<p>I am planning on studying in Italy for the Spring '13 semester. I've never been there, but I've gotten many recommendations to go to Florence and if I do go there, I am pretty confident in which school I want to attend. But there's a part of me that is worried that I'm going into it blind-sighted and should check out the country for myself first and see what I think of the different cities. When I mention the idea to my friends, they think it's a waste of money since I am already going to the country in the spring. I have been accepted to a 3 week summer program in England and they say I should go to that instead (I can't afford both.) They are going to study abroad in places like Spain without visiting first and don't see the big deal. Should I save money and trust in the recommendation of others, or should I check out Italy for myself? Thank you.</p>
<p>Side note- If I did go, I could either go on a Contiki tour where I see a bunch of cities OR go take a class in Florence for a few weeks but I'd be stuck in that city since I'd be going by myself.</p>
<p>I think the vast vast majority of study abroad students have not been to the country where they are studying before. For many people that is one of the reasons they choose a particular country - somewhere where they would not otherwise get a chance to go. The other students in your program will be in exactly the same position so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.</p>
<p>Contiki tours are all about competitive drinking. If that’s not your scene, choose Florence (and I don’t understand why you would be “stuck” in Florence if you were on your own. No-one is going to stop you travelling around in your own time if you want to. However, if you see staying in one place for more than a couple of days as “stuck” then you should probably choose a tour rather than study abroad, which is about experiencing living in a new place for most people).</p>
<p>Sorry, I should have explained further. The Contiki trip or class in Florence wouldn’t be a replacement of studying abroad, instead just a summer trip to give me a feel of the country. And I shouldn’t have said “stuck,” I just meant that if I took a class in Florence over the summer I wouldn’t travel far because I am not yet comfortable enough to do that on my own. That is what draws me to the to a guided tour like Contiki.</p>
<p>Thank you for your helpful response; it definitely gives me a different perspective and I am putting a lot of thought into going to England now.</p>
<p>I agree. No pre-visit necessary, but would be fun if you can afford it. I lived in Vienna my junior year and had never set foot in a German-speaking country before I showed up on the steps of the Imperial Palace.</p>
<p>Why do you particularly want to study in Italy? If you feel your views would change depending on what you experience if you visit, then go for a visit this summer. But if you’re set on Italy anyway, there seems no point visiting beforehand to me.</p>