CIEE Reviews

South Africa is an insanely beautiful country with so much to offer and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to live here for 5 months. Besides the interesting and engaging courses that the University of Cape Town offers, there are so many activities in and around Cape Town that make everyday something to look forward to. The cool hikes, beautiful beaches, great food, fun nightlife, and the amazing people I have met have all made this trip an unforgettable one. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone!

Everyone travels to European cultures when studying abroad, but in doing so they stay in their comfort zone and miss out on a eye opening experience in a cultural oasis. Being in such a different part of the world shows you new perspectives on all things in life and also teaches you more about where you come from. Cape Town has a bit of everything for everyone, Night life, beaches, mountians, amazing food, and best of all its affordable and won’t leave you totally broke when you leave. The people are so nice and even though Cape Town gets a bad rep for its crime it’s really no different then living in any major city in the US. Housing is 10/10 better then in the states and school is a little different but very doable and easy to maintain while also just having a blast exploring Cape Town. You will not regret coming here for even a second we all have friends that went to Europe and wish they came here instead. Just send it and go to Cape Town and you can thank me later it is such a underrated place it has the best of everything and is like living in a dream for four months; so much so a lot of people end up moving here and never going back to the states. You can thank me later! Go to Cape Town!

I've always dreamed of living abroad. My university had canceled all of its study-abroad programs due to COVID, so the only way for me to study abroad would be through an external program. I am extremely grateful to the CIEE for giving me this opportunity. The staff was extremely helpful and accessible. The courses that I took really stood out to me. I was able to take several courses on art and photography, and in these courses, my instructors made a point to expose us to the many museums and galleries London has to offer. I was able to have incredible cultural exposure just by going to class every day. The CIEE also made a point to organize many fun events to show us around London and expose us to different cities in the UK.

I had a bit of a difficult transition to London. My arrival was delayed due to COVID, and that made the new adjustment a challenge. I did not click with my roommates the way they all had and I felt very isolated for the first month or two. I found it incredibly difficult to make friends. The CIEE staff encouraged me to go to their events with students from other programs and helped me get in touch with mental health professionals, but I feel that many of the issues I was having were enhanced by the housing situation. The apartment they put us in was very nice, but I had no space for myself and was constantly forced to deal with the difficult roommate situation. The lack of individual rooms also became a problem when we contracted COVID and had to be moved in order to isolate.

Luckily, London is a great city to meet new people. Through the experiences that I had in London, I have become considerably more confident and independent. I learned to get out of my comfort zone and dive into new things and in doing so, I have made so many great friends. After the initially difficult adjustment, I am happy to say that my time in London has been amazing and I'm so grateful for these experiences. Through rail travel and cheap flights, it's a great place to be in to explore Europe. There is so much to do in London that you could never leave and still have an amazing time.

Words can’t describe how awesome this program was. During my adventure I learned how to say hello, thank you and goodbye in 5 languages. I saw so many cool historical and natural sites that I got tired of them. I got to really close with my host family, experienced real Spanish traditions, and we still stay in contact. I spent time volunteering at a middle school and improved my Spanish from beginner to intermediate. I had classes with all kinds of international kids who had experiences all over the world. I learned and reflected about how culture affects the way we learn and look at the world. Best of all, I overcame a lot of my personal fears and gained a new level of confidence and intercultural competence that has changed my life.

Before beginning my virtual internship through CIEE, I was a little apprehensive. I had no experience working in the field, I'd never worked online before, and I didn't speak the language of the country where the company was based. Although nerve-wracking at first, I'm so happy I took the plunge. I've learned so many new skills, worked with people from all over the world, and gotten a look into what sustainability jobs might entail. Every day has been different, so I've had a taste of many different roles. If I could, I would 100% do it again!

I picked this because I'm a comm major w/interest in journalism, and because of the urban setting and CIEE's varied extracurricular activities.

Staff and faculty are smart, caring people. Any help I needed could be found on the top floor of study center. They are open about safety, resources, etc. and they hold students to a high standard of using common sense. The response to COVID was calm, informed, and measured.

