Orientation Information

ISA Florence students fly into Rome where they are met by an ISA Director. They will begin their Rome excursion and participate in city tours and orientations. They then travel together to Florence and participate in the on-site orientation run by ISA staff. The arrival orientation is designed to provide students with practical advice for living in Florence. It covers academic, cultural, and security issues and also includes a tour of the city. Some specific activities include:

- A walking tour of the city to identify the location of banks, the post office, public offices, and the train station
- Orientation meetings held by both staff and faculty to address practical as well as academic issues
- A security briefing by police to cover safety issues
- Visits to local markets to explore what is offered and discuss food shopping
- An orientation session regarding the "Permission to Stay" (Permesso di Soggiorno) documents that all students are required to complete once in Italy
- An orientation session to address life in Florence, specifically, the different kinds of shops (libraries, book shops, stationary shops, etc) and where to find useful, everyday items