Studying abroad in London opened my eyes to the world. It helped me engage with people I would have never expected to have the opportunity to meet. This experience was one that helped me learn more about myself as an individual but also pay close attention to how I am similar to those around me and those who are not around me. It taught me more about hardships that others face and the limitations I unintentionally put on myself.
Studying in London allowed me to broaden my horizon, I would have never in a million years vision myself walking the street of the United Kingdom and for a month I did just that and more. I visited Northern Ireland, and woke up one morning in Paris as a dream come true! Trust yourself enough to accept the risk of growth. Sometimes we hate the feeling of being uncomfortable but it’s a sign of growth!
What would you improve about this program?
Nothing, Honestly the program had so many excursions, I learned something new literally everyday.
This program was the perfect fit for me - it was a great mix of classroom and real-world learning. I got to take classes in Russian during school hours, then got to practice while visiting all the sights in the city! The option for staying with a host family was also an amazing experience because I got to have a closer connection to a Russian family and use more practical Russian. If you are hoping to learn Russian in any capacity, definitely use this program! In my Summer 2019 group, there were students from many years of Russian under their belt to people who had never taken a single class. We all got an amazing education in those short 8 weeks and all learned a lot! The CIEE staff were also amazing to work with. It was my first time traveling and they all made me feel very comfortable and safe!
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take advantage of all the time you have there. Go see the museums that lots of tourists go to, but also visit other ones that not many people know about. Chances are your funny and unique stories will be about the places not many people visit. Also, go outside your comfort zone! You never know if something will lead to the best day of your life!
The tropical ecology and conservation program with CIEE left a significant impact on my life. It challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally in the best way possible, and I have grown a great deal because of it. The field trips to national parks opened my eyes to the natural wonders of Costa Rica and the independent project in the natural setting allowed me to exercise scientific critical thinking skills in a fully immersed tropical classroom. This all-encompassing program exposes students in the tropics while enriching our knowledge of another culture and helping us polish our Spanish skills. The staff members go above and beyond and truly make the group feel like family in a short two months. This was an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
What would you improve about this program?
The organization of academics could have been better, as most of the course work seemed rushed into the second half of the program. It would have been wonderful to end the experience with a short 2-3 day field trip after completing all the courses.
Want to to go to a place where everything looks like a movie? Amsterdam is the place , if that's not already intriguing then listen to why Amsterdam may want to be the next place on your list . Amsterdam is known for it's beautiful tulips along with their canals found all over the city , along with flowers and architecture you will be amazed in learning the transportation services in The Netherlands . The Dutch are HUGE on biking so a lot of the time you will deal with bikers instead of cars , as there are many different things you may not be used to in your home country there's no need to fear on being different because this country is known for their acceptance of all people . Whether you like to go out for a night in the city , or sit at a canal and relax peacefully what ever you are into I can almost guarantee you will feel at home in Amsterdam , if you are considering studying abroad , don't consider it any more , just do it.
What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment abroad would have to be the countless times locals spoke to me in Dutch thinking I was Dutch , it was always a laugh after explaining how I don't speak Dutch. Many people were shocked and a little embarrassed so we used humor to lighten up the mood , it isn't offensive at all to me because if anything it makes me feel more at home and I have more of a connection to fitting in.
This program really gave me an appreciation for Tropical Ecosystems that you can't get from documentaries or books. It was amazing to experience the plethora of tropical habitats that Costa Rica has to offer, from the highland paramo to tropical coral reefs. This program really covers a wide range of subjects in biology and conservation, and I defiantly feel like a better biologist/ecologist by having this experience. The independent research was interesting and will probably do wonders for my future as a scientist. Besides the academic side I also had a great time exploring the forest and the Monteverde area, and did all the big things in the area: such as seeing quetzals and ziplining. Though I do not have good Spanish at all, I really enjoyed the homestay and felt I got a feel for Costa Rican life
What was your funniest moment?
I fell out of a hammock, but only after fighting with it for minutes.
