IES Abroad Reviews

One of the benefits of taking a class at a local university is that you can join their sports teams. Since I play at my university, I decided to join the UCA volleyball team. We had practice 2 times a week and games every Friday night. Not only did I get Spanish practice and made some of my favorite memories but I also made some of my best friends there, and they were Argentine!

Prior to living in Sydney, I had never navigated public transportation before. On my first day, I took the bus to KMart to gather necessary supplies. After coming out of the shop with 3 large shopping bags and a laundry basket, I realized I had no idea what bus I needed to take back, which made finding the bus stop difficult. I asked multiple people where the bus stop was but still was confused about which bus to take. I resorted in calling a taxi which I now realized took me the long way home and charged me extra. I guess you need a few hiccups before you can get the system down! By the end of the semester I knew the public transit system like the back of my hand.

I loved participating in IES Abroad’s Milan program. From arrival, they helped us become situated while still giving us the freedom to explore. I lived with an Italian roommate, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. She helped us figure out how to get around Milan, gave us amazing restaurant suggestions, taught us delicious recipes, and became a great friend. IES staff also organized some really fun trips for us. For example, we got to go to Parma, Italy, where we sampled amazing parmesan cheese and 50-year old balsamic vinegar. I enjoyed many of the trips that they organized and thought they were a great part of my experience abroad.

Milan itself is a fantastic city to study abroad in. Although it might not be known for having the most tourist sites, it has an incredible history of Leonardo daVinci living and working there, and the Duomo, Sforza Castle, and Galleria are incredible buildings. Due to the relatively fewer tourists, I felt as though I could actually get to know the city itself. I loved exploring the bakeries, cafes, and aperitivos. I would also encourage students to participate in city events. I ran in the Stramilano 10K, and it was such an incredible opportunity that the average tourist would never experience. Be sure to seek out those unique activities, because they will add so much to your time abroad.

I would recommend the IES – Roma Language and Area Studies to anyone that was looking to study abroad in Rome. First, I felt as though the IES staff did an excellent job of preparing me for going abroad. The website had specific instructions for everything that I needed to complete, and there was always someone there to help if I was confused or had questions, This made me feel more prepared and confident before I left the United States. Once I was there, the staff was equally as helpful. They sent emails every week letting us know of any safety issue that may occur and offering different activities throughout the week. In addition, the apartment that I lived in was great- very clean and plenty of space for 8 girls. The location that the IES Abroad center was located was extremely central. Finally, the classes that I took there were great as well. I loved being able to see and experience different things that I was learning about in class on field studies. The professors were very eager to teach their students and were very knowledgeable about the subjects they were teaching and about Rome in general. I really had a great time in Rome and it wouldn’t have been possible without IES!

I will never in my life go somewhere as magical as Rio de Janeiro. The cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) lives up to its name in every way, especially when viewed from breathtaking sights like Dois Irmaos peak, Pão de Azucar, and the wondrous Cristo Redentador. In the spring of 2015 I went on a semester abroad with IES Rio, and I had the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. Simply put, it was the best experience of my life. I learned Portuguese, taught English at Latin America’s oldest institute for the blind, and became a writer for a local NGO—when I wasn’t lounging on the world famous Ipanema beach, Samba dancing in Lapa, practicing Capoeira, or canoeing in the Amazon. Having multiple once-in-a-lifetime experiences during a single week was not uncommon for me and my group of IES cohorts.

IES Rio gave me just the right amount of freedom and guidance, and let me explore the city in my own way. I cannot thank the staff enough for their help, and I would recommend the experience to anyone.

From the moment I first stepped foot on Spanish soil, I swore to never be afraid to try new experiences, and to not let any opportunity escape my grasp. And by studying abroad through the IES Salamanca Program, I found such an amazing array of opportunities to get involved not only by taking stimulating courses on the Franco Regime, medieval literature, and a linguistics course at the local university, but also to become a part of the community through intercambios with native Spanish students and volunteerism at the local cultural center for immigrants to Salamanca as a volunteer English Instructor. In my home stay, I lived with my host mother, another American student, and our Yorkshire Terrier, Jaco. This became one of the most memorable components of my time abroad, and I can definitely say that through IES, I found my second family as a part of the experience. I still text my host mom every day, and hope to return to Salamanca to see her as well as all of the IES Abroad staff! Everyone at the center was so helpful and encouraging throughout my time there. While at first it was challenging to become adjusted to a completely new language and culture, I was pleased to find assistance and guidance throughout the entire semester, especially when I expressed interest in pursuing a volunteer opportunity within the community. We also took a lot of different trips around Spain and beyond -- during the Spring semester we were able to travel to Segovia, Toro, Zamora, Madrid, and Portugal. Not only a really fun time, these trips were a great way to form close bonds with students from across the United States in the absence of our native language and culture. I made some life-long friendships with several amazing people I met through my program, and I will never forget some of those long bus rides and the many memories we all share together. Overall, the entire semester was filled with so many different ways to become immersed in the Spanish way of life, and I can say without hesitation that my time abroad through IES became a life-changing experience, one that has shaped who I am now and who I dream to become.

