IES Abroad Reviews

IES Madrid is a great program with many different options to personalize your experience. Academically, students are able to challenge themselves as much as they like with the option of enrolling in UCM. UCM courses are a great way to become immersed and learn in a foreign setting.
Also, it is great that there are other opportunities to become involved: including an internship program and being an English Teaching Assistant in a local secondary school. I enjoyed learning about the Spanish education system and helping adolescence learn English through the teaching assistant program.
Overall, this is a great program with a lot of options. Also, Angel and Yolanda do a great job supporting all of the students.

I made the choice to study abroad long before I entered college. I was fortunate enough to have some international experience growing up; I genuinely felt like I knew what I was getting myself. I was so wrong. Turns’ out, living in another country for 4 months is a lot different than sightseeing around Paris or Machu Picchu. It’s better. As a tourist, you miss everything that isn’t on the front page of the guidebook. Cool, you took a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower and posted it with a different caption on four social media sites. 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year, and nearly all of them take the picture. It isn’t special anymore; it’s a humble brag. I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower; it gave me a few minutes of happiness, which at the time, I believed was because I went on this foreign excursion where I learned so much about France. Or something like that. Anyway, what you miss is people. Tourists don't make friends. How can you? If you only have 7 days and can’t speak a word of the language, meaningful relationships can’t be built. My time in Japan isn’t memorable because I went to Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji fish market, Sky Tree, Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima. It’s memorable because of who I spent that time with.
My only reason for choosing Japan rode along the lines of “I’ve never been anywhere in Asia. I’ll go somewhere there!” From that, I applied for IES Tokyo. I knew surprisingly little about Japan before getting there. Many IES Tokyo students are Anime/Manga fans and cited that as the reason they came. Don’t worry, there’s a lot more in Japan than cartoons. IES Tokyo has an E-Pal program where they assign a local student from KUIS to help you in your transition. They are mostly English/International business majors, who speak English if you have no Japanese skills. The E-Pals in Autumn 2016 were wonderful. They aren’t being paid; they are there for the cultural exchange and the opportunity to meet foreign students. Don’t even consider not signing up for it, it’s the single best thing about IES Tokyo. The first two weeks you spend a lot of time as a big group of IES/E-Pal, and during this time, I started so many unforgettable friendships with not only my E-pal, but many others too. You’re going to Japan for cultural exchange; so do it! Take a genuine curiosity in your new friends, and just maybe you will find that they are also interested in who you are.
Japan itself is a fantastic country, you’ll get used to it fast. Use your Japanese skills, and you will find that Japan is accessible, customer-service oriented, and efficient. Almost everything is a tad different than we are used to in western countries, which is a good chance to do some cultural reflecting as to why that is. Broaden your mind! Also, Japan is safe. So safe, that if you lost your wallet, a Japanese person will run down the street to return it to you. Venturing out at night and feeling safe is something we don't have in the United States.
IES Tokyo is actually in Chiba, not Tokyo. Please be aware of this if you think you’re going to be living in Shibuya or something. That said Chiba is great! The dormitories are somewhat central between KUIS and Tokyo station, and many homestays are too. I lived in Ichikawa-Shi with a wonderful host family in a very central location. Most students were in homestays, and all recommended it. IES has a great pool of host families they use, so take advantage of that! Your host family is there to be your family, try to be close to them because they care a lot about you. I spent countless hours chatting with my host mother after dinners, I learned so much just by talking. Many older Japanese people have different worldviews than your peers at KUIS, so take advantage! The staff at IES Tokyo is wonderful. They are kind, helpful and knowledgeable if you need anything. Need a doctor? Ask the staff! Lose your glasses? Ask the staff! Mail a letter, feeling homesick or need to know the best ramen shop in Tokyo? Ask!
Caleb (IES Tokyo director) told me of what he called the “magic” of studying abroad. When IES students and E-Pals come together, it creates an atmosphere so amazing, he could only call it magic. I couldn’t agree more. It’s impossible to recreate, you need to live it yourself. When I first arrived in Japan, I told myself that this would be my only chance to be here, to take advantage and have fun. I’ve never returned to a country before because I like to see new places. Japan blew that out the window. I can’t imagine not going back now. Saying goodbye hurt a lot, which made the last day at the airport even worse. I was not ready to leave.. My story in Japan isn’t over yet. Actually, it’s just getting started. Take a chance on IES Tokyo, and it might change you. See you soon.
Kellen

