I had my doubts when sending my teenage son to another country but I have to say that CIEE exceeded by far my expectations. The communication with the coordinators was wonderful and they guide me trough every step of the way. The chaperones made me feel immediately comfortable and I was able to live my son's experience by reading and seeing the pictures they were posting on the blog.

My son couldn't be happier with his host family, the food, excursions and the culture in general. Seriously, CIEE thought of everything to make his trip a great experience.

His Italian improved greatly, he made tons of friends, was introduced to new variety of foods and I, myself made friends with the hosting family and can't wait to meet them in person.

I would strongly recommend studying abroad with CIEE.

My program in Valparaíso, Chile, recently ended and I am returning to the United States where I live (unfortunately). First of all, let me say that this program is absolutely amazing, but it still has its pros and cons. When I began my journey, I received nothing less than support from on-site staff, program leaders, and language teachers. I do not recall any bad experience with them and I will miss them as much as I will miss the destination itself. They were all very nice, respectful, and helpful. My host family and host sibling placement was amazing. I got along well with them and the only problem I had was with the bathroom in the house breaking and a slight invasion of ants into the hallway (which is out of control of anyone). The activities in this program are almost always enjoyable. There is a lot of walking, and viewing street art and museums, which can be boring if you aren't into that. The larger weekend trips (one of which was overnight) were amazing. One problem with being so busy is just how tired you will get. The projects and journals for class are also required and very time consuming. You must be prepared to be going and doing all the time, and you will have fun on this trip!

The program I attended was a massively beneficial experience. The program leaders were always there to check up on me and my peers, making sure everybody was well and good. The support was staggering, there was so much. The experience was so enriching, the excursions were so fun, and the food so good. CIEE is genuinely concerned for their participants and that shows through their constant questions and check ups on their students. The program was great and so enriching and life-changing.

To be completely honest, I was very scared and nervous going into this trip. I didn't know what to expect at all! My first week transitioning was a little hard because everyone was a little scared of opening up to all of these strangers. By the second week, however, I realized that I had been with the most amazing people who share a common interest with me and I became great friends with all of them to this day. The leaders of the trip were so nice and helpful throughout the entire trip but knew when to be strict with us for our safety. Living in Portugal for three weeks was an experience I will never forget. The culture and history was absolutely amazing (as well as eye opening to all of the differences between two countries) and the beautiful streets, buildings, and nature was the cherry on top. Every day there were activities on the itinerary as well as an hour or so of leisure time where you can roam around anywhere you want with a couple of buddies. That was probably the highlight of the trip since you can truly get firsthand experience with the country. Not to mention I learned so much about aquatic ecosystems and sustainability while on this trip that carried into my following years of education. I will always remember this trip and I will always recommend CIEE to anyone planning on studying 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!