AIFS Abroad

AIFS Abroad Reviews

Alex
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Overall good experience

Enjoyed the work placement. Did lots of cool work. They placed me in an office that suited me and the people there were very welcoming. Heard from others that they too enjoyed their roles so think they do a good job here. GE staff were helpful for those who have not travelled abroad before. Do not think the mandatory sessions should be required. I felt there was not a huge amount of information on the city we were in and more on general tips and advice. This could have been covered in a web seminar rather than needing to meet in person. The events they ran were cool and would recommend to others. Housing could be better. The heating was on in the middle of summer even though we were in a heatwave. Beyond that overall a good experience for me.

Marina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience of my life

This was hands down the BEST decision I’ve ever made in my life. I grew in so many ways, not just professionally. My career placement pushed me to become stronger in my field and a better communicator. Going overseas forced me to open my mind and learn to go with the flow, appreciate the small things and other cultures. I learned so much about myself in these short two months and made so many beautiful friendships that will last me a life time. I will be recommending this program to absolutely everyone because it was truly life changing. It is so much more than just an internship.
The placement for the internship (for me at least) was exactly what I needed. I learned the basic skills to excel in my field. Not only that, but I created great relationships with my coworkers that will be great bridges for the future.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve-racking moment was the moment I arrived in Spain and had to figure out how to find my home. We got into a taxi and I was accidentally dropped off 5 blocks away from my apartment. I was terrified because I wasn’t familiar with my surroundings nor the culture or the people. AND no connection because I hadn’t bought a SIM card yet. Thankfully, I knew some spanish and was able to find a kind woman who walked me all the way to my housing! A random kind stranger, she was a mother and she said that she knew if her daughter was stranded in another country not knowing how to get home, she would be so thankful if someone helped her.
Jonathan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

London: Fashion PR Summer Internship

Hi Everyone,
Anyone how is interested in interning abroad should definitely try and take the chance to, Interning in London this summer 2019 was definitely a time to remember. I honestly have enjoyed every moment of this program from my internship placement to the activities and everything there is to see and do in London, within 8 weeks of staying London I got to meet so many people and make new professional and social connections. One of the biggest things that made this experience memorable is the sense of community, you instantly make friends and the GE liaisons are more like friends and family members than they are staff. If you are having second thoughts about GE and interning abroad I would put those at ease with saying it is worth it.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come prepared, bring money if you like to spend, and also learn to say yes to new things experiences and people.
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience

Carmen is absolutely amazing. She is a cheerleader for our success and sh ehelps you to find a solution to any problem you have. Jose is just as wonderful, is funny, and fashionable.

My experience with my internship was amazing and I couldn't have asked for a better placement. I have gained skills related to my field of work, but didn't study in School, and combined my talents with these new skills. It has given me knowledge and skills I can add to my resume and expands my job opportunities. I definitely am going to miss working at my Internship.

Without the GE staff on site, and my amazing Coworkers and Internship placement I wouldn't have enjoyed my time here nearly as much as I did, nor would I have grown as an individual. London is what you make of it, but it always helps to have an amazing support network and friendly and caring humans surrounding you.

London is definitely expensive to live, and so is travelling. But I highly recommend this trip. I have grown both personally and professionally. AirConn doesn't exist in Europe for the most part, and we had a massive heat wave.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
AirConn doesn't exist in Europe for the most part, and we had a massive heat wave. Even when it gets above 80 it can be unbearably hot especially when taking the Tube. So be prepared to live with windows open and invest in a fan, etc.

I also definitely recommend skipping the bars and pubs/ eating out every night as this is a major expense and you can get really good food at the local grocery for much cheaper.

I also recommend sightseeing as there is so much to see in London. There is usually one night a week that museums and such are open later, so you should also utilise the time after work to see as much as you can.


Marianne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Amazing Summer!

