IES Abroad Reviews

My semester abroad in Kunming, China was definitely one of the most adventurous seasons of my life so far. Having been interested in China from a very young age, I began learning Chinese in college, in addition to working on my environmental studies major. The Regional Development in China and Southeast Asia program centered in Kunming, China seemed like the right study abroad ‘fit’ for me because of the academic options (an environmental studies course is offered and nearly all of the courses offered interested me), the ability to live in a home stay without being a language-intensive student, the opportunity to visit a city I had never been to (I had visited other cities in China briefly before), and the promise of cleaner air and beautiful scenery (Kunming is located away from most of the heavy pollution in the east of the country). My experience certainly delivered on all of these.

The program was richly packed with valuable academic curriculum, travel to different areas of the province and other countries in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand), the homestay experience (optional), and flexibility for personal pursuit of adventure. Travel planned into the program itinerary nicely complemented topics discussed in classes, and really helped me to understand the material. I also had time to travel to locations such as Chengdu, Lijiang, Jianshui, and Yuanyang throughout the semester, independent of the program. After several months, I was surprised by how much I had grown over such a short period of time; I feel more independent, capable of coping with new situations (like living in a big city where pretty much everyone only speaks Chinese!), and empowered to explore. The semester experience was more than enlightening and continues to influence my life back in the States. Along the way, I made friends with locals and my fellow program members, while braving my comfort zone with things I never would have dreamed of doing (such as joining a local public dance group). I came to consider my dance group to be almost like a family to me. Though I have one heart, I now have more than one home.

While not everyone may be interested in dancing, the city has numerous other venues to explore and the travel opportunities are amazing. I highly recommend this program for people who are interested in the environment, international relations, adventure, travel, and so many other things!

During my first week in Australia, I had already learned to adapt the different living styles. One night, my roommates and I decided to go to the common area called the "Old Tote" to play some board games and hopefully meeting new friends. Soon enough, a couple of local Aussies came into the room and asked if they can join us. As we continued to play and socialized about the differences of America, which they called the "States." Chris, which was one of the guys told us that it was possible to ride in the pouches of the kangaroo. I got really excited because I've always wanted to do that when I was younger, so of course I believed him and continued to ask him questions about it. Then later in the week I learned that it was not true and realized that Australians love to joke especially with Americans. I decided to share this story because the sense of humor from the locals provided me a warm welcoming.

IES Abroad Nantes is the perfect program for anyone looking to be fully immersed in French language and culture. Every student lives with a French host family, which allows them to learn about French culture firsthand, and requires them to practice their language skills on a daily basis. I enjoyed trying all sorts of local foods and discussing the differences between typical American and French lifestyles with my family. The program also gives students the chance to study at both the IES Center and the local university in Nantes. I really appreciated having the opportunity to experience the French education system, and I especially enjoyed the opportunity to complete a teaching internship in the local schools. The internship was a very useful experience, and gave me a better idea of what kind of work I may want to pursue in the future. As well, the program is very well established (it had its 50th anniversary this spring), so health and safety measures are well developed, and the IES Center in Nantes provides a whole host of extracurricular activities that really enhanced my semester abroad. If you are like me and don't want to live in a city as massive as Paris but would like to study in France, take a look at IES Nantes!

Location:
Freiburg is the German version of a college town. At first I was a little worried that I wouldnt be in a big city like Heidelberg, Munich, or Berlin, but I very quickly found out that Freiburg was the perfect size. Having a population of around 200,000, Freiburg felt like the perfect size. Campus and downtown were always bustling and there was always something going on, yet there were numerous hills, trails, parks and lakes that were quiet and not packed at all, so that you could have some nice alone time. With a great public transportation system, you could get to every corner of Freiburg in about 25-30 minutes. The city is known for being one of the wealthier areas of Germany and it is really evident that the city is well kept and aesthetically pleasing. The atmosphere of the city is great because it is very German, yet very multicultural and very student oriented, yet family friendly. It is important to note that I never ever felt unsafe in the city. Even walking 30 minutes home at 3 AM, I always felt safe in the city!

