melissa grace kreider

I attend three of the six schools here in Italy that make up Palazzi, the Florence Association for International Education. The Italian school, sQuola, also the Center for Contemporary Italian Studies, deserves its own blog post because of the moves it is making in the Italian community. Right now we’ll focus on DIVA and FUA.

            DIVA stands for Digital Imaging and Visual Arts. DIVA is equipped with multiple computer labs with up-to-date technology and boasts a beautiful high-quality digital photo printing lab. My favorite part, though, is the photo studio for my Introduction to Fashion Photography class.

The studio part of the studio.

Other part of the studio.

Inspiration board!

 Other than my Italian class at sQuola, I attend all of my other classes in FUA, or Florence University of the Arts. FUA is absolutely gorgeous with a newly equipped Darkroom [which I couldn't score photos of-there was a class going on. apologies!] and all the trimmings of a fancy Italian building.

I’ll let the photos speak for me!

The lobby of FUA.

Our lovely library (Listen, I'm a huge book nerd. I worked at Bierce. Don't judge me)!

A classroom in FUA.

Oh, did I mention the courtyard?

Yeah, that's a palm tree.

The view from the terrace in the courtyard! Unreal!

All in all, Palazzi is a wonderful association and my schools have a very high standard for the work you produce. Just how I like it! So far I really reccommend studying through Study Abroad Italy to Palazzi/Florence University of the Arts.

Start looking into it! Most programs [any program! it doesn't have to be this one!] are now accepting applications for Summer programs and maybe even Fall 2012!

Ciao for now!