IES Abroad Reviews

Vienna, Austria has so much to offer particularly for students interested in studying abroad, learning about a new culture, country, and people from all around the world. Museums, opera, farmers markets, restaurants, churches, live orchestras, night scenes, palaces, parks.... there is an infinite list of places and events one could attend every day. The IES program and housing locations made my time spent in Vienna even better, right in the center of the city, we were able to walk back and forth from the housing to the program in just 20 minutes while enjoying the beautiful scenery around us.

My summer in Cape Town consisted of a 6 credit community and health development course and hospital rotations that helped us divulge into South African healthcare. We saw private and public health care systems and then got to compare primary to secondary to tertiary systems. In between these experiences, the IES staff made sure we got to see every aspect of Cape Town. Our location was safe and close to a lot of attractions. The staff planned trips for us such as seeing Robben Island, a Stormers Rugby Match, hosting a home stay experience for us, trying the best Braii place and more. Through all this we all got to see that Cape Town is a truly beautiful place.

The course was taught by a local nurse and from that I felt like I got more of a genuine experience rather than from a professor. The class was taught on University of Cape Town campus and it made us feel more of a student - just only regrettable thing was that we didn't get to see any UCT students as it was their Winter Break.

From the beginning, at the airport, the IES staff was available and helpful. Prior to leaving, they gave a very detailed online orientation to get you the basics of Ireland and how life would be there. Housing was very nice - I was in the DCU program, and we each had our own room with an in-suite bathroom, within a 5 minute walk to campus. From the Trinity students, they live in very nice houses, but share rooms for the most part. The academics are very different from the US academic programs, but they are very clear as to what they expect, and the program will give you plenty of time to travel around both Ireland and Europe. The social life was great, and hand-in-hand, so was the safety. I was never uncomfortable walking back to my apartment at night, as a woman. The IES staff was incredible with organizing dinners for the group and outings to experience Ireland more thoroughly. Additionally, they were always there in case of emergency, and gave great advice. Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I believe that choosing to go with IES helped me fall in love Ireland even more so. I cannot wait to go back, and I cannot stop recommending IES and DCU to other students.

IES Abroad's program in Arles was easily the best summer of my life. Courses were interesting, staff was accommodating, trips were awesome, and host families were inviting. I would definitely recommend this program to any student of French!

Arles was amazing - from the scenic, historic town strewn with Roman monuments and Van Gogh's traces, to the welcoming, tight-knit local community; from the enthusiastic on-site staff and professors to my culturally-curious peers.

Throughout the five weeks of the program, I kept feeling like I was dreaming. Spending my summer in this vacation-like little town tucked away in the South of France with a local family takes away so much of the stress of college campus back in the States, while I actually learn enormously both in and outside of the classroom. My host family took such good care of me and really tried to integrate me into every part of their family activities - we went on weekend getaways in the mountains and swam in rivers; we went to dinners at multiple neighbors; we went to see the French National Day fireworks... They were so friendly and patient when sometimes I couldn't express exactly what I wanted to say in French. My host family and I got along so much that when I left, everyone actually cried. It was a very emotional experience, and it really opened my eyes to the local French life. I am definitely revisiting my host family in the near future.

