Student Spotlight: McKenzy’s Academic Year in Florence, Italy

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Eager to step into the footsteps of a college student who studied and interned abroad in Italy? We recently caught up with AIFS Abroad participant McKenzy, a college student from Hawaii Pacific University who spent her fall semester studying abroad in Florence and returned to the city the following spring for a Study + Internship experience. 

Read on to learn more about McKenzy’s experience with AIFS Abroad and the impact of being an international student and intern in Florence.  

Kiki: I’m Kiki, our host, and today we will be talking with McKenzy. I am currently an AIFS Abroad Alumni Ambassador, and I have this opportunity to be today’s host due to my education abroad experience in Paris, France.  

Just like McKenzy, we are both unpacking from this amazing journey, and I can’t wait to hear about your experience, McKenzy. Can you start by telling us which AIFS Abroad program you participated in? 

McKenzy: Yes! Hi, guys. Hi Kiki, thank you so much for having me on. I was in Florence, Italy. I started studying there for the Fall 2023 semester, and then I went back and studied and interned in the same location for the Spring 2024 semester. 

Kiki: That sounds amazing, and I love that you ended up going back. A lot of my friends and peers also went back to France because they didn’t want to stay in America afterward, so I just love that you ended up going back to Italy. It sounds like you had a great time. 

What was your biggest motivation to study abroad? 

McKenzy: I honestly just felt like I needed a major change. I was in this lull of motivation and felt like I was hitting a wall in my education journey. I wanted to experience something that was bigger than myself, something different that could change my life. And then, of course, just the idea of wanting to do something that I’d always wanted to do, which was travel around Europe. I just felt like saying “yes” to the opportunity that was presenting itself, it was exactly what I felt called to do. 

Kiki: Yeah, and I love that you were just looking for a change of pace and looking for something different to do. That’s what a lot of college students are looking for, because the education can get quite monotonous, and things can get very repetitive. 

Looking for that change of pace, for something to bring back and regenerate a passion for education is something that a lot of students are seeking. So that’s really good that study abroad is what motivated you to continue your education. 

What challenges did you face prior to going abroad? 

McKenzy: Even though I felt called to have a major change, this idea of [study abroad] being so major and so life-altering was really scary. Also, going alone made it way more nerve-wracking. It was interesting how quickly [these fears] went away when I got there. I almost started acting in a way that I always wanted to but never could at home or at my university—I became a lot more extroverted, talkative, and out of my shell. I put a lot of energy into fostering new connections, reaching out to the people around me, and prioritizing my wants and desires for my semester abroad. 

Kiki: Those nerves are a normal part of the experience. Especially because you’re moving out of the country to a place you’ve never been to. So, of course, you’re going to be nervous before going abroad, but I’m glad that you were open to it and having such a great time and becoming someone you always wanted to be. That’s very beautiful to hear. I definitely relate to that, I’ve become a lot more open, extroverted, and comfortable speaking with people ever since going to France and having those experiences. It’s a lot of fun. 

McKenzy: Yeah, life-changing honestly. 

Kiki: It truly is.  

Have you brought any elements of your life abroad back home with you? 

McKenzy: I think that there were plenty of lifestyle changes that I loved and enjoyed and I’m trying to implement in my day-to-day back home. A major thing people do in Italy is enjoy these long meals together—really taking time to connect, check in, laugh, and just have a good time over a couple of different meal courses. And their slowed down lifestyle, just trying to walk a little bit slower, stopping and talking to people, getting to know the people around me more personally… When I was there, I made so many amazing connections with not only the people in my program and the friends in my life there, but my professors and the people at my job where I interned. I think just that the confidence and reliance in myself that impacted every part of my life there, now impacts every part of my life here. 

Kiki: That was very beautifully said. I couldn’t agree more about that slower lifestyle and that opportunity to take in and observe people and your surroundings is something that I’ve also adopted since my study abroad. To have conversations and dig a little deeper with your peers. In my case with my host parents, they would always have conversations with me and my roommate. The conversations were never shallow, they were always asking good questions like, “What do you think about this situation going on in Paris right now?” They were very open to having these conversations with us and encouraged us to engage with them in those conversations. That overall lifestyle of taking things slow and enjoying your life, and working to live, not living to work, that lifestyle change is something I’ve enjoyed and tried to reimplement since coming back. 

Any advice for future study abroad students? 

