CIEE Global Navigator

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.

Spending my time immersing myself in the Germany culture and language was definitely not my go-to option as to how I wanted to spend my summer. I wanted to go to the more "popular" European countries, the ones that are romanticized like Italy, France, England, or Greece. However, the one month I spent there was one of the best months I've ever spent anywhere. The people I've met through this program from the teachers to my host family to the friends I've made on this trip have been some of the most supportive people I know. I've always been a travel person, wanting to one day travel the world and going to Germany made me want to solidify that goal so much more. I fell in love with the German culture and language and would definitely recommend this program. Whether you just want to immerse yourself in a different culture, find a different setting to clear your mind or gain some experience under your belt, it's worth it.

My time abroad in Toulouse was the most life-changing experience. This program allowed me to grow as a person and also helped me better my French language comprehending and communication skills. Besides that, I was able to fully immerse myself in the French culture that I don't get to experience just from a classroom. CIEE does a great job planning activities that help the exchange students immerse themselves in the culture through the "Into the Community", activity is done to help students communicate and ask questions to locals. Although I got a wrong host family placement information until the day before my flight, I am very thankful that I was placed with an amazing family. They were kind and welcoming. They showed me a couple of French medieval cities, which is a great opportunity for me to even learn more about France.