AIFS Abroad Reviews

Dublin is fantastic and I had an enjoyable time that I wouldn't change for anything. I loved the day to day ability of commute and going from one museum to another between work and play. I would not have changed this internship for anything.

I highly recommend Global Experiences to further not only your career but also personal growth. I have meet some fantastic people along this journey and seen beautiful locations in my free time. My internship was a lot of fun and my boss was very professional and made sure I felt comfortable. I was really appreciative that I was given the opportunity to work hand in hand with the designer and even contribute to the designs. I was able to participate much more than I thought I would. The best thing I have ever done!!

This semester surpassed any expectation I could have set for myself. My host family was wonderful and extremely accomodating, especially when I got sick twice. I found the staff extremely helpful and always there as well. Having an intercambio also helped assimilate myself into the culture a little more- so thank you for setting that up. Barcelona is a great city and I´m glad I got to experience what it has to offer.

I had no idea just how memorable my time would be in Barcelona. AIFS was so helpful-anything from help with places to eat, day trips, travel tips, and just being there when we were overwhelmed. The day trips were great and an easy way to see local attractions that some programs do not include. These activities also helped you create a ¨home base¨with the other students in the program.

I was very uneasy about coming abroad but everything went so much better than I expected. My day to day was filled with new activities and although I was in school it was still very fulfilling. I missed some things at home after some time but the program was very well constructed and made everything accessible and enjoyable.

AIFS has been wonderful! I have made so many new friendships and was able to explore Europe in just three short months. I wish I could study abroad here again next spring! The part i enjoyed most about studying in Barcelona was exploring the city and all Barcelona has to offer! Aifs in Barcelona is the BEST program and it´s going to be sad leaving this place that I can now call my second home.

Life in Barcelona was like a dream looking back, a dream that i shall never forget! I loved everything about the experience, from the culture, cuisine, and people, to the central location of the Barcelona airport which allowed for extensive travel throughout Europe. I came to Barcelona looking for something, what that something was I didn´t know, yet here in Barcelona, I found that special something I´d been searching for all along. A little part of myself that I had lost over the years I managed to find here in Barcelona. After battling with depression for two years, it´s safe to say that I consider myself mentally stable at last, and I have this experience to thank for potentially saving my life. Through this experience, my zest and appreciation for the beauty of life has been reinvigorated in a whole new way, one which I struggled to find back at home in the United States. My whole perspective on life has shifted as a result of this experience, and I daresay that I am a new, refined, mature version of myself. I´ll never forget my time here in Barcelona, for what I was looking for was inside of me all along, and now, I see.

My experience in Barcelona was incredible. The AIFS program directors, Inma and Jenn, went above and beyond the entire time that we were there to make us feel comfortable, safe, and welcome. I could not have asked for better staff to approach with questions, concerns, and problems.
I chose to live with a host family for the semester. It was an experience that required patients, understanding, and an open mind. Overall, my experience with living in a host family was great. I developed a wonderful relationship with my host mom and became very comfortable in a new enviroment.
My biggest concern and worry before coming to Barcelona were finances and food. The food took some getting used to and required me to realize that speaking up and letting my host mom know that I did not like it was the only way to keep from having it again. All in all, the food in my host stay has been ok and nothing that I could not deal with.
Finances should not have caused me to lose a wink of sleep before leaving the USA, as once you meet others in your group you quickly find those that are on a budget similiar to your own and one way or another you make things work.

I would definitely reccomend traveling abroad in Barcelona. The locals are overall extremely nice, and there is plenty of opportunity to practice the language. However, it is not necessary to know Spanish very well. The social scene in Barcelona is unlike anything that I have experienced, and there is always something to do any night of the week. The academics here are not challenging compared to in the United States, which is nice because it gives plenty of opporunity to see the city and travel a lot. I found that the biggest challenge I faced in day to day life is getting used to doing simple things such as going to the pharmacy or doctor. These tasks may be easy in the US, but here they seem like a whole other challenge. My biggest advice is to not be scared to put yourself out there. Be proud of who you are, people will be nice to you and help you if you are nice to them. A smile is universal.

I really enjoyed the AIFS program. They were really helpful whenever I needed help with something or needed information. I loved the trips they offered and Barcelona was an amazing experience. I wouldn´t have chosen any other city to go to.