For the IES Madrid Summer program, you are required to take one grammar and conversation course, and one elective. The grammar class is great for brushing up on how Spaniards speak vs. what you may have learned in previous classes. For my elective class I took an Art History course that met in the Prado three days a week. How often do you get to learn about famous paintings while standing right in front of them?! All of the staff was so warm and welcoming, too. My professors and the directors of the IES Center were funny and outgoing, and made a point of getting to know every student to help them improve their Spanish, which I hope to use in the professional world when I graduate.
Deciding to study over the summer was a great idea because the academics were relaxed and the Spanish students were not busy with schoolwork and were more available to show us the city. Be sure to bring clothes for all weather, though! The temperature fluctuates a lot between May and June. The program is short, only about 2 months, but that means that all of the students on the program are really trying to make the most of everything. Everyone tries to go on every trip (there are two organized by IES) and takes advantage of every opportunity (free additional cooking/flamenco classes, guided tours of the Palacio Real etc.). IES also organizes tons of activities with Spanish students at the university so that you really get to immerse yourself in the Madrid culture.
One of my favorite parts of this program was my homestay experience. My host mom -- or señora -- was an incredible woman who cooked me amazing meals and made laugh every day. IES does a great job matching you up with a señora whose English abilities match your Spanish abilities. My Spanish skills were already high, and my señora didn't speak a word of English! I did some of my best learning over long dinner conversations with her, and we still keep in touch via email. That's not to say that it wasn't an awkward or even scary transition to living with someone else in a foreign country. It can be hard to get used to following your señora's rules or customs, but once you do, it becomes routine and you just enjoy the immersive experience and learn to laugh at the times you can't understand one another.

IES Nantes was a wonderful, immersive, and challenging way to spend an academic year abroad. The opportunity to take all of my classes at the university allowed me to meet some really great professors and make friends in the community, while the classes offered through IES were challenging without being overwhelming, and the professors were amazingly qualified.

Nantes is a fun place to live and study, and although it lacks the glamour of Paris, there is a vibrant arts scene and a lot of nature surrounding the city. It is a great place for running and water sports, concerts, and theater. Although it has almost a million inhabitants, Nantes can feel really cozy, and the Christmas markets and the centre ville in winter are reminiscent of a Hallmark film.

The best part of studying abroad in New Zealand was being able to see a variety of landscapes all in close proximity to each other. Glaciers, volcanoes, mountains, and oceans were all just hours away. IES was an extremely great way for me to meet the people who are now some of my best friends. IES's orientation allowed me to get to know people, make friends, and feel at home within just a few days.

I brought everything I needed, except for a good pair of Ked-like shoes to wear comfortably around campus. I ended up purchasing a $5 pair at Kmart, as did many students. I also wish I brought more sweaters, because it randomly rains for short periods of time almost daily. It is best to remember to pack a rain jacket and hiking boots, because you will use them constantly. Also, remember to pack a warm hoodie and jacket for when it gets chilly at the end of the semester.

My trip abroad made me realise that I want to move abroad to practice occupational therapy as soon as I graduate. While in New Zealand, I shadowed occupational therapists in multiple settings, which showed me that I can practice anywhere. My time abroad also showed me that I can live independently, even when I am completely across the world from my friends and family. I can't wait to live abroad after graduation. My experience is an unforgettable one that has made me a better person.

I had two programs to choose from for my study abroad semester in Japan: IES Tokyo or IES Nagoya. My Japanese teacher suggested the Nagoya program for a few reasons. First, since with the Nagoya program you are a student of Nanzan University, a Japanese university, you get more immersion and although you are still taking classes with foreigners, you can join university clubs and socialize with Japanese students. Secondly, Nagoya is less tourisity than Tokyo, which means not everyone speaks English and you are forced to use Japanese in your daily life. Thirdly, Nagoya is a major train / bullet train stop, and is situated between Kyoto and Tokyo. I prefer the old capital Kyoto to Tokyo, and so the location is perfect for me as I can visit Kyoto as often as I want, whereas it might take 4 times as long to get to Kyoto from Tokyo.

For my semester in Nanzan University I took Japanese (obviously), Japanese translation, Japanese Society, Tea Ceremony, and Woodblock Printing. All of the classes were extremely interesting, and the workload did not at all hinder my plans to travel every weekend. Japanese translation was fun because we got to work with a variety of materials such as short stories, manga, and song lyrics, while getting extra practice on what we learned in the other Japanese classes. For some classes, such as Tea Ceremony and Woodblock Printing, the teachers could not speak English very well, but they spoke Japanese very clearly and used simple words so that we could understand them. The teachers got us involved in seasonal Japanese events as they happen - we got to do flower arrangement in the Tea Ceremony class on Girls' Day, for example, and got to do a tea ceremony outside during cherry blossom season.

