I absolutely loved my time spent in Iringa, I wish I could have stayed longer! I loved the people that I met through the program as well. The month long homestay was an amazing experience that helped me to gain a better understanding of how many Tanzanian people live. I learned so much about the local culture and history through my classes. The weekend excursions were so fun! From hiking to cooking, each of them added significantly to my experience. I would recommend this program to students who are looking for a fun challenge and an incredibly unique study abroad experience!
I loved this program and loved Santiago so much. If you are a flow artist or have an interest in circus arts I recommend Santiago so highly- it is the world capital of jugglers and you will be inspired by events and presentations all of the time throughout the city. Also recommended for people looking to get to know a city- very easily traversable city by foot/bus/subway.
Downsides: Living with a homestay at the beginning was amazing and exactly what I needed to practice my Spanish, but by the end I was really wishing I had the freedom of living with other students and having my own space. Also, taking only classes at the University of Chile with other chilean students was an amazing experience, but very hard. Sometimes too much stress for what I was looking for.
Overall I am so thankful I chose this program. It is so difficult but one of the best programs out there if you actually want to be fluent in Spanish by the end, in my opinion. Would recommend.
What would you improve about this program?
Giving kids the opportunity to leave their homestay and move in together/choose to live with other students and not in a homestay. Also, more front end preparation for what to expect. I felt very very very very overwhelmed and uncomfortable at first.
One of the best experience ever. Studying abroad 3 times, I would say Tokyo has been the most fun and eye opening. The program itself is great, they are there to support you and help you with what ever you need, they make the extra mile to make sure you are safe and enjoying your experience in Tokyo. CIEE staff is one of the best around and they personally try to get to know you as a student and person. CIEE you are truly the best!
Tokyo is such an amazing city to visit and to live there for 4 months has been a dream come true. I recommend everyone who is questioning whether or not to study in Tokyo to take the leap of faith. The city is welcoming!
The academics however could be a bit better. Sophia University is a great school but may not be what many students from a foreign country is use to. Faculty can be a bit more organized and lectures can be more clear. There was a lot of self teaching and not much help and support from the school itself. The language class was very difficult and demanding but really rewarding. The professors for the language classes are use to teaching foreign students and have so much passion in teaching students who want to learn Japanese.
Homestay or dorm, either experience is a fun and meaningful one. I did home stay and was a bit challenging for me but over the 4 months I learned so much from my host family and they contributed so much to my experience.
The city and country has so much to do, you will never be bored. I miss Japan already and I only left about three weeks ago!
What would you improve about this program?
The academics can be a lot better. School and the scheduling was a major problem in the beginning for many students as there were limited classes and limited time slots for students to choose from. For students who don't really have any flexibility in their academic path/ schedule, it may be a bit difficult to get classes to fulfill requirements. As with the process of choosing homestay or dorm. Very little details were given and not much guidance in what to choose. It would be insightful for new students to learn about experience with homestays and dorms from past students.
I loved being a part of CIEE Rome! From the minute we arrived, the program directors and staff were sweet and helpful, and really did their best to help us get acquainted with our new home. The smaller size of the program allowed all of us to build great relationships with our professors, directors and other students. The program included lots of excursions around Rome, and even trips to other cities in Italy. My favorite part was the excursions that were part of the courses that I took because I was able to see all of the Vatican City and most of Rome just by going to class! My second favorite part was being able to walk around and explore Rome. My classes were about a 10 minute walk from where I lived, so I was able to take different ways to and from class to explore the neighborhood I was living in. This whole experience gave me a new sense of independence and bravery. I felt safe here to explore on my own and figure things out for myself. My advice to any future participants is to do something you've never done every chance you get, and really take advantage of this opportunity to see the world!!
What would you improve about this program?
I loved everything about this program and I think it was run very well. My only issue that I had when I was in Rome was that it was pretty expensive to get to a from the airport when I was traveling outside of Italy. I think it would be very helpful for students if there were some sort of cheap airport transportation figured out for them in advance, but I do understand that that can be difficult! The early morning flights were the ones that were particularly difficult to get to the airport for, because only 1 bus ran that early.
