Travel Advice: Fitness

FITNESS FOR STUDY ABROAD
All three courses are physically active endeavors. We walk all day; it is the only way to experience Europe’s cities and monuments.

Many European cities’ historic centers are pedestrian only; monuments do not have elevators. All three programs involve hiking excursions. There are also opportunities to rent bicycles and to swim.

Contemporary life in Miami does not involve much walking. I strongly suggest you begin to exercise regularly now. Each student needs a good pair of walking shoes, and I suggest you try to learn how to ride a bike and swim, if you do not know how. You do not want to be sitting alone on the coast of the Mediterranean while the rest of the class is swimming. You will be tired the first few days, but after a week you will cherish the physical condition you have developed. Almost every student that has completed study abroad has lost weight.

BAILLY RECOMMENDED
“We walk 10 miles a day. Be ready.”

TRAVEL ADVICE NOTE
This travel advice is primarily directed to students participating in Professor Bailly’s FIU Honors College España, France, and Italia, Study Abroad programs. It is intended to help twenty-somethings explore, seek adventure, and truly immerse themselves in a culture. The goals are to travel affordably, travel safely, and live like a local. Always remember, however, that what works for some, may not necessarily work for you. Ultimately, your decisions are your decisions.