Program Reviews

Studying in Rome was a great decision. It gave me the chance to break away from my college routine and experience learning, working, and living in an entirely new and enjoyable way. I took IES courses to further my studies in political science by studying both classic political philosophers like Macchiavelli and the current events of modern Italian politics. IES also connected me with a great internship working working for an english-language journal as an editorial assistant in charge of communications and social media. The internship gave me excellent work experience and professional insight into the current dynamics of European politics. And even while studying and working, I still had ample time to explore the city of Rome during the week and to travel to different parts of Europe during the weekend. I was able to immerse myself in Italian culture and become more deeply connected to my Italian heritage and identity. IES helped to facilitate this by giving me the opportunity to have a local Italian student as my roommate during the semester. I am very grateful for all that I learned and experienced during my time abroad.

I know that I definitely made the right choice by choosing Salamanca. This was the perfect city to learn Spanish in. Even though there were only four of us in the program, as this was the first time the program was being held, I feel like I still gained a lot from the experience. The small class sizes provided me with the opportunity to truly learn Spanish and to actively participate in class. I was also given the chance to learn about psychology and sociology from a different perspective. I had three classes with IES and two classes at the university (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca-UPSA). However, I only had one class in Spanish and I lived in the residence halls. As a result, I did my best to participate in activities that would help me speak Spanish more often. I went to some Intercambio nights and I also had multiple intercambios. I also tried my best to meet up with the orientation leaders, volunteers and grad assistant whenever I had the chance. By doing all this, I got to know the language and culture better.

Being able to walk around everywhere in the city was also a highlight for me as my college is in LA. The staff at the center were also very helpful and the activities that they provided were very fun. This university city was truly the best place to meet students from different cities and the best place to really learn Spanish and more about the culture. I made so many amazing memories and I hope to return to Salamanca one day.

In IES I studied under some of the best professors I've ever had, lived with several amazing international students outside of my program, and really enjoyed Freiburg. Academically, the professors were all unique and were given the flexibility needed to teach our classes based on what best suited us. The courses were done in modules (instead of 5 classes all taken at the same time throughout the semester, we had five 3-week blocks where each class began only when the other completely ended) which I believe allowed for better focus and encouraged us to dive deeper into subjects. The courses also weren't limited to the classroom, and included dozens of excursions both throughout the city and outside of it- the Swiss Alps hiking trip was particularly amazing. I do believe one or two classes needed better organization and communication between professors, especially those where we had multiple professors (which in theory was great as they each had a different expertise), and that the administration could have been more response and proactive in solving these issues. However this was the only issue I found with administration. They were otherwise extremely helpful, great with communcation, and always open to answering questions. Freiburg is great for studen- big enough to always find something new to do, but small enough that it's easy to navigate and get to classes. It has plenty of hiking trails reachable with public transit or even just walking from housing; the smaller "suburbs" outside each have their own feel and cool things to do, and are also easy to reach. The train station in the center of the city can connect you to tons of other German and International cities, and a small airport nearby can get you on a quick flight. The IES Environmental Program schedule doesn't leave a lot of room for long trips, but there are definitely some 4-day weekends you can use to go somewhere further. It also "forced" us to really look into Freiburg during our free time which I was very thankful for by the end of the trip. You'll have many chances to meet german, or international, students- whether through your housing or the required german courses.

Living in the Colegio Mayor Santa Fe provided me with a once in a lifetime look into spanish culture and day to day life. At first I was intimidated by the prospect of living with 70+ 18-22 year old spanish girls who don't speak English or know much about American culture. I was shocked and happy to find them accepting, generous, curious, and funny girls who loved having us there. Living in the middle of my two best friends that I met through the program was another plus! Besides being able to interact with local students, I was really able to interact with the history of the city. Imagine walking down a grand staircase that has probably been around for more than 100 years to a dining room with two long tables. At least 15 girls are all seated in the same area as we receive paella, pasta, or cocido to name a few meals. They ask about your day and fill you into what is new in their lives. On Saturdays we eat outside in the courtyard if the weather was nice while the cooks would chat with everyone and crack jokes. One of my favorite memories was playing on the basketball team which added girls from a different colegio to the team giving me a chance to meet new girls and see what life is like at another colegio. On the final game before christmas break we played against one of the hardest teams we played that season. Our supporters came in droves. We had girls cheering us on and tutoras, or RAs, supporting and being there for us for the biggest win of the season! Overall, living in the Colegio helped me exceed my study abroad cultural and linguistic expectations as it allowed me to interact with girls my own age and learn new words, popular songs, and traditions. I will never forget their kindness and generosity to me, and the memories that I will share with them.

My experience with IES Abroad Milan: Business Studies was absolutely incredible. Thanks to IES, the 4 months i spent in Italy were absolutely life changing. It was an experience that I will never forget and has shaped who I am today. The academic aspect of IES was great, as I enjoyed all of my classes and really liked all of my professors. It was unlike any american academic experience because of all the interesting field trips I got to go on in my classes. As for my housing situation, I was lucky enough to be placed in an apartment in one of the nicest areas of Milan. I became friends with my CA, who also happened to be my roommate, and because of her I truly felt like I was able to immerse myself into Italian culture. IES offered many weekend trips as well as activities to do in Milan such as pizza making, which allowed for students to participate in activities that they may not have partaken in otherwise. Overall, my experience with IES and the time I spent in Milan has changed me for the better and will absolutely have an influence on me for the rest of my life. Grazie IES, Grazie Milano!

