Taking a gap year was the best decision that I could have made before heading off to college. I have come out a more mature, open-minded, culturally aware and ultimately happier person. I entered college with a sense of accomplishment for already having spent a year in transition and I find that it is already paying off both socially and academically. If anyone is considering taking a gap year, the answer should be yes!

My time in Sevilla, Spain truly had a large impact on who I am today. I learned so much about myself, my peers and the amazing culture of Spain. The language programs that CIEE provide are incredible. My knowledge of the Spanish language grew significantly, and I learned so much about a culture that was so new to me when my plane landed in Sevilla. I made friends from all over the world, that I am still in touch with, and CIEE helps you to immerse yourself directly into the Spanish life. My home stay family was so kind and generous, and I became extremely close with my two host sisters. I became much more independent from my experience abroad, and had the opportunity to travel to 8 different countries over the course of the 4 months that I was there. There's no better place to spend your gap year than in Sevilla.

Hello,
I participated in the Fall semester of the G.A.P. study abroad program, and to be honest, the staff did not add anything to my experience. In fact, they took away from it. They picked us up from the airport and gave a small orientation, which was slightly useful. However after on the way home, they provided no help at all with luggage.
Also, when they say there are classes at Sophia University, what they really mean is that they have their own "study center" in the basement of one of the buildings, where you are given is basically not how to be a "stupid American". They consisted of mostly TED talks and worksheets on communication skills. The semester project was a joke. I cut an old macroeconomics project in half, and this was sufficient for them. It seemed the staff themselves did not take the program seriously. The staff were also very condescending and rude. I had a mild cold, and so I decided to take the afternoon off to recover before a trip to Hiroshima. Once I informed the staff of this, they made me run around Akihabara to buy a thermometer, then go to a clinic (where they could have taken my temperature for free), be told I just had a cold, and buy medicine that was not necessary since I had almost recovered. $130 and four hours later, after some very rude phone calls, they allowed me to go on the trip I payed for. This is just one small story of many.
The only highlights were the Intercultural Institute of Japanese by Akihabara and my home stay. The staff was kind and helpful, and I actually learned a lot of the language as well as the culture. My homestay family was incredibly nice, and helped me in numerous ways. For anyone wanting to take a gap year or semester in Japan, I highly recommend it, however I suggest you go directly through a language school or find a program besides CIEE. Learning how to navigate a foreign country, expanding my comfort zone, and diving into learning a new, challenging language, as well as learning how to dodge CIEE's red tape all helped me develop as a person and a leader. If you have any questions about studying abroad in Japan, please ask me!