Our accommodation arrangements were made through Nanzan University. I am a vegetarian, and since there are not a lot of vegetarians in Japan I did not expect to get a host family which was my first option. However, Nanzan was able to match me with a host family! The host mother was very attentive to my needs, and asked me upon our first meeting what I could and could not eat in detail. She would always check with me when she was unsure of something, too. During a trip with my host mother to Shirakawa-go, we stayed at a traditional, family-run Japanese inn that my host mother stayed at way back when she was in high school! She taught me about the inn, and pointed me to good spots to visit or to get food that I otherwise would not have known about had I travelled alone. It was a great experience being on a host program, since you get to experience daily life as part of a Japanese family: you don't just read about what the Japanese have for breakfast, or what they do during certain festivals, and so on - living with a host family, these daily activities become a part of who you are.

I was able to explore Nagoya as well as travel outside of it every weekend. Transportation in Japan is very very expensive, but there are things you can do to minimize the costs, such as taking normal trains or buses instead of more the more costly Shinkansen (bullet train). Being on an IES Abroad program as well as a Nanzan University program, you get the best of both worlds: you get to go on on excursions organized by both programs. With IES we have been to Hiroshima, Nara, and Nagahama, and with Nanzan we have been to places inside Nagoya such as Nagoya Castle, or the Toyota Manufacturing Plant. On the IES program trips we were able to stay at traditional Japanese inns and have traditional Japanese set meals (kaiseki) - they are very costly and if I had travelled alone I probably would not be able to experience these things.

One thing that might count as a negative for Spring-semester students: in Japan, the new semester does not start until April, so you will not get to meet the local students for the first 4 months that you are here. However, there are still Japanese students in the dorms, or if you have a host family, you can talk with them! April is when all of the club activities start, too, and you can join them if you want to befriend Japanese students. I was in the Shorinji Kempo club, and even though my Japanese was not fluent the members there were extremely nice.

IES abroad was one of the most formative experiences I have had as a young adult. The program itself is well organized and reputable. The staff has been with the program for many years and nothing comes to them as a surprise. They know how to make the program worthwhile and they are very sweet and helpful. Additionally, IES is very well connected within Madrid. For example, one of my classes was held at the Prado museum two days a week and taught by the coordinator of the Goya wing at the museum. Not only was he an amazing teacher, he was very well intentioned and cared about his students.

I was hesitant to choose homestay before I left for Madrid, but I am SO happy I did. I lived with a wonderful older woman and a roommate (we had separate rooms) and she ended up being like family to me. She had been in the program for many years and she was well acquainted with the social and travel life of study abroad students. Additionally, she lived in a very great part of Madrid that was residential, close to the school, and highly accessible to the rest of the city.

Just to give a day to day perspective of my experience, I would begin with my mandatory Spanish intensive course at 9am, which was surprisingly a blast and very helpful. I would have a break between classes and either go home or to the gym. I would go back to IES take my other courses and then return back to my homestay for comida. After comida, depending on my schedule I would either go to class at the Prado Museum or do odds and ends around the city. I would return home fairly late at about 7-8, and make myself a small dinner. (The midday meal is HUGE). Then I would either do homework or meet friends for food and drinks.

Another aspect I loved about IES was that it made travel very easy. I visited 22 towns and cities while I was abroad and I never felt overwhelmed. Additionally, the staff makes school fun. They are very Spanish in the way they approach schoolwork and social life and I wish Americans would be the same way.

I truly loved IES and my only complaint is that I wish I did it for a year. Finally! I think it's important to mention that IES was not the sponsored program at my college. I willingly declined the other program and had to petition in order to go on IES. I couldn't have been happier with my decision.