Program Reviews

My summer interning abroad with IES was an essential growing period for me. As a Ghanaian-American in Cape Town, I learned so much about myself and my continent. I gained a better understanding of the legacies of colonialism, classification, and the inheritance of racism. Additionally, through my internship at the internationally renowned Groote Schuur Hospital, I was able to observe and expand my knowledge of South Africa’s healthcare system. My time in South Africa grew my level of independence and showed me that I could be whoever I wanted to be, whenever I wanted. Additionally, it has increased my curiosity regarding other African countries. Though in my case, Cape Town had a huge role in the culmination of my experience, traveling to any country that is not your own, is a breathtaking and necessary experience. Go!

As the clouds above soaked a dampened atmosphere, I hurried under an awning to take shelter from the first shower of the rainy season. As if being conducted by maestros along the tops of adjacent skyscrapers, flurries of hotfooted salarymen began to weave between their fellow commuters in a rush hour ballad, only to crescendo in the simultaneous opening of their clear plastic umbrellas as they left the stage of Shinjuku station. Once notorious for employing “pushers” to push commuters onto overloaded trains, Shinjuku station remains one of the busiest train stations in the world with over 3.5 million commuters passing through its gates every day. Although maybe not something that everyone would find amusing, it is a sight that made me truly appreciate the scope of the world.

I grew up surrounded by the sugar plantations sowed along the hills of Hanapepe, Hawaii. Though I would leave the island for university, I would again find myself in a bucolic bog in the wheatlands of Pullman, Washington at Washington State University. Studying computational neuroscience and Japanese, I decided that I should study abroad in Japan to gain an immersion into the language and culture to understand more of what Japan was about. That is when I discovered IES’s summer Tokyo program.

If chosen to participate in the program, you will meet up with your fellow students for a few days of orientation and placement examinations. At the time of my writing this review, there are six total classes spanning from the 1000 to 3000 level with two classes in each division. They are all held on the same campus that you will dorm at in the National Olympic Memorial Youth Centre in the outskirts of Shinjuku. You will dorm in an on campus dormitory, living in an approximate 15’X 5’single room with a desk, communal restrooms/wet rooms, and communal laundromat. I had tested into the higher division of the 3000 level classes. I believe the level of instruction in class is more than satisfactory. Classes are quite personal (~8-20 people). Each class does various extracurricular activities throughout the semester based on level. These range from cooking classes with native Japanese students to traveling to national museums to learn more about the country and culture of Japan. But I believe the true value of the program is found beyond the boundaries of the campus.

Shinjuku station lies a twenty-minute walk or five-minute train ride to the North of campus. From there, the entirety of Tokyo’s 23 wards, an area spanning 239 sq mi, is accessible via subways. metros, buses, and a multitude of other modes of transportation. A new perspective of Japanese culture to the commuters that get off at every station. From the hub of anime and everything Japanese pop related in Akihabara, to the 3-starred Michelin restaurants and ultra-luxury malls of Ginza, every destination that comes to mind when thinking of Japan is within a stone’s throw from the youth centre. You could even take a weekend trip to Kyoto or Sapporo if you wanted (something that I frequently did via the bullet train coming out of Tokyo station).

I have made many friends in the program, fellow exchange student and native Japanese alike. I will never forget the memories that we made in class, the nights in the karaoke booths in Shibuya, or the subsequent trips to the adjacent streets lined with “izakaya”s. You can only learn so much about Japan from inside of the classroom. But, if you are truly interested in learning more about the country, what its people and culture are really like, then why not take a summer to learn abroad in the most populous city in all of Japan?

I had an amazing time while studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany for IES European Union Summer Study Abroad Program! I had the opportunity to travel to so many countries that I wouldn't have ventured to otherwise like Russia, Bosnia, and Serbia. I had lifelong connections with the other students that traveled abroad with me and I absolutely love the faculty and staff at this location. They were very supportive and inclusive to students of color and the unique struggles that they may experience abroad. The courses were definitely immersive and eyeopening, to say the least. The coursework is manageable and still gives you time to explore and enjoy your time abroad! This program will help you get out of comfort zone as it did for and genuinely contribute to tour growth. If you're thinking of studying abroad, I strongly encourage choosing this program!

I have never traveled overseas alone before. As a graduate student, I had grown comfortable with the routine of things, from classes to rotations, and weekly exam reviews along with work obligations. But one day I woke up and realized that after I graduate, I wouldn’t have time to learn what life is like in another part of the world like I could as a student. As someone who has always been curious about other cultures and as a strong believer in bridging gaps in communication between different populations, I wanted to be able to really learn from life across the world and then use that knowledge to direct my own career in the future. While my university does offer a plethora of classes that can educate people about different cultures, I knew that there was a clear difference in learning about it and learning within it.

I spent weeks looking for internships that could apply to my interests while also providing the security that I wanted as someone studying abroad alone. When I discovered IES Abroad, my entire life changed. From the beginning of the application to when I arrived back in my home state after my 8 weeks living in Milan, Italy, the staff was there 100%. They helped me get my documents together for school and were very organized in helping all of the study abroad students get acquainted with the schedule and their expectations of us once we arrived. In addition to a class focused on cultural differences, society, and economics, they offered a free Italian language class, which was SO helpful when it came to my internship site and when I travelled to other places over the weekends (which they let us do!). I wanted to explore the Psychology field as it isn’t really discussed in my program, and they partnered me with a psychologist who had just created his own psychology company. It was so educational and enlightening, and my former boss and I still talk to this day! They have an incredibly vast array of programs and subjects that students can choose from, and they even give you the choice of interviewing with your potential boss while studying abroad before you even arrive in your study abroad country! I really liked that they were committed to helping me find a good fit from the very beginning.

