CIEE High School Summer Abroad

Going to Peru for a month is by far one of my best experiences. I enjoyed myself on this trip. At first, it was very difficult because it was a new environment and everyone spoke to me only in Spanish: the teachers, my host family, everyone. I always wanted to become fluent in Spanish, so this was helpful for me to have this immersion. My favorite experience was when I went to Machu Picchu. The scenery was amazing and the town was even better. My friends and I had pizza at a restaurant, then we listened to some music in the main plaza. Another thing that I loved was my host family. They were so kind and spent a lot of time with me and my roommate. I genuinely feel that my Spanish has improved living in Peru. I recommend this program to anyone who is interested in expanding their horizons and learning the Spanish language.

I choose to study abroad with CIEE because I wanted to get outside of my comfort zone; I’m generally shy and quiet but I love animals. At the beginning of my program I didn’t know anyone but by the end I had made so many amazing friends along the way, and I still keep in touch with most of them. The program leaders were fabulous and so much fun to be around (I was room mates with one). The excursions you do on this trip were so incredible and absolutely life changing. Seeing the animals on T.V. Or in zoo is okay but going out into the wild and seeing them in person was such a surreal experience. For those of you who are thinking about going abroad I highly recommend doing so; you will regret it if you don’t. If you are one of those people who love animals, loves helping them and learning about them, making a difference and isn’t afraid to get on you hands and knees; this is the program for you.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I know for a fact that I wasn't expecting it to be like that. I admit, the beginning was tough. I didn't feel like I fit in with the other participants, I wasn't used to cold showers and bugs in my room and sheets that would never stay in place, I was bored out of my mind during orientation, and I had no idea children were so exhausting and journal entries were so hard to write. I admit, I felt like I didn't belong. I felt a little like a small stain in this country that wasn't mine in the first place. But those challenges are what helped me grow the most. And I think(hope), I've become a much better person because of it. I feel more confident, more comfortable in conversation, more appreciative of things I didn't see before, more flexible, more motivated, more at peace with myself. And those are things that would've taken me a lot longer than 3 weeks had I not gone on that trip-- frankly, some of those things never would've happened had I not gone on that trip. And I am so thankful I did. Ghana was beautiful and good to me and I miss her already.

I had my doubts when sending my teenage son to another country but I have to say that CIEE exceeded by far my expectations. The communication with the coordinators was wonderful and they guide me trough every step of the way. The chaperones made me feel immediately comfortable and I was able to live my son's experience by reading and seeing the pictures they were posting on the blog.

My son couldn't be happier with his host family, the food, excursions and the culture in general. Seriously, CIEE thought of everything to make his trip a great experience.

His Italian improved greatly, he made tons of friends, was introduced to new variety of foods and I, myself made friends with the hosting family and can't wait to meet them in person.

I would strongly recommend studying abroad with CIEE.

My program in Valparaíso, Chile, recently ended and I am returning to the United States where I live (unfortunately). First of all, let me say that this program is absolutely amazing, but it still has its pros and cons. When I began my journey, I received nothing less than support from on-site staff, program leaders, and language teachers. I do not recall any bad experience with them and I will miss them as much as I will miss the destination itself. They were all very nice, respectful, and helpful. My host family and host sibling placement was amazing. I got along well with them and the only problem I had was with the bathroom in the house breaking and a slight invasion of ants into the hallway (which is out of control of anyone). The activities in this program are almost always enjoyable. There is a lot of walking, and viewing street art and museums, which can be boring if you aren't into that. The larger weekend trips (one of which was overnight) were amazing. One problem with being so busy is just how tired you will get. The projects and journals for class are also required and very time consuming. You must be prepared to be going and doing all the time, and you will have fun on this trip!

The program I attended was a massively beneficial experience. The program leaders were always there to check up on me and my peers, making sure everybody was well and good. The support was staggering, there was so much. The experience was so enriching, the excursions were so fun, and the food so good. CIEE is genuinely concerned for their participants and that shows through their constant questions and check ups on their students. The program was great and so enriching and life-changing.

To be completely honest, I was very scared and nervous going into this trip. I didn't know what to expect at all! My first week transitioning was a little hard because everyone was a little scared of opening up to all of these strangers. By the second week, however, I realized that I had been with the most amazing people who share a common interest with me and I became great friends with all of them to this day. The leaders of the trip were so nice and helpful throughout the entire trip but knew when to be strict with us for our safety. Living in Portugal for three weeks was an experience I will never forget. The culture and history was absolutely amazing (as well as eye opening to all of the differences between two countries) and the beautiful streets, buildings, and nature was the cherry on top. Every day there were activities on the itinerary as well as an hour or so of leisure time where you can roam around anywhere you want with a couple of buddies. That was probably the highlight of the trip since you can truly get firsthand experience with the country. Not to mention I learned so much about aquatic ecosystems and sustainability while on this trip that carried into my following years of education. I will always remember this trip and I will always recommend CIEE to anyone planning on studying abroad!

My time in Portugal was truly a dream. The program I participated in lasted three weeks, and during it we traveled throughout Portugal. We explored different water ecosystems including swamps, river, and the Atlantic Ocean. We did this in a variety of fun ways including kayaking, surfing, and even taking a ride on multiple different types of boats. My favorite activity would have to be when we went dolphin watching . However it was the people that made my time in Portugal truly transformative experience. All of the program advisers and my fellow program members were so supportive and I made friends very quickly. We made great memories while traveling together on the bus and well-being in class or completing experiments. We were able to take the subway around the city and explore different locations together during our free time. In addition we had fun learning about Portuguese culture together and learning a bit of Portuguese in the classroom. We tried new food and listened to new music. As a result, we grew together. I would highly recommend this program is anyone who really enjoys water and who is interested in learning about a new culture. Be prepared for lots of swimming and stepping outside of your comfort zone.