The time I spent in Paris this fall has been one of the most enriching, rewarding, and influential experiences in my life. This is an excellent program for those who are looking to significantly improve their French language skills. By the end of the semester I felt so much more confident in my abilities to read, write, and speak the language. I chose to stay with a host family and I am so happy I did- they made me feel welcomed and comfortable in an unfamiliar environment and introduced me to aspects of French culture that I wouldn’t have been able to experience otherwise. One of my favorite things about Paris is that there is always something to do and the city is so rich in history and culture. I was able to travel outside of Paris a number of weekends and explore different cities around Europe, each introducing me to something new and broadening my perspectives. Studying abroad has brought me a greater awareness of what opportunities the world has to offer. I have nothing but good things to say about this program. Merci, IES Abroad!

I loved my experience with IES Abroad French Studies. I was placed with a homestay family, which allowed me to both practice French on a daily basis, but also to gain interesting points of view on current events and popular culture. My IES Aborad classes were excellent, and all taught by French university professors who both understood how to teach classes to American students and to students for whom French was their second language. I was also able to take classes at an outside university, and truly gain an understanding of the French university system, invaluable because I plan to return to France for further education after graduating college. I also met wonderful people during my time abroad, both students in my IES Abroad program, and French teenagers in my classes at the university. IES Abroad both encouraged and facilitated our immersion in French culture, and allowed students to really personalize the program to meet their specific goals.

I should probably begin by explaining the title of this review so you're not left wondering, "What the heck does he mean by 'Squeeze the Juice'?" During the orientation for my program, one of the program directors gave a presentation on getting the most out of your time abroad. He called this "Squeezing the Juice." Ridiculous as the phrase might have been, the phrase really caught on. It's hard to put such a life changing experience as studying abroad into words, and a reasonable amount of words at that, but here's a couple ways in which my program helped me squeeze the juice while I was abroad.

To begin with, my program had incredible faculty connections. I went to study music there, and was able to take private lessons from the retired 3rd horn of the Vienna Philharmonic, take composition classes from one of Austria's leading modern composers, and learn about acoustics from a leading sound engineer (who also happened to be a fantastic composer himself and jazz pianist). I had no idea I would be studying with such renowned faculty with my program, and got so much knowledge passed down from them.

Living wise, my program also made incredible accommodation as the apartment complex I lived in included a state of the art practice facility in the apartment! Only a few apartments in the complex were occupied by the program, and the rest were occupied by local tenants, so to have a private space to practice (horn) without disturbing the neighbors was unbelievable. Furthermore, within my apartment, I became very good friends with my apartment mates, and I am very happy my program provided us with this living opportunity.

Furthermore, the program provided us with excellently planned trips, including trips through class in Vienna and separate excursions with the program outside of Vienna. The excursions allowed for great opportunities to explore Austria without the hassle of having to organize your own trip. The program planned housing, transportation, activities, and several meals in these excursions. For example, one excursion I was able to visit the city of Graz during Austria's free museum night where I was able to visit several museums; my favorite being a key and lock museum I spent several hours in looking at locks and also trying to solve puzzle locks (emphasis on "trying"). Class trips allowed for hands on learning experiences and were funded by the program. I even got to go to my first Viennese ball thanks to my program, that was a blast!

The staff in the program were also extremely helpful. The 3 receptionists were very friendly and very accessible for help. I am also a soccer player, and with a few of the staff, I was able to join their local soccer team. I also had to go to the hospital at one point to get an MRI for a problem I was having with my elbow and a staff member kindly accompanied me to help me navigate the hospital. It was nice to have someone to talk to while waiting and someone who spoke fluent German with me. Also, as a side note, I was able to afford this MRI because my program had great insurance that covered any medical costs after the first 100 euros, so my insurance covered the entire MRI.

Finally, Vienna is an incredible place to study abroad. The public transportation is on point, with a fantastic Subway, bus, tram, and train system (that the program provides you with student discount cards for). Music is very affordable thanks to standing room ticket opportunities, and the music is obviously incredible. A few highlights for me were being able to see a new opera premier, see the Vienna Phil, see a Hans Zimmer concert (AND HANS ZIMMER WAS THERE), and seeing the Czech Philharmonic. I was also abroad in Fall and got to experience the adorable Viennese Christmas market. These pleasant markets were a fun place to be social but keep toasty out in the cold. I enjoyed these with my friends from the program and my language buddy (my program had a great language buddy program to help us be immersed in the culture, improve our German, and make friends). As a Californian it was fun to experience real winter there!

It is hard to put into words the amazing experience I had in Vienna between the Musical experience and the friends I made there, but none of those experience would have been possible without the help of my program in helping me squeeze the juice and teaching me how to.

New Zealand is the most beautiful place I have had the opportunity to travel to. The mountains and coast are within a 3 to 4 hour drive of each other... The landscapes are otherworldly... gosh, honestly New Zealand holds such a special place in my heart. Studying abroad with IES was the best decision I have made thus far in my life. If you are a student looking to study overseas but still speak Enlgish, New Zealand is the best best best option. If you love outdoor activities, NZ is the place for you. If you like independence, laid backness, and adventure, NZ is it.

Now, the IES program itself was lovely, and my classes were nice and not too challenging when I put in the work, but these arent the aspects that made NZ for me. New Zealand itself, is what make this the most amazing time. The mountains summited, the weekend adventures, the people I met along the way, the people I got to know. Those were the moments that made it all

I absolutely loved my semester with IES Nantes! I would have done another semester with the program if I could. This program is great for anyone trying to improve their French because it is so immersive: you live with a host family, all of your classes are in French, and most people doing the program with you have a passion for French! Nantes is an exciting and welcoming city that gives you tons of opportunities to improve your language skills. I think you really gain a deeper understanding of the French language and culture through IES and the activities that it plans for you. This program also has a great staff who really go the extra mile to help you become integrated and happy in France. I had some of the best four months of my life with IES Nantes and I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who has a passion for French or who wants to have an authentic cultural experience!