API Study Abroad Alumni Network

First of all, Chile is an awesome place to go if you want to experience all types of scenery, practice your Spanish, eat awesome food, and meet some of the kindest people in the world! Chile has the driest desert in the world, an amazing coast, mountains in Patagonia, and so much more. No matter where you are, there is so much to see. That being said, pack for all climates if you choose to study here because likely you'll want to see a little bit of everything!

As far as the university goes, it was a nice mixture of courses taught in English as well as Spanish so that you can do what is best for your current level. They also have a great program that allows you to volunteer while you are there. I chose to teach English a few hours a week and others did activities with the local orphanage, planted seeds at gardens, spent time with disabled people at the hospital, and a few other things.

Lastly, my host family really made me fall in love with Chile. They became my second family while I was there and we have kept in touch since. They were the kindest people ever and it was also really good for me to practice my Spanish. You must stay with a host family if you go here!

Safe travels! :)

Living with a host family is unlike any other experience you'll have. It is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture, no matter what country you're in. Being open to drastic differences in culture is essential; I saw something new every day between anything from mannerisms of my host family and people I met to something as simply as the weather each day.

I spent 8 months living in Madrid Spain as an au pair for three young children. A typical day would involve eating lunch with my kids when they came home during the school day and helping them get back to school. After school I would help their mother get everyone organized, as almost every day a different child had an after school activity. I would help them with their English homework and play games with them in English to improve their speaking and vocabulary skills. I would help with the preparation and clean up of dinner, and then help get the children in bed. After that I was free to have my own time. I also was free to have my own time on the weekends and when the kids were at school. For the first three months I spent a majority of this free time taking Spanish classes.

I originally met the folks at Cultural Embrace (CE) during a internship/study abroad fair at Texas State University. We started talking about what I was looking for in an internship, and it kind of sounded to good to be true. We had discussed doing an internship and I would just have to pay for a plane ticket. For CE, I would have to take pictures and keep a blog of what I was doing. I had recently bought a DSLR camera and really enjoyed writing. So that was the initial process.

I ended up choosing China, since I thought it would be a place I would never go to on my own. I'm not sure the set up now, but I went all over China and did the following: 2 weeks in an ancient village with the Yao minority, adventure treks in Yangshou (my favorite part because of rock climbing and a lot of hiking), life changing week at an orphanage in Changsha, amazing week a Panda reserve in the Sechuan province, and then taught English in Yantai.

It was all absolutely amazing!!! I kept in touch throughout my time over there, but I also had in country contacts that arranged transportation and lodging. You have to be okay with adventure, and if you are, this will be a trip of a lifetime. I encountered both men and woman of a wide variety of ages that all had a great time. I felt very safe the whole time and highly highly (that was on purpose) recommend this.

Cultural Embrace did a wonderful job answering all of my questions before and during my stay in Spain. I knew what to expect and how to use my free time to really take advantage of living in another culture.

I really wanted to learn the language and as anyone being immersed for the first time will tell you, adjusting at the beginning is difficult but completely worth it. You must go out of your comfort zone to learn as much as you can about the other culture, making sure you approach every new experience with an open mind. Go join a local gym and take exercise classes or go to a festival advertised on a poster.

As a native english speaking au pair, my main objective was to teach the children English. I played games and encouraged them to speak each afternoon after school and on Saturdays. During my free time, I taught some private English lessons, went to the local gym, had an intercambio, or met another au pair friend for coffee.

This truly changed my life and vacationing somewhere will never replace actually living in an area for an extended period of time. You can form relationships with those around you and be immersed in not only the language but an entirely new culture.

I highly recommend traveling as an au pair because you can be a part of the family life of another culture while having the free time to see so much more.

Teaching English to a family in Barcelona was the greatest experiences! I did not have much teaching experience prior to my trip. However, the Cultural Embrace Staff really helped me feel comfortable with my teaching abilities and they gave me tons of great teaching info and lesson plans. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a cost effective way to travel abroad.

I went to Buenos Aires for an internship in June 2012 for two months. It was my first trip flying solo and my first time in South America too! So yea I had nerves!

My host family was the best! They were the sweetest old couple and reminded me of my own grandparents :)

For one month I took spanish classes at Mundo Espanol and then for the second month I worked at a hostel.

At the hostel I worked Wednesday - Sunday from 8:30 am til 2:30 pm and I helped with serving breakfast in the mornings, and then in the afternoons I would assist the receptionist with reservations and promote day-to-day activities.

Overall I would definitely reccomend this for anyone who really wants to explore a new country or city and experience an amazing culture. I made lots of friends, had great memories and now I feel like it's my second home!

This is a fantastic trip for anyone who is interested in food marketing, production, supply chain management, logistics and even culinary arts. The trip is rather brisk and you don't get much rest, but honestly why would you want to? Most days start at or before dawn and the experience the student receives unforgettable. This was my 2nd trip to Europe and it did not disappoint. Dr. Sterns has spent extensive time in France and he understands the language. It's as good as having a local take you to all the best spots. Not only does this study abroad provide an excellent educational experience, it also exposes the student to the cultural and historical venues in the country. Highly recommended.