Program Reviews

One thing I loved about studying in Dubrovnik was that there were only 22 people in the program, and because the program was so small we were forced to interact with and develop relationships with the locals, which is an important part of understanding the culture you are living in. Nada and Ivana, the Resident Directors, are extremely helpful with everything and anything, including academic, housing, and travel issues. The apartment I stayed in was amazing with beautiful views (see photos), and Dubrovnik is an incredibly safe city. The school is in an old monastery, and the professors included former ambassadors and politicians. The class schedule is not on a traditional American schedule - oftentimes a class will be every day for 4 weeks and then finish, so if you schedule your classes accordingly it leaves a lot of time for traveling or hanging out on the beach. I learned so much about Croatia, and really fell in love with this city and the Croatian way of life.

The API program adviser, Hong, made our experience great in the UAE.
she took us to many high-life touristic events we wouldn't go to ourselves such as Burj Khalifa, Atlantis, Qatar, Mussandam, Desert Safari, cooking class in Duabi, and our amazing farewell dinner on the Bateau Dubai, etc. all included in the program. The International office also provides an amazing orientation week to get you familiar of Dubai and Sharjah as well as weekly events to somewhere in the UAE and cultural events included in the program. The international office will give you the best social experience and this is all included with the program! Housing compared to the U.S is great, although they do have curfews and rules but it is best for everyone's safety.
In the UAE you will never doubt your safety for a second, compared to other countries it's very safe and you can go anywhere not feeling afraid.
Hong will always be there for you and she plans the BEST events and gives students the high life experience. You can count on her if you need anything and she is fun to be with!
The university provides many transportation services for students and most of the things are available on campus on 5 min away from campus, dinning is easy, there are option on campus and off campus that delivers to dorms.

I was looking for an experience in a Latin American country that would challenge me; I had never formally taught before and I wanted to throw myself into a new situation. Colombia seemed like the perfect opportunity. I'd recommend teaching in Colombia to those willing to be flexible, adapt and thrive in a beautifully chaotic place. You'll fall in love with the people, the place, and the culture.

Since the beginning, API has been supportive and helpful – the application process was easy, too. Once I filled out my city placement survey, I found out that I'd be teaching in Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast, which is what I wanted! Once you are in country, logistical and regional support is provided by an organization called Volunteers Colombia, which collaborates with the governmental programs you’ll be teaching at. My Regional Coordinator was amazing and super helpful in navigating coastal craziness as well as coordinating group events to bring us all together. One of my absolute favorite parts of teaching here has been the network of inspirational teachers/travelers with whom I’ve become close. Our coastal group feels like a family.

When I arrived, I had a two-week orientation in Bogotá filled with long workshops for TEFL training and Colombian culture, as well as figuring out logistics (phones, ID cards, bank accounts, etc.). As a brand new teacher, the TEFL training was useful for me, but I think the most beneficial part of orientation was building relationships. You have access to people that are from vastly different places and have had experiences all over the world. I felt I learned the most from experienced teachers who have taught in several countries, and I was inspired by others’ stories.

I arrived to Barranquilla right before Carnival and the city was in a state of fiesta, so it took a bit of time for things to start up. I taught at SENA, a governmental institution that provides vocational training for students ages 16 and up. Working at SENA was a challenge at first: Communication isn’t as direct, scheduling takes time and things happen as they happen (especially on the coast!). It is disorganized to say the least. There isn’t a strict curriculum and there aren’t materials, so I had free reign of creativity to plan and carry out my classes. I was lucky enough to teach a majority of my classes in the English lab that had a Smartboard and computers, but technology has its pros and cons in the classroom. Overall, it has definitely been a learning experience for me, but the students really made my experience great. They are full of energy and enthusiasm, curious about me and where I’m from, and eager to share their culture. I loved getting to know them and developing relationships with my students!

I came here looking for a challenge in a Spanish-speaking country and it has exceeded my expectations. Colombia’s landscape is gorgeous and impressive, and I was able to travel relatively cheaply and safely. I have grown as a person, a traveler and a teacher, and I have absolutely loved my time here. Colombians are friendly, generous and excited to hear about how your experience has been in their country. For those who are open-minded, positive and ready to go with the Colombian flow, I’d say go for it because you will cherish the memories and friends you make forever!

Since my trip to Cuba with API, I have been back to Cuba twice and am planning a fourth trip for the end of this year. The first trip instilled a love for Cuba that has yet to fade, and I am so grateful I travelled with API the first time. Cuba can be complicated, but the resources API provided helped make things easier. The accommodations and meals provided were comfortable and safe. The excursions where unforgettable, and the people are very friendly.

