Program Reviews

My parents at first were very concerned when they first heard about my acceptance into CIEE high school summer abroad. I have never been out of the country before, and this was huge for me. After discussing things through with the staff, I was positive CIEE would be there to help my family and I every step of the way.
Going abroad was amazing, and truly an experience I will never forget, CIEE always planned fun activities while also incorporating the educational part of the program for anyone to get the most out of it. They were also very generous with scholarships, and gave me an 80% scholarship based on academic merit. Also, the college credit program has definitely helped me get some credits out of the way and I'm very glad. For anyone who is on the line about this program - I say to go for it! You never know, and it will be an experience you will never forget!

Overall, it was a great learning experience. There were a few up and downs but it was nothing that couldn’t be slept off. My host family was so sweet and I hope to be able to visit them again. The food was great and the study center was in a very convenient location. There was plenty of independence, which my friends and i took advantage of by seeing more of the city in our free time. I hope to visit the city again.

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.

Spending my time immersing myself in the Germany culture and language was definitely not my go-to option as to how I wanted to spend my summer. I wanted to go to the more "popular" European countries, the ones that are romanticized like Italy, France, England, or Greece. However, the one month I spent there was one of the best months I've ever spent anywhere. The people I've met through this program from the teachers to my host family to the friends I've made on this trip have been some of the most supportive people I know. I've always been a travel person, wanting to one day travel the world and going to Germany made me want to solidify that goal so much more. I fell in love with the German culture and language and would definitely recommend this program. Whether you just want to immerse yourself in a different culture, find a different setting to clear your mind or gain some experience under your belt, it's worth it.

My time abroad in Toulouse was the most life-changing experience. This program allowed me to grow as a person and also helped me better my French language comprehending and communication skills. Besides that, I was able to fully immerse myself in the French culture that I don't get to experience just from a classroom. CIEE does a great job planning activities that help the exchange students immerse themselves in the culture through the "Into the Community", activity is done to help students communicate and ask questions to locals. Although I got a wrong host family placement information until the day before my flight, I am very thankful that I was placed with an amazing family. They were kind and welcoming. They showed me a couple of French medieval cities, which is a great opportunity for me to even learn more about France.

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.