CIEE Study abroad program in Dakar allows one to immerse themselves in Senegalese culture and experience the Senegalese teranga in one of the most authentic forms. I appreciated the facilitated discussions the program provided on studying abroad in a developing country, privilege, and colonialism because it made the experience more impactful. I loved living with a host family and was grateful for the opportunity to learn more about myself and the world in which I live.
My experience in Valparaíso, Chile, was phenominal. My host family welcomed me into their home with open arms, fed me, patiently answered all my questions about public transportation and Chilean life, and by the end of the program, had become very good friends of mine. The city is overflowing with opportunities to meet Chileans, observe and participate in cultural events, sample traditional dishes, and get lost among colorful houses in the 40-something hills bordering the city center. Academics are made-to-order; the program offers (and encourages) direct enrollment at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), but offers a few of its own courses for international students only. The PUCV's academic buildings are scattered throughout Valpo and its neighbor Viña del Mar, which can make scheduling tricky for liberal arts students who want to take classes in multiple departments. However, public transportation is excellent, and getting to class is never a problem. The city is relatively safe, but locals warn against "walking distracted" - more than one student was robbed while I was there. In any event, the CIEE staff are incredibly supportive, and work hard to help students with anything from major life crises to scheduling doctor appointments. The city is a 1-2-hour bus ride from Santiago, making it easy to travel to Santiago and other parts of the country (which is ecologically quite diverse). Chile is a developed country with all the goods and services a person could need, a rich history, and a unique and fascinating culture. Bring your own Reese's cups - they're hard to find in Chile.
What would you improve about this program?
More detailed information could be given about how the university system is structured. For example, the lack of a cohesive "campus" shoud be emphasized before students register for classes, and staff shoud warn students opting for direct-enrollment about student strikes. (Occasionally, students in certain departments or the entire university will go on strike to protest the administration, faculty, problems with facilities, etc. These strikes can cause problems for international students who can't stick around waiting for classes to resume.)
Studying in Korea was the greatest experience of my life and going with CIEE only made it better. Non-CIEE international students often expressed jealousy that our program allowed us to be close to one another and provided us with an easy network to make friends with which to go on our adventures abroad. The staff is extremely helpful and supportive and they always respond quickly, especially when we need help with stressful situations (such as somehow managing to lose your entire purse while out clubbing). Academically, the coursework wasn't too difficult in comparison to my home university, with the exception of Intensive Korean Language--which is, indeed, "intensive." Thankfully, CIEE has a great optional study group for its students to help with language skills. Yonsei is beautiful (to the extent that many reality shows and tv dramas actually film on our campus!) and the chances to participate in clubs and other student activities are seemingly endless. CIEE, of course, organizes amazing cultural activities and volunteer opportunities which allow you to get the most out of your time abroad. All in all, I would definitely recommend studying in Korea--especially if you have the chance to do so with all of the advantages that CIEE has to offer.
What would you improve about this program?
The only important note I have to offer CIEE is that most of our guest speakers and tour guides concerning Korean culture were white Americans rather than Koreans. Of course I understand that anyone can be an academic expert about any culture through study and that language barriers may have played a hand in this outcome, but it bothered me that a lot of the people educating us about Korean culture were not Korean in terms of ethnicity or nationality.
Over the course of my four months in Dakar, it came to be one of my favorite places on earth. It was difficult to transition to the way of life there- especially with regard to language- but through all the difficult times I was able to find sincere joy. My host family was warm and generous, though it took some time for them to open up to me and my very broken French. I spent a lot of time with them cooking, eating, and talking. I went to them with my issues of the day and they gave me candid advice on how to move forward. I also developed lasting friendships with Senegalese 20-somethings in my neighborhood. By spending so much time with them, my French grew exponentially and I got to see much more of Dakar. We walked to the beach often, sat drinking tea while discussing the pertinent issues of the day (including the upcoming football matches), and danced until the wee hours of the morning every weekend. I am thankful to still be in contact with many of them today, and I hope to go back to visit this year. My school experience was not very difficult, yet my learning over the four months was immense. This program is very much about experiential learning and growth. Yes, I learned plenty in the classroom, but it was more often the conversations I had with my friends and those I met that were more impactful. This is what makes this program so wonderful; it gives you the space and support to go and see Dakar for yourself. They lead excursions and trips, but this program is made all the better the more you allow yourself to go and see the city and country.
With that, I advise you ask a lot of questions to your host family and the directors, especially about pricing for taxis and goods. I bought countless yards of fabric for too high a price and many taxis that were more expensive because of my American-ness. So be aware and don't be afraid to haggle for the right price. By the end you will have fun doing it!
I met some of my dearest friends here, and my life is drastically different because I met them and spent this time in Dakar. I highly recommend this program and the experience that it offers you to grow as an independent young person in this spectacular city.
CIEE has done a great job catering to students of all types with their Amsterdam program.
On the academic side, there are a wide variety of classes in many disciplines to choose from, including unique offerings from CIEE, such as Beginning Dutch. CIEE does a solid job of communicating with you throughout the application and enrollment processes, so you always know what you need to do next.
