CIEE Reviews

It's really challenging to narrow down all the great experiences into this one review. Everything about Barcelona is absolutely incredible, so incredible in fact, that I moved back after I graduated from Indiana University. If you're looking for a life-changing experience that you'll never forget, on top of actually expanding your knowledge of Spanish and a fraction of its culture, you need to study abroad and you need to do it through CIEE.

Each facet of the experience had its own special qualities. Obviously, Barcelona is an amazing city, filled with rich culture and tons of history. Even if you think you aren't an art buff, or a history buff, or a foodie, I challenge you to let Barcelona change that because it 100% will. My favorite, and possibly underrated thing about Barcelona is how disjointed it is but in the best way possible. The combination of different eras and influences that Barcelona has experienced over the year really gives it all its beauty and charm. How can you not enjoy a place as fascinating and beautiful as Barcelona?! Not to mention the amount of things there are to do in Barcelona and your soon-to-be obsession with Spanish food. I still make paella at home for my friends and buy jamon serrano whenever I find it in the grocery store. It's such an easy and exciting culture to adapt to and is so inviting.

One of the reasons I picked Barcelona, and CIEE specifically, is because of the many opportunities the city presented. It's a huge tourist hub which makes travelling really easy, but our program already offered excursions as a part of our experience anyways. This was so awesome because we got to explore some parts of Spain that may have been overshadowed by the rest of Europe had all the travel plans been put in my own hands. I got to not only learn about Barcelona and Catalunya, but other cities and regions in Spain as well which really helped to broaden my horizons. While CIEE is a rigorous program, if you're studying Spanish at a high level already, you'll be perfectly fine. I would suggest the CIEE-ALA program specifically if you really feel you can adapt and immerse yourself fully into the language.

My biggest piece of advice that some people may not agree with: STAY WITH A HOST FAMILY. When the excitement of being abroad fades (okay, maybe not fades but lapses for a minute) it's nice to have a home base that you feel connected to and nurtured by. I am still in communication with my first host mother, and the whole reason I was able to move back was due to her brother and sister-in-law taking me in my second time around. So I'm fortunate to say that I have not one, and not even two, but multiple connections that will remain through the years. It's also really nice to know that if/when I return to Barcelona yet again, I will already know so many people from those familial connections I made.

If you couldn't tell, I'm a little obsessed with Barcelona.

Just like every student that studies abroad says.. It changes you. I feel this so strongly and I really thank CIEE for making such a life-changing, fulfilling, and perfect program for students interested in a first hand look at the tropical ecology of such a beautiful landscape. Not only was this the most changing semester of my life, but it was the best. From night hikes, snorkeling, interesting lectures, camping, and home stays this program has it all. For any student of the sciences I would recommend this program if you are down to get dirty, have a different adventure every day, and learn from the most amazing professors there are around.

This was an amazing experience and it's hard to pick any one story to share. Corcovado was one of the first places we explored, and definitely a great example of what the program was about! We got to adventure, see and interact with wildlife (turtles, whales, monkeys, frogs, coral, so much!). The passion of the professors and my peers was contagious from the very beginning! We witnessed to Olive Ridley sea turtles mating between Corcovado and Isla del Cano. It was amazing, but seeing my professors in such awe told me how spectacular what we were witnessing truly was. And connecting that experience to the experience of seeing green sea turtles laying eggs and hatching in Tortuguero brought the experience full circle. I fell even more in love with biology, ecology and all of its' complexities.

My favorite part of the program was the field trips. I learned so much by hiking with the the professors and talking about ecology as we encountered different species. Its incredible how much information you can absorb when you experience nature up-close like that. My favorite memory from the trip was a night hike where we found ourselves waist deep in a swamp tracking snakes and frogs. So extreme, so fun, and so exciting!