Academics:
This program is so unique because it mixes classroom learning with real world experiences. This blend of knowledge, centering around everything European Union related, is designed in a way for students to get the most out of the program. At first I was nervous about having to learn in a European system with European professors because their values and norms are so different, but I found out that IES really tries to cater to Americans. The best part of the program was the learning. Now hey - that sounds really nerdy of me, but everyone on the program was nerdy in some way. We would spend a couple weeks in class learning about current events and EU institutions. Then, what really brought it to life, we would visit the places that we talked about in class. It was super unique to see these things in real life, because how many people can say they have been to the Council of Europe?
The field study trips that accompanied the program were some of the best times of my life. Just with organized IES field trips, I got the opportunity to visit 10 different countries! Everything was planned perfectly and organized expertly. The travel was always on time, comfortable and not too long. The accommodation was clean, comfortable and always in a good location. We had a walking tour in every city we visited right when we got there, so that we could learn about the history, culture and layout of the city. We also had about three or four academic meetings in each city where we learned about the political culture and government of the city and country. This is where we got to meet very high up, important people who held good positions. We learned so much from just discussing and listening to these people. Although all of that sounds really academic, we still had so much free time. We had almost all afternoons and evenings off, so we could pick our own dinner restaurants, go see all of the touristy sites and then go out and experience the local nightlife. The truth is, even if you plan your own travel throughout Europe, it will never be as cheap and well planned as the IES trips.

People:
I met some of my best friends this semester! Studying abroad is kind of like your first month at college: nobody knows anyone and everyone is looking for friends immediately. I made incredible, lifelong friends through this program. The people are more academically driven than your usual university student. The kids are all quirky, nerdy, weird and fun. This basically means that during the day we would have political discussions and would watch John Oliver together, but at night we would go to bars and clubs together. The people come from many different universities all throughout the country, so it was really unique to share experiences. We all got so close that we are planning a reunion this year. The people really helped out on limiting home sickness and eliminating the side effects of cultural shock.

Housing:
We got to live in student housing! I was really excited about this prospect because we spent so much time with American IES students on the program that we didnt get to meet many Germans. The housing opportunity allowed us to meet and interact with German university students who were in the same boat as us! It really gave me a chance to compare and contrast American vs. German life. This was an added plus for the program.

Overall:
Even though places like France, Spain, Italy and England sound like the most popular places to study abroad in Europe, Germany is the hidden gem. Germany is right in the middle of Europe so travel is incredibly easy because everything is so close. Germany is also doing well economically so the country is thriving, yet prices are not too expensive. My favorite thing about the country is that it is very punctual and very orderly, so you know exactly what you are getting. I would recommend this program to many different types of students - as it really is a fantastic experience!

Going abroad to London through IES was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life so far. It was easy to create a schedule of classes that allowed me to have a lot of free time to travel on the weekends and explore London. The staff also planned a lot of day trips, a midterm trip through Scotland (where we got to pet and feed REINDEER!), and day outings in London to make sure we had a great time. We lived close to the biggest tube station in London so getting around was really easy, and I liked living in a residence hall with a bunch of other study abroad students. The only negative was that the rooms were pretty small and the shared communal kitchen got dirty and lacked some basic kitchen equipment, but really I wasn’t in the residence hall that much. I would definitely recommend this program and the location: London is the most incredible city with so much to do and explore!

My love for music and attending concerts became a substantial part of my life while studying abroad in London through IES. IES staff members want you to have a great individual immersion, so they were always insightful when I asked questions about how a typical English student would be living including places to get cheap food, neighborhoods where young people hang, places to shop, resources for homework, and of course, which bands or dj's were in town and where. IES staff would share their personal favorite artists for me to listen to while recommending venues or student deals for shows.

Music was even incorporated into my curriculum. In my British Youth Culture course, we studied different historical periods and subcultures that were relatable for students and included studying famous British musicians. From the The Beatles to the creators of dub step, my courses allowed to further explore my interests and apply them in an academic setting.

Months and months of anticipation felt like a lifetime compared to the months actually spent abroad. Landing in London on January 5th was one of the most exciting days of my life. I was nervous to be away from home for such a long amount of time, but excited to start one of my most independent adventures of my entire life.