Study abroad in Palma de Mallorca to experience a journey that will punch you out of your comfort zone. The culture, the people, the food, and the adventures will provide you with memories so sweet and special, and you will never forget your time here. I came back a more culturally aware and worldly human, with a greater appreciation for people around the world and a desire to return to the beautiful places that I was able to travel to. I will forever love Mallorca and will most definitely be back soon.
Though Chile was not necessarily the first place that came to mind when I thought of going abroad, I am immensely grateful that I ended up there. Santiago is a lively, bustling city filled with all sorts of things to do--whether it be hiking, checking out a new cafe, art shows and performances--you can really find everything there. And beyond Santiago is an incredible country filled with incredible people and unbelievable places--the driest desert in the world in the north, glaciers and ice fields in the south, volcanoes and waterfalls and lush green landscapes in between, and so much more. And while just exploring the country itself would have been enough to make this an unforgettable experience, the people were also wonderful--I could not have asked for a better host family to live with and learn from during my time there. Not to say that it was without its challenges; the language barrier seemed insurmountable at first, the lifestyle and cultural norms weren't always obvious, and don't get me started on public transportation (though it's actually great once you get used to it). Perhaps that was even my favorite part; being somewhere was I was challenged each day, whether it be figuring out new ways to communicate or learning how to navigate my way around the city. It has inspired me to seek out those uncomfortable moments in my everyday life, to always search for opportunities to grow and learn, no matter how unattainable or awkward they may seem.
I got everything I wanted out of this program. The staff was incredibly kind and helpful, and always made sure we felt safe and comfortable. My homestay was amazing and they really made me feel welcomed. Toulouse is an incredible town and I got firsthand experience living as a French person. In addition, the classes were thorough and engaging. We had frequent excursions that helped us get closer as a group and I made lifelong friends.
What would you improve about this program?
More take home work so that classes can be valid at University.
This program is special for two main reasons. The first is that it allows the participant to choose if they want an English, English/French, or French program. In other words, this program is a self-made experience. You can do almost everything in English or you can choose to almost completely immerse yourself in the culture and language. It depends on the participants' goals in going abroad. There were people my semester who took classes in English, made friends who spoke English, did an internship in English, and then there were people who did the same thing in French. The second reason is because this program requires the participant to live with a host family. This allows the student to be a part of the French culture and feel like a part of the city community. I think the students comes to a better understanding of the culture compared to if they stayed in the dorms with other foreign students. A few other details that make this program stand out is that Toulouse is a student town so there are several other French students and foreign students, and I became friends will several. Further, the support of staff is outstanding. They pour their heart into the program planning activities for students, helping students reach their goals in many ways, and are avaliable at anytime of the day. Then, it was nice to have a small group of Americans to see throughout the semester. In other words, you can immerse yourself in the French culture, but if you need a break to speak English or talk about challenges you are facing, it is nice to have people who speak your native language and are going through the same thing.
What would you improve about this program?
There is one aspect that I would change about this program and that is for the study center to offer one or two classes in French that are not about learning the language. For example, to offer a history course in French that is meant for foreigners learning the language.
Moving to a foreign country where you are a stranger to the language, culture, city, and weather is outright scary. You may cope by being timid, awkward, and standoffish. But take this opportunity and fly with it. Go on spontaneous trips. Drink all the Belgian beer you can. Make friends that you will keep for a life time. Get lost and explore the city you are now part of. Enjoy every moment because you know it, you will be on your flight back home.
My time in Barcelona was incredibly valuable to my social, academic, and cultural development. Classes are challenging and thought provoking without inhibiting fun and exploration. The city of Barcelona is beautiful and full of extremely kind people. The staff at CIEE were helpful and supportive. The immersion in the Spanish culture is invaluable. You will leave this trip with an immense level of confidence in your abilities to push your comfort zone. I wish I could have done 3 semesters in Barcelona through CIEE!