In terms of location, I was in the HEART of Milan, in a gorgeous apartment, with three other American students and one community assistant (a native Italian college student). It was so safe and secure, which was something that made everyone so much more open to exploring their surroundings and really immersing themselves in the culture. They also provided everyone with a student health insurance plan that was included in our tuition fees. In terms of pricing, IES is one of the most affordable internships I have seen, and it definitely had the most coverage in terms of securing a placement geared to the student’s needs, safe and convenient housing, optional trips within the IES program (which were also SO much fun), health insurance, and weekend travel opportunities. I will forever be grateful for IES Abroad and the amazing staff that helped me learn so much about the world and so much about myself this past summer. A piece of my heart will always be in Italy.

If you're thinking about studying abroad but feel like there are so many reasons not to-- trust me, DO IT! Take a chance on yourself. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

Throughout my whole two months interning abroad in Cape Town, South Africa my experience was an adventurous and challenging one. I was able to expand my cultural knowledge on and learn information about different types of townships and their history. In addition, I grew on a personal note by learning how to be more patient and adaptable to a more laid-back work environment where the main priority is based on sustaining and building relationships. On a professional level, I gained more practice with my communication skills, self-motivation, adaptability and computer skills. I definitely did experience a lot of moments when I would feel homesick, but to help overcome these moments I would just hang out with friends and call my family. And of course, when it was time to leave to go back to the States I was not ready. However, I do know that I will be visiting again!

Cape Town was nothing like I expected. The city was completely surrounded by mountains. I climbed Lion's Head and rode a cable car in order to reach the top of Table Mountain. Both times, the views at the top left me breathless. I am not much of a hiker, but hiking up at least one of the mountains is a must!

There were many cultures that came to reside in Cape Town and so many different cuisines to try. I enjoyed Cape Malay food the best, and I highly recommend going to Bo-Kaap, a former township in Cape Town. I was also able to visit Robben Island, one of the prisons that Nelson Mendlon was incarcerated in. It was an eye-opening experience because one of our tour guides was imprisoned on the island and spoke a little about his time there. The rich history in Robben Island and in South Africa as a whole was taught to my peers and I through a course and overtime during our time there.

My internship placement taught me so much more about not only South African culture but also the culture of neighboring nations. South Africa is known as the Rainbow Nation, and I understood the label once I started at my internship. There were so many clients from different countries that came to South Africa with the same sole purpose of bettering their own lives and their families. I was able to learn so much through the people I met and the places I saw.

I participated in the Dublin Summer Internship program in the summer of 2019. I interned for a small startup company called Restored Hearing. My co-workers and supervisors at my internship were some of the friendliest and most receptive people I have ever encountered. I definitely developed many of my professional skills, but I also progressed as a person. This experience was a great opportunity for me to see the world and decide how I want to live in it. The time I spent traveling around Ireland and Europe was absolutely life changing and I made many great friends along the way. This experience influenced me to change my ideas on what career path I want to take. I actually plan on going back to Ireland for Graduate School and pursuing a degree in international business.

During my program, I completed a research project in the folklore archive of the Chilean National Library. Through this internship, I was able to further narrow down what sort of career path I wanted to take and what kind of work environment I want to be in. The placement process for internships was a little last minute (within a couple weeks of the program starting) because IES was going through staffing changes, but ultimately, everything ended up working out and the program went smoothly.

Chile is also an amazing country to travel to for its natural landmarks alone. Things like the Atacama Desert and Patagonia are just a short plane trip away and the Andes Mountains are visible at any point in Santiago! IES also took us on field trips to several places around such as La Moneda (the main government office) and Valparaiso!

The program was also relatively affordable compared to other summer study abroad programs, and IES does give financial aid if needed.

Overall I had a fantastic experience, and I would encourage anyone who is interested to take advantage of the opportunity to work and study abroad!

I didn't really know what to expect when going into this program because it was my first time ever going abroad. I was super nervous about safety concerns abroad and the community in general. IES Milan was super helpful and everyone was super welcoming. I was placed in an internship that aligned really well with what I wanted to do. The staff in Milan were also super accommodating to people who wanted to change internships. The accommodations that we received in Milan were also very nice, we were placed in safe neighborhoods that were close to the inner city. Everything in the city was extremely accessible and I had time to travel to other parts of the country which was really fun! I didn't know anyone going into the program but I got close to my roommates and traveled with them making lifelong friendships.

IES Abroad Nice was one of the best decisions I have made in my life! I have never had the opportunity to live and become so submerged into another culture prior to this summer. I have always lived in Michigan and while having the opportunity to travel to various places, I have never been gone from home for so long. Walking to class every morning (even though we had class at 9 or 9:30 everyday which is super early for me) by all of the pastry shops and walking to the Mediterranean ocean after class to sunbathe was literally a dream. In addition, the credits from my classes transferred back to my home school, so I got course credit which was really amazing. This program is super unique, too, because you also get the chance to live in Marseille (another town in France) and to travel around Morocco with the other people on the trip. I got super close with all of the other students as well as the director or the program, and look forward to returning to Nice very soon!