Chapter 10: Housing

All students participating in the Fairfield program must use the housing provided. Students may pick from two options: 1) housing in shared apartments, or 2) homestays. Homestays can be arranged for Italian majors ONLY. Call us for more information on the homestay option, which must be reserved early.

Housing Agreement Form

This form must be signed and returned to us with the housing deposit of $500. If there are no damage charges, $450 will be returned to you at the end of the semester. $50 is withheld as a final cleaning fee. If any damage occurs to the apartment, or if the apartment is left in a dirty condition, charges will be shared equally by the residents of that apartment. Any charges resulting in damage over the $450 will be charged to you.

Apartments

The apartments, by far the most popular option, are located in the center of Florence within a 20-minute walk to the school. There is no need to take a bus or taxi to attend classes or do grocery shopping. Everything is in reach of your apartment. You should remember that Florence is a city, and if you've always lived in the suburbs, you'll need to give yourself a chance to adapt to city living.

Housing in Florence will probably be different from what you're used to at home. Many of you may have never lived in a really old building, since most Americans live in Post-World War II homes and apartments. Naturally, lodgings in a Renaissance city will have a different style and appearance. In Florence, you will be living in truly historic buildings that may date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Of course, they have all the modern necessities, with appropriate electricity and appliances. But don't expect shiny, brand-new, "American condo" style. Your apartment was housing Florentines before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth! Floors are usually granite, tile or brick. Plumbing and heating may operate differently than you are used to. There is much to appreciate in these historic buildings and we know these apartments will become a valuable memory of your Florentine experience.

Each apartment in Florence is different. They come in all shapes and sizes, and will have between 1-4 bedrooms (for 2-8 people). The apartments in Florence are furnished, and come provided with the following: bed linens (1 set per student), pillow, blanket, towels, pots and pans, dishes and cutlery. You should bring, or plan to buy, one large towel. If you want an extra pillow or anything else, wait until you've seen what the landlord provides. Kitchens may be small but are fully equipped. Your refrigerator will be small and your appliances low-tech and energy-efficient. You may have some things in your apartment that others may not, and vice versa.

Fairfield regularly uses the same apartments in Florence semester to semester. We would like to keep it that way, so please be respectful to the landlord and other tenants in the building. Remember, there will be families with children, elderly people, and working people living in your building, so please be considerate and limit noise, especially at night. Overnight guests are NOT permitted and all students must obey certain rules related to the care of the apartment.

If something breaks or needs repair during your stay, report it to our Program Director immediately. Keep in mind that repairs can take longer than at home, so be patient.

Electricity

The European electrical system is different from that in the United States. Do not bring appliances from home. This includes hairdryers. They will not work well (even if you bring a converter) and will eventually short out. Florence has stores where you can buy a reasonably priced hair dryer and other electrical necessities. You can share the cost with your roommates.

Europeans are seriously into conservation, mainly because utilities cost so much more than in the United States. Please turn all lights off when they are not being used. When you go on vacation, be sure not to leave any lights on! You may also notice that Italians use lower wattage light bulbs. This is another step to conserve on energy. A certain amount of energy usage is built into the cost of your apartment. If you should exceed it, you will be charged for it.

Keep in mind that the circuits and systems in place in these buildings are not designed to handle heavy loads. If you have all the lights on and appliances running, you may blow a fuse and your electricity will go out. These are things that you will learn to avoid. Give it time and patience and before you know it you won't even think about it.

Plumbing

If you're in an apartment with two to four people, you will probably have 1 shower and 1 toilet. If you are living in an apartment with more than four people, you will have more than that. In some of the apartments, the toilet and shower are separated. Some of the newly refinished apartments will have combined full bathrooms.

Showers

Your shower may be the "sitting" kind. While some students are a little unnerved at first, everybody adjusts. Just give it some time. When it comes to showering, please remember that the costs for water and heating water are much higher in Italy. Limit your showers to 10 minutes, not just for the landlord, but also for your roommates. It may take a while before the water heats up. This is normal. The apartments do not have continuous heating and hot water. If you use up all of the hot water, your roommates will be left without any. It is also normal if the shower is slow to drain, so don't panic. It is not clogged. Remember, this is an ancient city with a very old water system. If there are serious problems with the plumbing in the apartment, please let the Program Director know immediately. She will work with the landlord to get the situation resolved in a timely manner.

Gas Stove and Heating

Your stove and oven are gas operated. When you turn the gas on, you will be able to hear a subtle hum and will be able to smell the gas. After the gas is on, you must ignite the flame with a match or lighter. Be sure that after you have finished using the stove or oven, you turn the burners and switch completely off. The same is true of your heaters (if they are of the manually controlled variety), which you may adjust to your comfort. Do not leave the heater running with a roaring flame when you leave the apartment or when you are asleep because:

1) Your apartment will remain warm for the entire night even if the heat has only been on for several hours.
2) It will cost a "fortune."

Mosquitoes

Florence is home to a variety of mosquito that Americans are unused to. They're usually found during the warm, humid weather, but they might be present during a mild winter. Most of the time, their bites result in the usual itchy bumps, but some people are more sensitive and exhibit more swelling and redness. Since Italian homes don't have screens, and Americans love fresh air, the mosquitoes are invited in every warm summer evening when students return home and throw open their windows.

There is a solution. You can purchase, very cheaply, a little item that plugs into an electrical outlet. It emits a scent which the bugs find repellent, and they should leave you alone. Just ask one of our Program Director.

Washing Machines

Some of you may be lucky enough to have a washer in your apartment. If you do have one, it will be quite different from what you're used to. For example, each cycle takes longer, and the machines are unable to dissolve a great deal of detergent. To avoid the detergent residue on your clothes, use the detergent sparingly, and if need be, run another rinse cycle. You should also select the temperature carefully to avoid fading colors. If you do have a washer, you will notice that you don't have a dryer. They are not energy efficient, and consequently, no one in Florence has one. Many apartments, however, have a terrace with a clothesline on which you can hang your clothes, because they tend to be warm. Do not use the washer, tap, bath/shower at the same time.

Laundromats - open 7 days from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Onda Blue locations

Via degli Alfani, 24 B/R
Via Guelfa, 22/R

Wash & Dry locations
via Nazionale, 129R
via dei Servi, 105R
via della Scala, 52-54R
via Ghibellina 143R
via de' Serragli, 87/R
via GP Orsini 39R

via Morgagni 21R

Storage

Neither the Fairfield program nor Florence University of the Arts can provide any facilities for you to store belongings before, during, or after the semester. Neither will the landlords at your apartments. You can store luggage at the Florence train station and most large European train stations. If you plan to travel after the semester ends, station storage facilities might be your best option.