IES Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad through the IES Abroad London and Jamaica programs was one of the best decisions I have done in my life. I chose this program because I am a Public Health major and I am interested in learning about people's behavior and how different cultures deal with public health issues. This program was the right fit for me because the classes further my knowledge in public health, allowed me to take a class at Oxford, gain internship experience through a service learning portion of the program, and a week long hands on experience in Jamaica!

I would recommend this program to ALL public health majors. It is a great program to further your interest and provide different perspectives on what exactly you want to go into in Public Health. I also believe that if your not a bit interested in Public health you should not enroll in this program because it is very public health based. Psychology majors and other majors might not enjoy this program as much since its all public health.

London is a great location to study abroad. It's very a modern city so for those traveling from small towns, this will be a change of atmosphere! It also has a lot of history and culture. Its also very expensive since the currency is the pound sterling. Be sure to have some savings before going on this program as you will need money to enjoy all the city has to offer. Since I was on this program I will share some advice... take advantage of the free museums, free events and festivals held as well. Take advantage that you will also be in Europe, so travel to many places but also leave some room to enjoy London.

This program includes a Service Learning Placement and a course at Oxford University. The Service Learning Placement is another feature to this amazing program. I was at a homeless shelter and it really helped shaped my views of homeless people in London. I met people from all over and I was able to learn about their stories and tell them my story. My advice is to try to get a placement that fits you and your future goals. The course at Oxford has its ups and downs. On the plus side you will be able to say you took a class at the famous Oxford University as well as get a feel of what their teaching styles are. For example, like having a tutor (you'll learn all about this). Taking the course at Oxford was amazing but having class on Friday while everyone was out traveling was not fun. The long commute and waking up really early was also not fun. But again, this program is what you make of it so although Oxford has some negatives overall, it was a really valuable experience.

What I believe is the best cherry on top of this program is the one week ending in Kingston, Jamaica. The program attendees spend one week volunteering at health clinics and learning about the health system in Jamaica and the Caribbean. I must be honest and say that although I was in London for 3 months and Jamaica for only one week, this part was my favorite and what I believe to be the BEST part. The hands on experience and interactions with the culture, people, and the health systems is something I cannot put in words. Ill end with this.. if you want to have a public health adventure that includes taking a course at Oxford University, having hands on experience in London and Jamaica, all while studying abroad in one of Europe's best places, then I say this program is for YOU.

I loved my semester here. Learned lots of German from my internship at an organic farm. Though my neighborhood was farther from town than most people's I lived near the black forest and loved it. Would definitely recommend this program to others.

My Study Abroad experience was nothing short of life altering. I participated in a French Studies Program in Paris, France. The program has a 100% French curriculum meaning all of my classes, assignments, and exams were in French. There were 44 of us total which meant the class sizes were pretty small, about 8-12 students in each of my classes. The coursework was challenging yet doable, and I admit harder than I expected prior to going. Yet I have no complaints because the curriculum greatly improved my French and I made several lifelong friends in this program. To give you an idea of the classes I took History of Photography, Paris Cinema, History of the Maghreb World, and a grammar class that emphasized discussion of current events and issues in France. The program also offered many excursion events which allowed us to have an even greater appreciation of the city and all it has to offer!

For housing accommodations I lived with a host family in a suburb just outside of Paris. This meant I had an hour commute to school every day which had its drawbacks, but on the plus side I got along great with my host family and I enjoyed the area I lived in. I’m still in touch with my host family and I’m very thankful for how kind and generous my host mom was! The initial culture shock is not easy but my host mom and her son made me feel so welcome. While abroad I also had an internship as an English instructor at French middle school. My job was to teach age appropriate lessons related to American culture to groups of students ages 12-14. My internship was one of the best parts of my experience abroad and I highly recommend doing an internship while abroad! Lastly, during my time abroad I had the chance to travel to Portugal, Ireland, and Belgium. Traveling is definitely one of the best aspects of going abroad but there was plenty to see and do while in Paris. My favorite thing was going to open mic nights with friends to listen to live music!

But the best part of going abroad was simply getting to experience and explore a different city with a completely different culture and language than I’m used to and getting to know the locals that live there. It makes you grow in ways you never thought of and challenges you every day and I’m very thankful I went.

As an engineering student, I loaded up on credits early on to make the opportunity of life abroad a reality. Like most engineers the options were limited, and as soon as Madrid was on the table I snatched it up and have yet to look back. Before the program, I had traveled to one other country and had a college career filled with engineering classes and void of all those fun jogging/wine making/art classes that my friends in other majors had sprinkled into their schedules over the years. IES stripped the engineering majors from the classic science/math only stereotype and allowed all of us to immerse in a vivacious, colorful culture. My schedule throughout my time abroad in Madrid afforded me the opportunity to experience Art History in the Prado and Spanish Culture and Language from the tongue of a native speaker. IES further arranged weekend trips throughout the Spanish countryside to places ranging from Segovia to Plasencia to Toledo. Whether planning a full list of activities or coaching us through scheduling and tutorials, IES was the premium trip provider in every respect. I left Spain after traveling to 12 countries, eating way to much paella, and basking in the sun endlessly in Parque Retiro, and yet still I have a deep hunger to go back--I simply cannot get enough. Just as IES made the transition to Spain seamless, the team's professionalism, positivity, and support remained seamless throughout my entire four and a half month stay.