Students cared about their Spanish skills and immersion. The day trips are great, but the more frequent tours and activities throughout the week are awesome ways to meet more faculty, a super easy way to get to know the city and the social calendar as well as other students from CIEE's many programs. About half of my classes were fairly easy, the other half were more serious/high level work. All the classes had less reading required than at my home university. Magazine class focused on storytelling and Profe Oscar Ceballos cares passionately about the craft. My Cursos Concertados flamenco class was fantastic. The classes available to you are in the study center for the CNMJ, Nervion for business, Triana for a few more, like my dance class. The classes do not necessarily help you get out into the community in an interactive and deep way, that is more up to you to figure out how to build connections with vendors or citizens when you visit the market or the women's march with class. I expected it to push me more/harder to do that. Regardless, the opportunities are there!

Homestays are great, and for the CNMJ program their location is in La Alameda or La Macarena, home to a lively artist community and close to the river and Calle Feria, and closer to the study center than the other neighborhoods, so it is arguably the best homestay neighborhood CIEE has in Seville.
I loved walking everywhere, smelling the orange blossoms, and riding a bike, as well as weekend independent travel. I had a little trouble connecting with my homestay (only 8 weeks though cuz COVID) but we got along well. I was with another student and she interacted very little with me. CIEE's weekly activities and their first month-ish social helped add variety and meet new people.

Studying abroad with CIEE Rio has been by far the best decision I have ever made. Nothing can compare to the delicious Brazilian food my wonderful host mother Jussara would cook for me everyday. The moment I stepped into the Brazilian soil I knew my life was going to change forever. The teachers were incredible and super attentive, it really helped that the program consisted of just 10 people because we were all able to get really close with the teachers and staff. I never felt in danger and I always knew that if by any chance I needed help I knew I could count on the wonderful staff. I am extremely thankful to have gotten this opportunity and if there ever comes a time where you have the opportunity to choose between Rio and literally anywhere else always choose Rio, you will not regret it.

I truly enjoyed the online global experience, although I was really looking forward to the actual event. I appreciate the experience afforded to me by the Frederick Douglass Summer Scholar program through CIEE. Although online, the opportunity to interact with other scholars from various locations, as well as the professor was most enjoyable. I also enjoyed the weekly drop in sessions and other activities made available. I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in the opportunity. Try it!

I absolutely loved this program and I would highly recommend it to anyone. The sheer amount of biological diversity that you get to witness and learn about firsthand is unprecedented. The first two weeks you get to go on a field trip all along the pacific coast of Costa Rica and learn about every type of ecosystem that exists. In Corcovado, you wake up to the calls of howler monkeys and Scarlet Macaws out in search of breakfast. The campsite is absolutely beautiful- I would call is glamping because there is a private beach and bar at the place we stay (its called Jungla de Jaguar if you wanna check it out). Here we saw lizards, sloths, toucans, spiders, and someone even had a very up close encounter with a tapir! In Santa Rosa- my personal favorite place, we saw three different species of monkeys on the walk to breakfast alone. We also frequently saw Tamanduas, agoutis, parrots, snakes, frogs, etc. Definitely bring your camera. The teaching staff and TAs are the best people I have ever met in my life, and they will become your best friends. They know the answer to any question you could have, and are the friendliest people in the world. If you love the outdoors, and waking up in paradise, and making amazing friends, 100% do this program!

I had so much fun during my semester abroad in Barcelona! I was able to take courses that met requirements for my majors; I took one of them at ESCI, a host institution, and the other 4 at CIEE. Barcelona has so many things to offer - I found something new each day that I explored around, and I never had a chance to be bored. When studying abroad, you also have the chance to travel A LOT. I'm glad I made the most of my time there and visited a bunch of other cities and countries! CIEE also offered some cool excursions, and I met a bunch of students from around the world. I'm very happy I had this opportunity and am already planning my trip back there!