CIEE Gap Year Abroad

I absolutely loved my time here in Legon, Ghana. I have met so many amazing, generous, and kind people who I will stay in contact with for a long time. I already want to come back and I haven’t even left yet! I have recommended CIEE to many of my friends and I encourage everyone to take a gap year/semester abroad. I feel like I have grown so much as a person, and my independence/confidence has improved more than it ever would in the states. I can’t stress this enough!!!! It has been the best 3 1/2 months of my whole life. I volunteered at a school here in Teshie, and the kids are wonderful and so sweet & they love volunteers! The food is actually pretty good (besides the fish) and I’m going to miss my bofrout & fanice! I have gotten so accustomed to the life here, my host family feels like my family and this place feels like my home. If you are considering coming to Ghana, I would 100% come through CIEE. They are the best!

I’m really glad I went on my CIEE program. Although it wasn’t without challenge, I look back on it as a positive experience. My first host family and I were not compatible and I ended up asking to switch host families. CIEE made the process really easy and alleviated a lot of my stress about switching. My advice is that if you have an inkling that you are not compatible with your family then you should tell the program as soon as possible. Even if you don’t switch or want to switch they can put your feelings into context (maybe it’s a matter of culture clash rather than a particular family) and help you decide what to do next. Once I switched host families my experience drastically improved. I loved my host family, made a lot of really close friends and had a ton of fun. I feel that because I faced certain challenges abroad, away from my family, in a different language and culture, those same challenges seem much less daunting now that I’m back in the US.

I moved to Spain after finishing up four years of college on the East Coast. I had lived, worked, and traveled through Europe a few times before but there was still a fair amount of nervous energy in me pre-departure. Upon my arrival to Madrid, jet-lagged and in a little bit of shock, I was immediately greeted by some of the most enthusiastic leaders I have ever met. It was honestly so reassuring to see the excitement that they had for our experience and made me feel comfortable knowing that they enjoyed their experience to such a degree that it prompted them to stay for another year. As I approach the end of my first year I couldn't be more excited to be spending another year in Spain and in Europe as an overall whole. Going abroad after graduating, or really before any major life decision has drastically changed my approach on life and the plans that I had laid out for my future self. Putting yourself in a completely new environment culturally, linguistically, and geographically has allowed me to grow and develop in so many ways that I don't believe would have been available to me had I chosen to stay in the US. I have met people from all over the world, traded stories and drinks with some characters straight out of a novel, and have seen some of the most amazing places and monuments that I could only dream of as a child. The road is not always easy and there are honestly times where the pull of returning home is strong and there would be nothing more comforting than returning to everything that is familiar. But with the help of friends and colleagues that you meet in your adventures you can see just how many reasons there are to stay and further develop yourself. Plus it doesn't hurt that I can travel across Europe for half the price of a ticket from Boston to California.

I had the wonderful opportunity to have a 6 credit academic internship with an international hotel asset management company as one of my classes in Palma. This not only helped increase my professional Spanish skills, but it also helped strengthen my intercultural communication. My CIEE program allowed complete immersion into another country’s culture which is extremely valuable for one’s personal growth. The program was well organized, all the small details were taken care of. The only complaint I had about the program was my first homestay. I had some issues because the homestay mother was going through a hard time herself so they changed me into a different homestay with a single mother who I swear must be an angel. I had a very tough time abroad medically and mentally and was able to receive the help I needed to make my experience worthwhile.

My GAP year in Spain thought me way more about myself than going straight to college ever would have. While living in Sevilla I met amazing, interesting people who helped shape who I am today, including my loving host family. I gained the incredible skill of speaking a second language and I felt more prepared for the next step in my life, college. Whenever anyone tells me that they're thinking about going abroad, without hesitation I say "GO." Travel let me be my true self and I will carry that with me wherever I go next.

As a result of my gap semester with CIEE, once I started college, I was able to immediately skip to higher level Spanish courses for my Spanish minor. My time in the Dominican Republic gave me the opportunity to learn Spanish in an immersion setting, allowing me to practice my Spanish language skills on a daily basis. The Spanish that I learned during my semester abroad allowed me to feel comfortable enough to being with higher level language courses and confident enough to pursue a minor in the Spanish language.

I had an extraordinary experience with CIEE in Paris as a bridge between college and work. Having completed my university credits a semester early, I spent a fantastic semester learning a new language and culture, as well as becoming more independent and confident with change. The program was immensely supportive and yet gave great freedom to explore whatever interested me most. My experience prepared me like nothing else for the workforce.

The GAP year experience in Seville, Spain is one I'll never forget. It taught me to be independent, culturally sensitive, and adventurous. The people I met through CIEE have become some of the most important people in my life, and I will never take that for granted. I recommend the program to anyone! My language skills improved tremendously, as well as my overall knowledge of the country. Living and breathing the Spanish lifestyle from day to day led me to get to know my host city in ways I never thought possible. I loved Seville so much that I have returned for another study abroad experience in Spain. The experience has changed the way I view global education and its impact on students.