I feel so lucky to have been able to study abroad in Granada. Aside from it being absolutely beautiful and vibrant, it was the greatest learning experience I have ever had. Being thrown into an entirely new culture with a distinct language and customs helped me learn to take risks and jump into things headfirst. I was able to improve my language skills, live with a wonderful Spanish family, meet new friends and soak up all of the music, culture and tapas that Spain had to offer. I cannot recommend IES, Granada and Spain enough. It was truly the best decision I could have made and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

As a Spanish major and language enthusiast, it only made sense that I would study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, and after the recommendation from a professor and a little more research, I settled on Salamanca because of its history (it has the oldest university in Spain, dating back to the early 13th Century), its size (not a big city), and its connection to the Spanish language (it advertises itself as “La Ciudad de Español”). This was a fantastic decision.

I lived in homestay with a host mother and host brother. My host mother teaches Spanish to foreigners for a living. This wasn’t the case with everyone’s host families, but I couldn’t be more grateful that it was the case with mine. If I ever didn’t understand something, she was eager to help me understand the concept and would explain and explain in an effort to eliminate the need for a dictionary.

The classes were definitely challenging. Of all of them, the required language class is the most invaluable. The professors are some of the best I’ve had, and their approach to teaching is totally different from any traditional “grammar class” I’ve had in the U.S. Two great opportunities were the internship, which let me work in English classes at a local school, and the university classes, which not only taught me the material in the class, but also gave me the chance to say, “I did well in classes designed for native speakers,” which is a huge confidence booster.

Our program went on a number of trips, and I got to travel on my own. I chose to stay in Spain, so I had the chance to experience a number of cities and the process of planning transportation, lodging, and activities while managing to not go home broke. The abundance of cultural activities and ways to experience the culture in Salamanca ensured that there was always something to do.

The only thing I wish I had known prior to choosing Salamanca is that it’s an immersion program. That means the staff speaks predominantly in Spanish (though some of them do speak English) and all the courses offered are conducted in Spanish. This would’ve been a selling point for me had I known it, but it’s still good to know.

And to top off the experience, its Plaza Mayor is one of the most beautiful in Spain (Google it if you don’t believe me—it’s practically a fact).

As Cervantes said, "Salamanca, que enhechiza la voluntad de volver a ella a todos los que de la apacibilidad de su vivienda han gustado." Salamanca became like another home to me, and I’ve already started looking at ways to get back there.

Madrid is a city that never sleeps. The bars and clubs don't get busy until after midnight, and the cool people show up at 2 am. I absolutely loved studying electrical engineering alongside Spanish students during the day and partying with those same students all night.

In China, the website, Facebook, is blocked by government censorship. While many Americans have the, I think, false assumption that Chinese people are limited in this way and have no connection to the "outside world", in fact Chinese people are, in my experience, very connected to each other, their families and communities through other means. One of those means is the Chinese cell phone app, WeChat. The app is used to send messages, recordings, pictures and videos, as well as update to something like a "wall" or newsfeed. It is used in much the same capacity that Facebook might be in other countries.

However, similar to Facebook, WeChat is sometimes difficult for the older generation to grasp, despite the younger generation's prowess. My host parents, well into their 60s, graying, sweet and masterful cooks, were among the people for whom WeChat proved to be a challenge. One night, my host mom was complaining about how she couldn't get WeChat to work on her phone and I helped her download it, create an account, and find some of her first friends. That night she connected with some people from her hometown whom she hadn't seen for years. She was up for several hours, laughing and talking at length in the living room on video-chats with her old friends. It was such a wonderful moment because, although I couldn't understand the finer points of her conversation, it made me feel proud and happy to have helped her use a Chinese technology to connect with some of her old friends in a way that was distinctly hers.

I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad with IES in Paris the spring semester of 2015. From start to finish, this was one of the best experiences of my life. As soon as I arrived with my host family I knew that I had an instant home in Paris, and I still keep in touch with my host mom from time to time. IES allowed me to create a second family in this beautiful city that invites me to remain a part of it whenever I'm near them. Living in a home stay allowed me to fully experience the city as a true Parisian.

My academic life with IES allowed me to both experience cultural immersion by taking a class at a local university and become a part of a very tight-knit group of American students by taking classes taught by French professors at the IES center. This mix of classes created both new and familiar experiences in a foreign city that took a lot of stress off of what could have been a very disorienting assimilation into the Parisian culture.

IES made incredible efforts to create a welcoming environment for its students and to provide a great cultural experience. IES tuition fees included several trips to wonderful locations (for me that included Nimes, Tours, Reims, and Giverny) that allow students in the program to bond as well as experience the cultural diversity of France. IES also held monthly contests to win some amazing cultural experiences around Paris, like a free brunch at the world-renowned restaurant Angelina or a ticket to a performance of Swan Lake.

Overall, IES helped make my semester in Paris more than a one-time experience. It allowed me to transform into a functioning and contributing member of the Parisian society in a way that I would've previously thought impossible. That semester with IES has transformed me into a part-time Parisian, and for me that experience is priceless.

Nantes is a charming city in France, the 5th or 6th largest in the country. Not quite as big or bustling as Paris, but that makes it more accommodating for students studying abroad. The Nantes program is focused on French language learning and in that is a success, and you will thoroughly miss Nantes by the time you have to go.