I spent an incredible semester studying in Paris, France this past spring thanks to IES. The IES staff members showed their dedication to their students by helping and supporting us at every step of our program. They made the transition to and from my home university easy and put in the effort to make us feel at home in a foreign city.

My host family was one of the best parts of my study abroad experience. Through my conversations with my host parents I learned more about French culture and language than I ever could in a classroom setting. My host parents were kind, funny, caring and welcoming. Their generosity alleviated any homesickness that I was feeling, and their advice helped me make the most of my time in Paris.

My courses at the IES center made me aware of the beauty and complexity of Paris and helped me confront cultural differences better. IES also guided me through the process of interviewing and securing an internship at a famous art gallery. My internship gave me the confidence to engage in conversations with French speakers, which led me to meeting three Parisian artists.

IES staff members also dedicated a lot of time to organizing field trips and activities for their students. During my semester I traveled to Nimes, Aigues-Mortes, Avignon, Reims, Giverny, Deauville, Versailles, Fontainebleu, Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague. Thanks to IES contests and activities, I won tickets to see Swan Lake at the Opera Bastille ballet, a private street art tour, and brunch at Angelina’s. Some of my favorite memories included visiting Paris’ Grande Mosquee, spending a night in the catacombs, touring champagne caves, drinking tea at a cat café, going to the theatre, wandering for hours through Paris’ streets and museums, and making new friends who shared these experiences with me.

My semester with IES is one that I will cherish, and I hope that other students who share my love for travel, adventure, and culture will choose an IES program for their semester abroad.

Studying abroad was the best experience I ever had. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity where you learn more about yourself, the world and people you would never normally meet. I was nervous to go at first but IES helped a lot through the whole process and how to adjust to a new culture. They were completely safe and made sure you knew how to handle the adjustment as well as being open for help if needed. I had an amazing time learning and exploring and I couldn’t of done it without IES Abroad. I walked into my homestay with no idea of the language but my host family chosen by IES was so welcoming it was hardly a problem and in the end I had a spectacular time. There were challenges but that made the whole experience worth it and I am so much better for studying abroad with the IES Abroad program.

My experience abroad was extremely worthwhile. Not only did I greatly improve my Spanish speaking abilities, make new American and foreign friends, and explore all over Spain and Europe, but I also grew a lot as a person. Mainly, I experienced a new level of independence traveling in foreign countries by myself, and gained a fresh perspective on the US and also found a love for Spanish art!

I lived with a wonderful host mom and another American student. This experience, I think, is the best way to get immersed in the Spanish culture. She spoke to my roommate and I exclusively in Spanish and helped our language capabilities immensely. I learned a lot about Spain and the culture through our conversations, and got to know a network of other Spaniards through meeting her neighbors and extended family. My roommate and I each had our own bedrooms and had a separate bathroom, and the apartment was always extremely clean. I was in a safe neighborhood, very close to a lot of restaurants and shops and walking distance to school.

I will admit, I was a little nervous about having my food needs met in Spain as a vegetarian. However, my host mom was very accommodating to my food restrictions and still made me traditional Spanish dishes, just often substituting meat or fish with eggs or beans. She also let us use her kitchen to make dinners at night, and often let us eat leftovers from lunch for dinner.

As for the classes,they are fairly easy in comparison to the coursework I am accustomed to at my home university. That being said, the professors are knowledgeable in their subjects and very understanding about speaking clearly (and repeating things) in Spanish and about accommodating students. The art classes in particular are fantastic, as they take place in the Prado and Reina Sofia museums and you learn about the art as you look at it!

One thing that really stood out to me about this particular program is that the staff at IES Madrid is incredible. They are all extremely friendly and eager to get to know each student as a person- they had all of our names memorized day 1! They work very hard to get everyone matched into classes they want. I was on the waitlist for 4 out of the 5 classes I ended up taking- they got me into every class I wanted. They also put a lot of effort into extracurricular activities and program-lead trips to places that a typical abroad student might not know to visit. Overall, I cannot recommend IES Abroad Madrid- Language and Area Studies program enough.

When I reflect back on my time in Granada I am nostalgic for the free tapas, the laid-back people, the beautiful mountains and the stunning Alhambra. My routine in Granada was so different from the fast paced life of college in the States. The long lunches with my host mom and roommate in the middle of the day followed by some downtime during siesta allowed me to appreciate each day and relax before continuing classes or heading out for tapas with a friend. IES Granada is a great program. The staff and professors are all very friendly and very eager to help you get to know Granada and the Spanish people. One of my favorite things about the IES Granada program was the trip to Morocco which was lead seamlessly by Moroccan guides and IES staff. Morocco was truly a special experience, as was Granada. Thank you IES for a great semester!