As far as encouraging engagement with Dutch culture goes, CIEE is also great. Students can experience the city on their own, but for those who aren't as motivated, CIEE has many planned activities, ranging from museum visits and book clubs to overnights in other locales such as the city of Utrecht or the island of Schiermonnikoog. As an added bonus, CIEE's partnership with the International Student Network gives students access to even more fun events at low prices, including trips to other European countries.
If I could go through the process of choosing a study away organization and program again, I would be hard pressed to find something better than CIEE's Amsterdam program. It offers something for everyone, and that means a good experience can be had by all.
What would you improve about this program?
There are a large number of mandatory meetings about health, safety, culture, etc. to attend, some of which repeat information.
Being an international student from Brazil living in the USA made my semester in Spain much easier since I was already used to the context of living in a different country. CIEE provided me with all I needed for a successful semester and helped me immensely throughout the bureaucracy of the paperwork before leaving. I lived with a group of 4 Americans and one Spaniard, all very friendly. I got to experience some different forms of classes, some were very interesting, while others lacked content - especially the class "Design for Food" which I took at the Elisava School for Design. CIEE provided day trips and one weekend trip which made the experience much richer, I wish there could be more of those throughout the program. All in all, it was very fun and enriching to have participated in that program.
What would you improve about this program?
More group activities to introduce students from different programs / at least one more weekend trip / single room apartments, or double if needed, but without walk-through setting
The entire experience was life-changing and extremely important to me. From the very start, I was supported through my study abroad program, CIEE, and the advisers and ambassadors that made the transition and adaptation to Taiwan culture as smooth as possible. I always felt supported and knew I had multiple people to help me with any questions or concerns. Taipei was the most beautiful, accepting, and culturally unique place I have ever experienced. The way of life and ideologies were so interesting and different from America, that it changed my view on health and what is actually important in life. My experience could not have gotten any better. I highly recommend using CIEE as a study abroad program because it is very easy to navigate the website and keep track of tasks that need to be completed. Also, I definitely recommend Taipei, Taiwan because of the many gorgeous landscapes and views, incredible food and bubble tea, and the welcoming Taiwanese and Chinese people.
I’ve been fascinated with Russian literature since I first read Crime and Punishment in high school – when I got the chance to do a study abroad during college, I knew that I wanted to go to Russia (particularly St. Petersburg), to study the language and see the places where the books were set. CIEE had a lot of great activities (Crime and Punishment walking tour, Pushkin’s apartment, Catherine Palace, a beer tasting) and helped students meet Russians – I had a volunteer position teaching English, which was a lot of fun. My host mom was really nice as well – she didn’t speak English, but was extremely patient and helped me a lot with practicing language. She also was helpful with directions around the city, and ideas of places to go and when to go there (can't say I understood 100% of the time, but what I did understand was helpful!).
My Russian class was great – it was small (5 people), which made participation more necessary than in a larger class and also much easier. I liked my other classes as well – I took Russian History, Russian Civilization, and Arts of St. Petersburg, which was one of my favorites – we went on field trips to museums and galleries around the city.
I did Alternative Break in Kirov (a CIEE-organized volunteer trip) during spring travel week. I was hesitant at first to give up the week of travel, but after the first day, I knew it was the right choice – I met amazing people, had a second great host family, and got to see places off the beaten path – the two of us on that trip volunteered in kindergartens and a children’s home, led a discussion group with Russians, and went to two high schools to talk to students, in addition to seeing the city. And there were weekends afterwards to travel (Tallinn, Estonia, is beautiful) as well as CIEE organized trips to Moscow and Pskov. St. Petersburg is a beautiful city - there was more to do there than I could fit into the semester, and I'm glad I went!
I would definitely recommend this program to individuals who are interested in traveling abroad and learning more about German culture.
Location: Berlin is the ideal city for university students--everything is relatively cheap or affordable, and there is a lot to do around the city and outside of it. The CIEE Berlin location is in Kreuzberg, which is a neighborhood close to central Berlin that has lots of good eats and cute cafes to explore. While living in the CIEE institute, I felt safe as security was reliable and the area around campus was not incredibly dangerous.
Facilities: The rooms are decently large, and each one has a bathroom inside. I stayed in a double room by myself because there were not too many people on campus at the time of my program. Most program participants do not spend too much time in their rooms either because there is a lot to do outside. Nonetheless, the living accommodations are nice.
Classroom/Global Exposure: Most classes offered by the program include site visits around the city, which I thought made the classroom experience more interesting and immersive. However, being constantly surrounded by other American students in the class and on campus made it somewhat hard to meet local German students. I would say this is definitely one of the drawbacks of the program.
Overall, I had a wonderful time in the city of Berlin. I absolutely love the city of Berlin and see myself going back soon.
The opportunity to study in Dublin was amazing. I met some of my best friends on the trip. Future participants should know to print their acceptance letter when going through customs. Post program I am inspired to work abroad and explore new perspectives. It would be useful to carry a money belt. Something to be aware about is that locals and foreigners are less likely to be politically correct. I still keep in touch with the friends that I made on the trip.