I really loved the program for my chance to get out of my small interconnected school and really see the world. Overtime in South Korea I sincerly developed a love for the nature and experience of being abroad and it wasn't significantly uncomfortable for me to be a minority. Of course, in the beginning I took longer on tasks than I would have in the states but it didn't take long for me to adapt and speed up my ability to function in a completely different society. One of my favorite things to do is identify all the unique plant and wildlife present. Its a lot more intriguing than reading from a textbook and its a unique experience for myself to actually get to see the material I'm learning about. Overall the experience was priceless and I can not wait to travel back!
What would you improve about this program?
Cohesiveness with Host University is the only distinct issue I can find that really caused a slow down on the whole process.
loved CIEE. the staff was so kind and friendly I felt so connected to everyone i met. The trips were once in a lifetime, Moroccan has so many amazing cities its almost impossible to see them all in one trip. CIEE staff made sure that we got to see almost all we wanted and were willing to help plan whatever voyage we wanted to take. You can tell that the staffers treated us like family and were super helpful all across the board. Even our teachers were extremely kind and i loved learning in this environment. I hope to one day return to Morocco, as I know I would receive a warm welcome here by the members of CIEE. Through good food, lasting memories, and amazing views, my time in Morocco will never be forgotten, and I have no one to thank but CIEE.
What would you improve about this program?
more communication on itinerary and what to expect
This summer I went abroad to study Community Public Health in Gaborone, Botswana. I was never about studying abroad because this was going to be my first time outside of the US ever. I decided to try to challenge myself in every way I could think of so I would get the most out of my experience, thus I stayed with a host family to immerse myself deeper into the culture. The first week of orientation made it very clear that I was going to have a great time in Botswana. The workshops about adjusting, the fun we had with excursions, and the host culture reassured me that it was a great idea to study abroad. The study portion was great as well, in addition to all the fun, our professors were dedicated and insightful, and field hours were educational. The CIEE staff of our program director Basetsana and the local student volunteers worked together cohesively to provide us with a great experience for the little time that we were here in the summer.
What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing I saw while in Botswana this summer was learning that despite being thousands of miles away the culture here has a lot of similarities to African American culture in the United States. As an African American, it was an interesting journey during my time here because although I may look like I fit in, I don’t know the language. So I was almost in an in between state for some time. However, our education or lack of it about the continent of Africa and the many countries that comprise it should be reversed. We in the US often times can be too narrow minded forgetting that we are apart of a larger global community, that includes every country in the Continent of Africa.
I would highly recommend this program to anyone even if you're not a biology major. I am a health and wellness major and I still got a lot out of it and while it was challenging it wasn't over my head. I loved how small this program was because it meant I got to know everyone really well and got really individualized attention from the professors. It is in a great location- the apartments are close to Murdoch university and it is very easy to get to Fremantle or into Perth and there is so much to do! My favorite part was going up to Exmouth because we were staying in pretty cool accommodation and the marine life at Ningaloo reef is amazing. We got to swim with so many different sea creatures from turtles to Whale Sharks. The academics can get a bit intense especially during the last week of the program but it was manageable. The only thing I didn't love was that the second course was a bit repetitive of things we had already learned. Overall, I think this is an absolutely amazing program and it was one of the best experiences of my life and I did not want to leave.
What would you improve about this program?
The one thing I would improve would be to combine the two courses (one was marine ecology and the other was marine research methods) so that they were taught at the same time. I think this would have helped to spread out the assignments and prevent overlap and repetition of material.
Japan is the first country I've traveled to and it's a big step from Minnesota. I did a homestay and I had actually started this adventure with a close friend and roommate. Things didnt work out and suddenly I was alone and far away from home. But staff at CIEE were right there beside me to help me put my happiness above all else and make the most of my time abroad. CIEE is more than just a program, it's a collective group of people who want the best for you and have gone through similar situations. My advice to those planning on travelling abroad is to lean on the support you're given with CIEE. Dont be shy to ask for help or just someone to talk or have ice cream with. Also, dont isolate yourself. Get to know some people in the program, your classes, around your living rooms. Have fun and let loose.
What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I lost my key to my homestay and it was nerve wracking letting the family know. I overcame it with the aid the CIEE staff member, Hazuki, who taught me how to politely apologize and helped me get a new key made.
