CIEE

My time in Madrid with CIEE was absolutely incredible! I had a full immersion experience, taking classes at the local university (UC3M Getafe) and living with a great host family. CIEE offers many options in terms of studies, housing accommodations, and activities. They also held weekly events to visit new spots in Madrid. Some of my favorite include a cooking class, a trip to an art and history exhibit at Circulo de Bellas Artes, watching the sunset at Templo de Debod, and a Flamenco class. They really touch on every "Madrilena" experience I wanted to get. I truly believe CIEE allowed me to have the freedom I needed to grow independently as well as the support I needed to feel safe while miles away from home. I could not recommend CIEE enough and would love to answer any specific questions anyone has before choosing a program.

This was my first time abroad and this program exceeded my expectations. The CIEE Paris staff is amazing and friendly. They love to get to know the students, and they are always around for questions. The professors really know their subjects and are always there to help students understand and learn more. Classes are longer than in the United States but not too long considering the classes are only six weeks long. The classes are taught English except for the French language classes. The language professors are patient and understanding but also strict enough that English isn't spoken during class. Most classes have some field trips which definitely help enhance the learning experience. My french history class went to the Pantheon which was really neat. I saw where Voltaire and Pierre and Marie Curie are buried. The study tours for were a big part of my experience because I used to be afraid to travel alone and with the study tour the whole program goes generally. The study tours were an opportunity to learn, and meet people in my program, and create some fun memories, from visiting a soccer stadium in Marseilles, to a chocolate museum in Belgium, to Omaha beach in Normandy. I made some friends that will last a lifetime, learned somethings I will never forget, and became more independent and even stopped being afraid to travel alone. It was overall an awesome experience and I definitely plan on coming back.

Amsterdam is such an amazing city and I am so glad I came on this CIEE program this semester. CIEE staff was very helpful and supportive throughout my time in Amsterdam. They also planned fun and interesting excisions for us throughout the semester. For my semester in Amsterdam, I chose to live with a host family. Living with a host family allowed me to learn so much about Dutch culture and feel more comfortable during my time here. I was able to travel around Europe and throughout the Netherlands. These past four months have helped me learn so much about myself and the world around me. I have experienced so many amazing thing and seen so many beautiful places. I have made friends and memories to last a lifetime. While I am sad that the semester is coming to a close, I know that this will not be my last time in this city that I now feel so connected to.

Berlin is a great city to study in. When comparing places, it won't wow you with beautiful tourist attractions (although those are in Berlin too) but it is a very dynamic city where there is always new stuff going on. I would feel bad when I saw people visiting for the weekend because it's a city that can't be captured in a weekend. In terms of making the transition, I would definitely recommend going in the fall when the weather is still nice, because around November it gets gloomy, cold, and dark very early. So in January and February it would make it tougher to get out and explore, and might make the transition tougher. CIEE is a very solid program to study with. They care a lot about the students and make a large effort to get there students out into the city and community with class excursions and several weekly optional excursions

CIEE gave me a support system that many people here did not have. Yonsei does not have good support for international students, so CIEE was a huge help to me whenever I needed help with something (like going to the doctor), and they were always willing to help. It is pricey, but it is worth it in the number of excursions that they organize for you. I was able to go to Busan and stay in a nice hotel with CIEE, all included in the cost. This was especially great because we went during the Busan International Film Festival, and I was able to see a movie there! They also pair you with a Korean student, called a Seoulmate, and they take you on activities as well. My study abroad experience would not have been the same if I had not gone with CIEE. I recommend it to anyone looking to go to Seoul.