McKenzy: The biggest thing is to be open to anything and everything and say yes as much as you can if it feels right for you. Now is the time to lean into this cliché of “study abroad changed my life,” and take note about how you’re changing and adjusting. Find balance between your studies and travel. And overall, just take care of yourself and understand that being gentle with yourself and giving yourself grace when things are hard is so important. Remember that you’re not alone—everyone is going through those exact same emotions and are on the same rollercoaster of study abroad and experiencing the same lived experiences that you are, and you all are just hitting them at different points of the semester. So just reach out to the people that you love and be there for others when they ask for your compassion and empathy. 

Kiki: I couldn’t agree more with being more open-minded. Also, being very understanding of the country that you’re in and its social rules—that’s another thing I would add to that, because that comes with being open-minded and open to different experiences. A lot of countries will have different customs than what we’re used to seeing. So, it’s important to understand that going into it because you could accidentally get somebody a little upset with you, and you wouldn’t want that especially when it’s your first time there. 

McKenzy: I think bringing up that idea of culture is so important. My professors talk a lot about how so many students go abroad and they’re just looking for a three-month vacation rather than experiencing where they’re living and dipping their toes into culture and getting involved and learning as much as they can. I just think that’s so important, and it’s not touched on… It’s the most important piece of advice, which is don’t treat this as if it’s just one stop on your grand tour. Take into account that you are living there, and you are experiencing it as your day-to-day… that’s a blessing. Be involved in as much as you can in the country, the culture, and your surroundings. 

Kiki: Definitely. Getting to know the city and country that you’re living in is so important. And it’s so important to learn about the history of the place that you’re in, because every country, or even different parts of the same country, have such different histories, and it’s really interesting to learn about those things. 

What was a memorable experience you had while abroad? 

McKenzy: I honestly had so many, and all of them are so different. I think the most memorable experiences for me are just in the mundane, everyday things. Getting to go to dinner every night with my friends, no matter how busy we were… Getting to visit and travel with my friends from home at their different study abroad locations… Forming my friendships and connections with the people in my life… Those were the most life-changing and exciting experiences. And then, of course, just navigating the culture and gaining a completely new sense of self. 

Kiki: I’ve grown so much as a person since my time abroad. And it was just so nice to be able to go to France and explore the country as an individual versus going to France on family trips and going to only one part of France and then going home. I got to explore the country a little bit more and take more time to get to know the country. So, that was a really nice experience for me because I previously wouldn’t have been able to do that. 

How was it adjusting to your life back home? 

McKenzy: I honestly felt completely changed. I felt reinvented, remotivated towards my studies, and realigned with who I am and who I wish to be going forward. I just felt so fulfilled and connected with so many people around me. I figured out so much for going forward, not only in my personal life, but in my career and my professional journey. It was so interesting to have this realization just from that short-lived experience of being in a different country… to see how much it shaped you as a person and how different you feel coming home. Almost like everything stayed put [at home], and here you are completely different and new.  

The classic challenge that I talk about with everyone in my life is this idea of the “post-abroad slump,” which I’m sure you can relate to. It’s so hard to come back to reality and watch the memories or have to talk to your long-distance friends about what you just experienced altogether and not have that be your day-to-day. I am almost reaching my [one-year anniversary], and getting those little flashback memories is crazy because seeing what my days look like now versus then is a little bit depressing, but I’m so grateful that I got that experience at all. 

Kiki: Yeah, I feel you on the post-abroad slump. It’s hit quite hard for me. It felt like a fever dream, and I know that it wasn’t. I have photographic and video proof and memories to prove that it wasn’t a fever dream for three months.  

It definitely did take some time readjusting and getting back to work, getting back to my studies, going back on campus after more than six months of not being there… that was a really weird experience for me. I was like, “Oh, I’m here again for the first time in months.” And I didn’t even realize that it had been that long until I had to step foot on campus. And just that whole weird adjusting period. 

Even still, like going back, looking at my memories, I’ll get flashback notifications from my photos like, “Hey, six months ago you did this.” Like, yes, I know I did this six months ago. I don’t know if I should see this right now because it makes me want to go back.  

And it’s actually funny because some of my friends ended up just choosing to not deal with the post-study abroad slump, and they ended up going back to France. One of them is studying in France. She’s doing sustainable design in France. And another one is teaching English there. So, they’re both living their best lives in France. They are not dealing with having to be back completely in America. 

McKenzy: Wow, what an opportunity! 

Kiki: I know! Well, that wraps up our conversation for today with McKenzy. Thank you all so much for listening in today. And thank you, McKenzy, for chatting with me. Please don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more stories about studying and living abroad. See you next time! 

Are you a student who’s ready to take the leap and study and/or intern abroad like McKenzy did in Florence? We’d love to help you start your journey!   

Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students and pre-professionals study and intern abroad. Our programs are incredibly inclusive, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like cultural and social activities, excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and more, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.