On this date one year ago, I made the best decision of my life: to study abroad in Madrid, Spain. I was filled with anticipation and excitement... I had seen friends' pictures and heard that studying abroad is "an experience of a lifetime" but still didn't know exactly what that meant.
Through IES Abroad, I was pushed to expand my horizons both in the classroom and out. I improved my Spanish, of course, but more importantly I learned about myself. Everyone, from the program directors and the professors, to my host family, and the friends I met along the way greeted me with kindness and made me feel loved. While I was in Madrid, no matter how bad of a day I had had, it was impossible not to smile. In fact, just reflecting on my experience makes me smile.
One year ago I had no idea that I would fall head over heels for the country, the culture, and the people of Madrid. One year ago today I could have never told you that I would feel just as much like I was leaving home when I was departing from the USA as I did on my return flight from Madrid. I am so thankful for all the opportunities I was given through IES Abroad and urge you to apply... who knows, maybe one year from today, you'll feel the same way I do!

I spent my fall semester of the year 2016 with IES Abroad Rome, and it was incredible.

There were many obstacles that I encountered immediately upon arrival. I had never travelled outside of the United States of America before, so the sense of disorientation and cultural shock was jarring and frightening. Sometimes I felt so overwhelmed that I didn't want to leave my homestay or go to school. IES had a support system for me already set in place; I could talk to professors, administrative officers, and the ever-lovable ISCs (Italian-Speaking Student Companions). They were more than faculty; they were friends and peers willing to help, whether that meant fetching some tissues or just listening and sharing stories.

The IES Abroad Rome's Program also took us on a few field trips, both around Rome and out to other Italian cities like Siena and Pompeii. While there is strengths in numbers, sometimes I wished I had gone by myself to these places. (Later on, during Fall Break, I did just that, and I did a mini tour of Central/Northern Italy). That being said, IES worked really hard to organize trips with guides able to provide a unique perspective and remarkable insights. Did you know, for example, that there's a saying among the people in Siena that says the curly-haired woman is capricious? With each curl, our tour guide explained, she changes her mind. As someone with a headful of curls, I was at first offended. Then I changed my mind.

My favorite memories from my time in Rome were made when I was either on my own or with one or two close friends. IES gave me the perfect balance of space and guidance. Students could travel anywhere, as were encouraged to do so, on the weekends and over Fall Break as long as we left our travel details with the school's administrative office. No section of the city of Rome itself was off limits though we were advised to avoid certain areas at night. These safety protocols were essential for me particularly when several earthquakes hit central Italy around the time of my stay. A few of the stronger quakes could be felt in Rome, and since I'd never experienced that before I was terrified. IES has a quick emergency response protocol, and no sooner had I felt the earthquake and found out what had happened then IES texted and emailed me to verify my location and safety. The faculty also held a program meeting to discuss earthquakes and answer any questions the students had. This made me feel safer and more confident that I was in good hands.

Cultural immersion is not, I've decided, something that any school or program can enforce. IES gave me all of the tools - Italian language courses, social time with the ISCs, and my homestay option. I chose to take advantage of those, even though I could have only spoken to or hung out with other American students. I had only taken two Italian language classes at my home university, and that was a year before I decided to go abroad to Rome - I basically knew nothing. Upon returning, I have since tested into a junior/senior standing translation course. That improvement is something IES and I accomplished together.

