CIEE High School Summer 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.

This program was probably the best experience I have encountered thus far– the activities were very fun, the lectures were interesting and engaging, and everyone was so friendly. We went around different cities, which was very surprising to me, but I loved it since I got to see the different cultures from each individual city. I learned more about marine life that can be helpful for me in the future, especially since I am considering studying that in college. I also liked the Portuguese language classes, which I did not appreciate that much at the time of the program. I love learning new languages and it was incorporated very well. The activities were very fun, such as kayaking, going to the beach, and taking surfing lessons, but they also had educational aspects to them! I would 100% do the program again if given the opportunity!

My trip to Peru was a dream come true. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to travel outside of the United States. I finally got that opportunity summer of 2017. A lot occurred and it seemed like I was not going to go but it all worked out. The family I stayed with and my roommate were the best. We all coexisted and helped each other out. I even learned a little bit of Quechua, their native tongue. This experience was very unique because the session was during the time of their celebration of their virgin and the Peruvians love to party. To future travelers, always make sure you have your keys so that you will not get locked out and be very aware of your surroundings and when visiting the market, know hot to bargain. This trip made me realize how fortunate I am to live where I do and have the things that I have. Life is different in Peru, but it is also an experience that you will never forget.

Although, the title sounds a bit crazy, I really thought I was going to die. If you knew me, you would know that I was scared of the ocean and that I had no interest with it whatsoever. I didn't even know how to swim! To this day, it still amazes me and everyone else that I actually had the courage enough to be on this study abroad experience. I met so many people from all over the nation and learned our differences and similarities. Although, the world fits so many people, I have learned that the world is not so big after all. Everyone including the leaders have taught me how to swim and how to overcome my fears of the big ocean and amazing marine life down below. Everyone on the trip was very nice and humble enough to make sure that I was safe and having fun. One of my favorite memories was my first time kayaking on the Atlantic Ocean while collecting plankton samples for the lab we had later on that day. I remember kayaking so hard and strenuous and being confused as to why I was so slow compared to everyone else, until someone pointed out that I was the only kayak that had a net tied to the back collecting plankton samples. I really thought I just had weak arms, but now I know the cause of my lack of speed, I immediately thought I was so cool. This trip has taught me that the ocean is not our trash can and we as citizens of the Earth should prevent plastic pollution from going into the waters where it can eventually and potentially kill life. I have brought all my skills in Portugal and brought it back home in California to apply to my lifestyle and educate others about ocean conservation + sustainability. Future participants should know that this trip was always "on the go" and that we were always surrounded by nature. Backpacking is often placed in the schedule, so be sure to be smart with what you bring in your backpack during the days when you do go backpacking! More importantly, always drink water and sunscreen. ALWAYS!

CIEE is a wonderful program that works hard to make sure every participant feels satisfied with their experience and become true global navigators. The staff members were as eager and excited as the students and CIEE did a really good job of matching students with their home families. I personally fell in love with my home stay family and I plan to visit frequently in the future. In addition, I made amazing friends that live throughout the United States and we are in contact till this day. CIEE not only makes sure that it's participants feel safe and comfortable throughout their trip, but they also make sure participants experience a diverse set of activities, all which help them understand the culture of Chile. My experience was amazing and I felt like I was part of a new family.

This program brought some of the best weeks of my life.
I was deeply well prepared by an educational program CIEE has you take before attending the program and got to know the people in my group really well.
There was a great balance between volunteer work time, tourist activities, and social time planned for each us all.
My host family was very kind, the maid always helped clean our rooms so that made life 10X better, and we always had breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared it was always beyond delicious.
We would usually spend the morning in service, and then do something related to tourism or exploring the area in the afternoon, or take Spanish classes.
We went to a local school to play sports with kids, and really just have fun with them. It was really interesting to see differences in countries with the school system.
The best part of the trip was the three - day excursion where we went to kind of a resort like area and we had our own cabin rooms that were super beautiful. We had little waterfall pools by us all and there were horses everywhere! We got to go hiking, and see an area that Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed at. We got to help plant trees and chill at the beautiful beach. I remember going to places with little mini tiki huts, and hammocks, it was absolutely beautiful.
The trip was so fun, helping the kids out and playing with them was beyond an adventure, and I remember how I learned so much more about the world just by being in a different country. It was an absolute gift and an experience I'll never forget.
If you're looking to volunteer, grow, learn more about the world, life, and meet incredible people looking for more experiences, I 10/10 reccomend.
This was an amazing experience in my life that I am beyond grateful for, and I hope that you get to experience this too.
Post program, I was more driven to travel in the future because I now know how beautiful, fun, and fulfilling it can be. I now value a lot of things that are in the US that many countries don't have like AC in most buildings, and clean drinking water.
Some useful tips if you decide to go
1) Don't come in with expectations and be prepared for a whole different way of living
2) Sometimes the showers only have cold water
3) Their are A LOT of bugs in Santo Domingo
4) Be prepared to be around people a lot and try your best to socialize to have a fuller experience
5) If you try everything, you won't regret it! You have to get out of your comfort zone or else you're not going to be truly happy
6) Things on this trip WILL NOT GO perfect. If you complain, you'll only make it worse. If you accept it, and do what you can about the situation than life will be 10X better for you
7) Allow yourself to have more fun on this trip!!

This was a delightful summer to grow and improve my knowledge in Leadership. All lessons were led by professional lecturers and there was a lot of practical tasks. For example, we had to work with Portland baseball team, analyze their image and make suggestions to improve the game experience. There was enough support provided to ensure quality work and fun experience. The facilities were amazing with locally cooked buffet meals, gym, beautiful Maine scenery. Overall, it was one of the best summers I had had.

During my time in Santiago, Dominican Republic was AMAZING. I grew so much from there, not only did the children I mentored learned something from me but I always learned something from them. I took what I learned and applied it to my everyday life. Having GREAT program leaders also contributed to my trip, there was never a dull moment while with then and I felt quite comfortable with them and the people who travel with me were great, I still keep in contact with them and soon will visit them. While study Abroad, I got the chance to volunteer, learn about the culture and language, interact with the citizen and travel on excursions! One of the best parts that made feel right at home was staying with an host family, scared right? The total opposite, my host family was so welcoming I felt right at home, we cooked together, watched tv togther, and ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner togther, which gave me the tile to get to know them! I don’t think I would ever chose a difference program other than CIEE to travel abroad with, I felt really safe and the experience was GREAT!