (make sure you have a 4
digit PIN number if you are going to make cash
withdrawals)
•Cash (take a small amount for local currency for
the first few days until you are familiar with the
city)
•Prepaid cards (plastic travellers checks)
NB. Use all three methods not just one!
Accommodation
•Shared apartments
•In the historical city center – city living
•20 mins walk from Study Center
•Buildings hundreds of years old
•Smaller and more basic than US
•Not much storage space
•Different to US = part of Study Abroad
experience
Typical apartment kitchen
Italian Plumbing!
Thursday 29th January
Classes begin
Monday
AM
11am – 1pm
Italian Language
Tuesday
AM
10 -11:30am
PM
1 – 4pm
Econ 351 (Management Econ in Italy)
Econ 322 (Econ of Art)
Wednesday
AM
11am – 1pm
PM
2 - 6pm
Italian Language
Italian Life and Culture
Thursday
AM
10 - 11:30am
Econ 351 (Management Econ in Italy)
For internship information please contact me separately
Italian Life and
Culture Course
• Weekly lectures – interesting and varied
topics e.g. Politics, Religion, Family, The Mafia
• Some accompanying museum visits
• Museum pass that gets you into all State
museums for Free – no waiting in line!
Wednesday afternoons – see class
schedule/ILC itinerary when you arrive
for final details
Map of the Historical Center of
Florence
Study Center
AIFS
Piazza Peruzzi
Student Services
•Open Mon to Fri
•Welfare, housing
• Local information
• Banking, sports
• Travel - Italy & Europe
• Emergency service
Student Services
Sophie Monkman
Programme Coordinator
Philippa Nicholson
Student Advisor
Classrooms
Cultural Calendar
Free weekly activity:
•Eg. Cooking class, wine tasting, walking
tour, soccer, concert, film night
•Day trip to Siena and San Gimignano
Friday 12th March
•Day trip to Pisa and Lucca Friday 19th
March
Weekend in Rome
Wed 17th to Fri 19th February
•2 nights hotel
accommodation
•Tour of the Vatican
Museums
•Tour of Forum and
Coliseum
•Papal audience
Weekend in Venice
Friday 26th – Sunday 28th March
• 2 nights hotel
accommodation
• Guided city tour
and entrance to
Doge’s Palace
• Vaporetto ticket
• Group Dinner
Dates for your Diary
• Spring Break – March 3rd to March 7th
AIFS will help you plan your personal
travel and give you ideas
• National Holiday on April 5th :
Monday after Easter
• April 16th - Departure Day
30 Meal Vouchers to be used
at various different style
eateries around the city
$545
AIFS DISCIPLINARY
PROCEDURES
•All students sign an agreement and
release form
•Students who continually disregard
rules will be removed from the
program
•Written warning system - upon
receiving a third written warning you
will be removed from the program
Safety and Security
•AIFS requires all students to register with
American Consulate prior to departure
•AIFS logs contact info of all students
travelling away at weekends
•AIFS automatically receives US State
Department Advisories
•AIFS has emergency procedures and
extensive back-up services
Travel Safety
•Keep photocopy of Passport safe
•Don’t bring expensive items
•Avoid joining in demonstrations
•Keep alert in crowds, on public
transport, at internet cafes (pickpockets)
•Common sense!
Insurance

Every student is covered by AIFS
medical insurance while you are
studying in Florence.

Please ensure that you have
insurance of your own to cover
personal belongings. Please also be
aware of insurance limits for certain
items (laptops, digital cameras, etc).
Cultural Differences
•Expectations – realistic
•Crowded City – tourists, noisy, cramped
•Language
•Food
•Clothes
•Attitudes
•Differences can be positive
Shops and Streets
Transportation
Santa Croce Church – near
to school
Rooftops of Firenze
The famous Ponte Vecchio
See you there !
Contact Info.
Mailing Address:
Study Center Address:
Student Name:
AIFS
Piazza Peruzzi, 1
AIFS
C/o ABC School
Via de Rustici, 7
Florence 50122
Italy
AIFS office phone
011 39 055 2399236
9am- 5:30pm
(Italian time – + 6 hours)
Florence 50122
Italy
WEB PORTAL:
www.aifspartnerships.com
AIFS emergency
011 39 340 836 5089
Outside of hours
Any Questions?
Email our student advisors at:
[email protected]