When I first came to Colombia with API's Teach Abroad program I had a few expectations, but I had no idea just how incredible and valuable my time here would be. I have been in Colombia for about 7 months now working with SENA, since arriving I have felt the ups and the downs, I have seen breath-taking landscapes, and walked through old colonial towns, I have hiked to find a lost Indigenous city, and I have connected on a deep level with a new culture. Among all of these wonderful things, I have also experienced extreme poverty, corruption and far too many stray animals, but the greatest challenge that I have had to face so far is making the decision to stay or to go. What did I do? I stayed. I couldn't get away from the warm people, the empanadas, and the way everyone seemed to be super relaxed despite the hardships they are facing. I have truly fallen in love with this country and the people who inhabit it. My students especially, they light up my day, every day. I didn't know what teaching would be like when I first arrived, I was an advertising major with a desire to travel the world. Little did I know that teachings would be such a rewarding and challenging experience! I feel that I have grown immensely since coming here 7 months ago, and I have so much more growing to do! Who knows if I will ever return to the US! I didn't believe everyone when they first told me, " The biggest challenge is not wanting to leave," but now it's true. I'm sold, thank you Colombia and API Abroad for this amazing life experience.

It was the best experience of my life! You grow up and learn so many things about yourself and the world. Navigating a new country and others that you visit is not only fun and challenging but also prepares you for life as a professional. The housing was amazing with a wonderful view, also having Croatian students just down the street was great benefit! The college was in a beautiful monastery rich with history. A unique dynamic that I don't get at my college at home is that you can walk around this ancient walled city and find a unknown locals cafe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I think the most fun part was learning the culture and some of the language, there also comes benefits with learning the language as many restaurants and bars give discounts if you order in Croatian.

I studied abroad during my junior year, having taken French throughout all four years of high school and several semesters of college. I was your classic Francophile. Thought I knew my stuff. I was sure I was going to be able to instantly, effortlessly communicate my thoughts to the locals in their native tongue. I was wrong.

What I found when I arrived in Grenoble was that I didn't know half as much as I thought I did. Day after day, I struggled: stringing my thoughts into coherent sentences, recalling all the vocabulary words I had learned over the years, making sure my adjectives agreed with my nouns. It was like learning to walk again, but with my tongue instead of my legs. During my first few weeks, it's safe to say that I was completely drained by the time the sun went down as a result of all the mental gymnastics I was performing throughout the day.

But I also quickly found that I had an amazing support system to help me with these daily exercises. Every aspect of the program set me up for success, from my amazing host family (including two host brothers who were my age), to the on-site Resident Directors who took us around the country and explained the ins and outs of French culture, to the knowledgeable university faculty. It wasn't long before I stopped walking and started sprinting.

By the end of my semester abroad I had learned a lot about life in France, and even more about myself. I couldn't have done it without all the behind-the-scenes preparations made by API to ensure that the program was so comprehensive, and of such high quality.

If you're interested in studying in a location that's a little off the beaten path, but is guaranteed to challenge you and improve your fluency in French, go to Grenoble.

API Barcelona was phenomenal throughout my entire stay there. They took care of housing, academics and a surprisingly vast amount of local, cultural activities and weekend trips. Everything is conveniently located and they do a great job at getting you situated in Barcelona once you arrive. I can't recommend a program more than this one, and I met a ton of friends that had plenty of complaints about their respective programs, none with mine!

This was one of the best experiences of my life and it was made possible through API. The support they provided, the housing I was given, and the activities they planned were incredible, just to name a few. I was connected with amazing people from all over the country, and got to know everyone in the program really well. I got to live in an amazing city while improving my Spanish and earning academic credit. If you are considering API or this program, do it! You won't regret it.

I had lived overseas before, but only when I was young and with my family. This was my first time going by myself, I prepared myself as much as I could by learning about cultural shock and re-entry shock and of course I had ups and downs while overseas. This experience changed me, it opened my eyes and gave me more confidence in who I was and who I wanted to be. I chose to go with a host family to give me the full experience and they became like my family there, I still keep in touch with my host mom today, almost 6 years later. My Spanish improved immensely because I made myself go outside my comfort zone, but I truly believe that is the only way to grow. I made friends, whom I still keep in contact with today. I even was able to return to Bilbao last year and stayed with my host mom again, it felt like going home.