This program was the best experience of my life, from the challenging academics, great and fun staff and other participants, the amazing city of Lima and amazing country of Peru, there were too many great experiences to count. The program director, Marion, makes it feel like you are coming to a new home as soon as you arrive in lima, along with the amazing host families they work with it feels like I have another home in Lima right now. Also the opportunity to travel around Peru and see amazing places is unlike anything ive ever experienced.

My semester in Sweden was not only an incredible experience, but also has continued to affect my life (for the better). I've since come back to Sweden to do research on a Fulbright Scholarship, have viewed Sweden as my second home and shared Swedish language and culture with my friends and family.

The university is world-renowned--a lot of students will choose not to, but if you want, there is definitely the opportunity to challenge yourself academically (and still have fun!). The program director was very supportive of my decision to take upper level science courses and actually negotiated to let me do so, and I was able to experience lab techniques that weren't even offered at my home university.

Student life is amazing, with thirteen student nations that host balls, formal dinners with Swedish drinking songs, club nights, restaurants etc. They are a great chance to meet other students and work/learn to bartend, and are a unique part of Uppsala. The housing also facilitates this--although you have your own room and bathroom, there are eleven other people in your hallway that can easily become some of your closest friends.

The program itself is exceptional, planning excursions and events to expose you to different parts of Swedish culture. You might go to the Arctic Circle or a Swedish resort island, explore Stockholm or Viking graves, and not have to worry about planning any of it. The program director, Felicitas, has a wonderful course in cross-cultural communication, and is always there for support. It was all very smoothly run and helped me get the most out of my experience.

All in all, CIEE Uppsala was the best semester of my college career. Its study abroad opportunities stand out in the cultural immersion that is offered, with the chance to become a part of student life and learn the Swedish language and culture. I loved every second of it and am so lucky to be back!

Palma was everything I could have hoped for in my study abroad expereince. The city itself is filled with energy, and the people are friendly and inviting. I loved Palma because it allowed me to live in a city, but also escape to the many beautiful and unique pueblos around the island. Mallorca has many beautiful beaches, incredible hiking trails in the mountains, and so much more. It is my home away from home!

My semester abroad in uppsala was one of the best experiences of my life. The program is incredibly well organized and I was so thankful for all of the support CIEE offered to help make my abroad experience the best it could be. The director is closely in touch with the university which helps greatly with course selection and any other issues that might arise. Additionally, one of the best parts of studying in uppsala is the opportunity to meet swedes and international students. Unlike many of my friends in other programs, I was able to immerse myself in the local culture through living and studying with other Swedish and international students. Uppsala is a university town so it's the perfect place to be a student, with tons of things to do, amazing cafes, and a lively social scene international students can easily get involved in. Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

Wow, I expected to love my study abroad experience, but I didn't know just how much it would impact my life. The support and classes available through this program provide resources to really dig in and understand the host culture as well as promoting personal development as well. There are so many opportunities to interact and get involved with the host culture from volunteering to teach English in a local school, living with loving host families, taking classes with Peruvian students, traveling, tours, walking through the city and so much more. There are so many experiences possible in Peru, you just need to look for what you want! I came back to the states with so many amazing stories, new friends and a deeper love for South America and the Spanish language in general. Seriously, go! Peru is a beautiful country with such welcoming people and CIEE is a true family while you're there:)

My semester in Lima was the best one of my life. The program directors went out of their way to ensure we got to experience everything Perú had to offer, my host family was incredible, and the places I got to see and things I got to do are like nothing I've experienced before. One of the highlights from my time abroad would be the relationship I had with my host grandma. She would take me to the market with her and tell the people working, "My granddaughter is helping me today!" We would sometimes watch movies together and she would redescribe every scene to me after it happened and it brings a smile to my face whenever I think of her. I loved eating three meals a day with a family. I loved traveling and hiking and unsung public transportation. I am forever grateful for the friendships I made, the opportunities I had to be out of my comfort zone, the strangers who helped me so often on the micros, and my professors who made sure I got everything I could out of every class. My life will never be the same and I am thankful always that I got to spend four months in a country that I now love with the CIEE liberal arts program.