The first thing I wanted to do was to take a nap! I didn't get much sleep on the plane (due to excitement) and the jetlag was hitting hard! However, IES London had a different plan in mind. I arrived with my months worth of luggage and was told that I had one hour to get settled and that I would be going on a tour of the area and purchasing my Oyster card (the public transportation card that will inevitably become your best friend). IES staff knew we were all exhausted, but that the best thing for us was to get moving and adjust as best as we could to the time change as soon as possible. We all got our necessary items (sheets, hangers, and all the essentials) and got excited for what was left to come.

IES Staff wanted us all to have the best experience possible from day 1. Whether it was organizing fun and interesting tours around all of England, to just having a casual conversation about our travel plans in between classes. They never failed to lend their years of advice to ensure we were safe and making the most of our time overseas! I would not have traded this experience for anything and would not have wanted my experience to be with any other abroad coordinators.

Going abroad in London was easily the best decision I've ever made. I was able to learn more about myself than I ever thought possible while experiencing a new culture and lifestyle. Day to day life in London proved to be something that I could get used to in a heart beat and if you're looking for a big city and never running out of things to do, London is the place for you. I was able to travel and see the world while abroad, which was something that was also extremely important to me. I made connections and relationships with people that I have no doubt will help me down the line and I will treasure the friendships and memories forever.

Studying abroad experience with IES was an opportunity for me to gain French language skill, be independent, and learn cultures. Going to Paris all by myself when I am not confident with the language was a huge challenge, yet I knew that I would have life time experience and lesson from studying abroad. Indeed, this study abroad experience has changed my life.

Through this study abroad, I have gained lessons both academically and personally. IES really challenged students to emerge into culture and French language. All my classes were in French, and I had French host family which contributed to the improvement of my French ability. Whenever I had questions about French culture and French language itself, not only I had my French professors, but also my host family. They were all happy to teach me what they know, and further explain it to help my understanding. Living with a French host family has taught me different life style than I previously have experienced. IES did a great job of matching host families and really cared how it is like, and when people have questions or problems, they could easily talk to one of the staffs and figure things out. All the staffs at IES really want you to improve and achieve the goal you come in with, and they are all super helpful.

Having studied in London for my first semester freshman year, I always knew I wanted to go back. The idea of returning to a place that was familiar suited me better than finding somewhere new and it allowed me to focus more on my studies and the school I enrolled in. The Courtauld, in the art history world, is known for being one of the best schools, and some would say it is the best.

In terms of resources, the Courtauld is unparalleled. The faculty are some of the best in their field, the library focuses solely on art, and the Courtauld gallery holds some of the most famous paintings in the world. London itself is a vibrant city for the arts, with its free national museums and smaller galleries waiting to be discovered. Not only did I study at the Courtauld, I spent much of my time around the city in various museums and I volunteered in a small exhibition space at Two Temple Place. The Courtauld, however, and this program with IES, is very much what you make of it. It’s an unusual and often-disorganized institution, meaning it is very much on you to make sure things happen, especially as a study abroad student. During 2014-2015, there were a total of eight study abroad students, including myself. The small size is fantastic for getting close to fellow students and professors but also means the Courtauld is less accustomed to dealing with temporary students than other, larger institutions might be. It’s merely a different way of doing things, but make sure this is what you want.

It’s also a very different academic system than in America. I took two courses per term and all of the work handed in for those courses wasn’t formally assessed. As an academic year student, my final grade was made up of my four exams and a 4000-word essay; this was beyond daunting to me and it does lend the time spent studying a different intensity than the workload at an American university might have. For semester students, the work produced in classes is assessed for a grade, but there is still much less of it than in the US. It’s given me a very different perspective on how people learn and how institutions chose to teach art history. The Courtauld’s had many of the greatest art historian’s pass through and they acknowledge that history and the mistakes its made along the way, able to critique its own methods.

Living-wise, I lived in King’s Cross, which is a great location and not far from virtually anything in central London by Tube. The rooms are small, yes, but you adjust surprisingly fast and again, it’s really what you make of the situation. Be prepared to cook and share a space with other students and be open to whatever happens. I made some great friends at the Courtauld and spent plenty of time with them and in their house, and this was a large part of what made my time at the Courtauld so enjoyable. I felt like I fit there and it was an amazing feeling to have after spending an entire year there.

If you’re looking for an intense and different study abroad experience, I definitely recommend the Courtauld for someone who’s adaptable and willing to work.