I had the best summer in London with Global Experience! My work placement was a really good fit for me. I got to learn about web programming with experienced people who really cared about my learning experience. As a software engineering student, it was a good way to learn about an actual company in my field. Interning with GE also allowed me to discover the city with the eyes of a local. The housing was located in the center of the city, and there is always someone to suggest new activities and places to discover. The activities planned with GE takes you to must see spots in the city and lets you explore places outside of the city. Without GE, I would never have though of doing all of these activities. The weekends are also great opportunities to get out of your host city and explore other cities and even countries. Working and travelling makes this experience abroad amazing and it's such a huge growing opportunity on every level! 10/10 Recommend :)

What would you improve about this program?
Although my work placement was great, I know people who did not have this chance. If you decide to intern with GE, make sure that you are 100% sure that you like the placement that you accept. You are paying for this, you are allowed to demand for what is right for you!
Chloe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

London Business Internship

My placement with Global Experiences couldn't have been better and more relevant to my interests. I ended up learning a ton of new skills and also made great friends within my office. Carmen and the rest of the GE staff did a great job at making sure everyone had the necessary resources. I felt supported the whole time and appreciated all the events they organized, despite not being able to attend several. Leading up to my departure, I will admit that I along with many others had a little bit of stress regarding our Visa arriving on time and or some confusion regarding the process despite me applying and being accepted quite early. Due to this, I think if you are interested in this program you would be better off committing to it sooner rather than later. Overall, I would recommend to anyone looking to try out working abroad!

Riley
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fun and meaningful experience

I really liked interning with Global Experiences. I had a really great internship 5 minutes away from our accommodation that gave me great experience for applying to jobs in the future. I got the chance to do some traveling on the weekends though it was very tiring to do so. I really liked the people that worked for GE especially Carmen she was a light whenever I saw her and everyone really loved her. Would definitely recommend this experience. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the price. Being here it seems as if you could do this for less money. Overall though it was a good experience being here and interning with my company. It will be something that will look really good on my resume while I apply to jobs in the future which is important.

What would you improve about this program?
I felt like getting a visa was a waste of time and money I heard of people who did it without a visa who seemed to be just fine.
Kaylyn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I love London!

London is amazing. I came here for the first time in 2016 and I cant stop visiting. I decided to do an 8 week internship so that I could stay here longer and also get work experience and its one of the best decisions ive made. There is so much to do in London and its so easy to travel to other places as well! I would recommend this program because of the support you get from GE. It would have been so hard coming here alone with no friends or help but my location coordinator Carmen was so much fun and helped everyone meet each other in the group. We had a really fun first orientation and we bonded a lot while getting drinks. Thats how I got to meet all these amazing and fun people to go out with! Its comforting having 24/7 support in London if you need it either with friends or with the company support staff. Everyone is so friendly and loves to travel. I loved my group and I got to do so many exciting things with them all!

What would you improve about this program?
The only thing I found hard was the Visa process. I wish the slide shows were updated because sometimes it was hard to follow along. I wish there would have been a step by step video of how to do it all.
Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing staff!

I had the best summer ever in the Dublin, Ireland global experiences program. The staff was amazing! They helped me with my internship by improving my resume and cover letter, giving me a Clinton strengths assessment, and interview prep. They also prepared me for my time abroad by having a pre departure phone call that went over everything I should expect, internship tips, how to get a phone there, how to figure out transportations, then set me up with insurance, and showed me how to cope with a new cultural environment. The staff helped me meet people in the program too by coordinating tons of social events, so don’t be nervous if you don’t know anyone before you get there, I didn’t and made a lot of friends. The staff is constantly making sure everything is going well with your internship and that your satisfied with the program. After two weeks into my internship I had a phone call with a staff member that made sure I was happy with my internship. Halfway into my internship I had another staff member meet with me and my supervisor to talk about all that I had learned and what my internship responsibilities were. Overall I had such a great time this summer and highly recommend the global experiences program.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take advantage of your time abroad by traveling to other countries as much as you can on weekends. Try to also really immerse yourself in these new cultural environments so you can expand your perspective by talking to people and studying local history.
Matthew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Global Experiences reigns supreme

I loved my summer in London with Global Experiences. From the very first day I knew that it was going to be an amazing time and I was right. Everyone from the staff to the friends made it such a wonderful time that it almost doesn't even feel like it was 8 weeks long. The summer went by so fast because London never stops and neither do you if you take full advantage of everything London has to offer. My intern placement was at a start up in the finance industry and it really opened my eyes to all the other areas of the industry I could go into than what I had previously thought was possible. It really set me up with a solid base in the field and they were very supportive in helping me grow and learn. Global Experiences is by far the best program I could have taken to make this Summer unforgettable!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take every opportunity that you have to try something new.