Program Reviews

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.

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!

I’d never been outside of North America, therefore entering China was a 7,144 mile step out of my comfort zone. Through the organisation CIEE, I was able to embark on this eye opening journey across the globe. It had been a feature of my bucket list to volunteer abroad, but it seemed like a goal I’d fulfill when I was past thirty! Fortunately, a poster in front of my classroom convinced me that perhaps it wasn’t that far off. As soon as I noticed the Global Navigators Scholarship, I realized it was possible; it elicited the turmoil of dread and excitement I have experienced far too little in my lifetime. The trip itself was incredible and seemingly impossible to describe, as is with most life changing events. Overall, China is incredible, but it became more so with the support of CIEE staff and my wonderful peers; there’s nothing like traveling with purpose, especially to a country as enriching as China! During this trip, I experienced an epiphany that I still remember to this day: countries that have ancient roots are very similar to each other, no matter their location. As someone who visits family in Mexico City often, my visit to Beijing produced a peculiar sense of familiarity I’d believed to be impossible due to the massive cultural differences. The structure of cities, some customs, the ratio of rural to urban areas, etc. were all reminiscent of a shared past. It was a life changing revelation for me to realize that humans are not as different as one might think. Not to mention the food is great in both places; If you’re attending this trip, please try some tofu! I’m a vegetarian, and the tofu in China is a blessing from the Veggie Gods— you can’t get anything like it in the United States. Food recommendations aside, enjoy your time there, for not many get the opportunity to immerse themselves in a beautiful culture such as China.

Participating in CIEE HS Abroad was my first time ever out of the country, on an airplane, and traveling alone. I put 100% of my trust into a program had I just learned about and I have no regrets or complaints. Everything about the program from applying, to the online course, the unexpected yet expected emails, and to finally the trip itself plus all of the preparation leading up to it. It will always be a trip I will always vividly remember because of the staff, the program itself, and the unforgettable eyeopening and learning experience it gave me. I'll always reminisce the short three weeks and will always be grateful for the experience!