My experience in Quito Ecuador was absolutely amazing. I did study abroad not because I wanted to but because to be a Spanish major at my college you have to. That being said I was dreading going abroad. I thought it was something I had to do but didn’t want to at all. Being there completely changed my attitude. I arrived late at night to an amazing family who was so caring and helpful. They always made me feel welcome and introduced me to their large family.
As time went on my experience was getting better and better I made tons of friends through the program and also at USFQ the university in Quito. I traveled all around Ecuador to the Galapagos, the rainforest, the beach, went camping, and much more. I can’t say enough great things about my experience in Ecuador.
A lot of people are worried about food and safety in Ecuador. The food was good for the most part it is pretty bland which was good for me because I am a very picky eater. There are lots of fruits to eat and chicken is probably the most popular food. It was also interesting because Lunch is their largest meal of the day and they make it a big deal to come home and eat as a family. As for safety I can honestly say there was never a moment that I felt like I was danger. I also followed all of the precautions and warnings they told us about.
Overall it was a great experience. I will for sure need to go back and visit my friends one day soon. I miss it already.

If you really want to practice your Spanish, come to know a Spanish speaking culture that many don’t hear much about but is so rich in history and fabulous people, then I would recommend this program to you. Santiago de Chile is a fabulous place to be whether you are an outdoorsy kind of person or more of the city life, Santiago has it all. IES does a fabulous job of thinking through everything and are prepared for the good the back and the ugly. Being a part of their program, the onsite administration and teachers make you feel like you are their number one priority. They genuinely care about every person and want to make sure they have the greatest experience abroad. They will help you with anything and everything; if you are struggling with your host home, trying to find a class to take at the local university, maybe you want some travel suggestions (literally one woman on staff helped everyone call hostels/buses/you name it if we needed help). They go above and beyond and love welcoming you into their home. For me, I have danced ballet professionally in the states and wanted to make sure I could find a good company while I was abroad to keep up my dancing. One of the staff introduced me to a company and I actually had the opportunity to perform on a well known stage for a paying audience in CHILE! (That was a dream come true).
Looking at the academics, the courses are wonderful and they offer a nice variety. It was slightly hard to find specific courses for some people at the university, though this may have been due to the strikes at one of their partner universities making it unavailable for us to take classes there. I was able to take a ballroom class filled with 50+ Chileans and 3 “gringas” including myself (to Chileans anyone not from Chile can be considered a gringo/a). This was a great way for me to get to know many friends, I would highly recommend trying to find a dance class even if you don’t go to Chile because there is something about learning basic dance moves that is fun and breaks barriers allowing friendships to flourish. I got the opportunity to also be in an observations program which was honestly one of the main reasons I chose this entire program in the first place. It is just that, observations. This is very helpful for really any pre-health professional because you really get to dive into seeing how other health care systems work and actually see different facilities in another country. I will let you know, this is strictly observations, you are not allowed to take vitals or anything. But most health professional schools want you to have some type of observation hours so it is a win win.
I got the chance to study with fabulous people. I loved that IES was a program that pulled students from all over. I got the chance to go out on a limb, go to a country that I had never been to, with no one I knew, and had the time of my life. We had 19 people in our program and I loved the opportunity of getting to know every single one of them. There were a few from the same schools but otherwise we all were in the same boat and that to me was an experience I was looking for.
One last plug, specifically for the Fall semester in Chile. Though it is our (the US) “Fall” it is their Spring. EVERYTHING happens in Chile at this time, you get a “spring break”, there are Fondas which are basically Chile’s State Fair, and a few other holidays. The weather though cold in the beginning is lovely towards the middle and end. If all of this doesn’t convince you... then consider all of the amazing locations you can travel to while you are in Chile (Easter Island, Patagonia, San Pedro de Atacama to name a few). Or just take a look at the attached photos!

Before traveling to Santiago, Chile I was quite nervous about living in a foreign country for 5 months, but from the moment I stepped into my host family’s apartment, I knew it was going to be a great experience. The classes I took, the places I travelled, and the Chilean culture all made a truly unforgettable experience, but the people I met along the way helped Chile steal my heart. My host family, the IES staff, Chilean students at the university, and especially my fellow IES students helped me to learn, to grow, and most importantly, enjoy every moment of my time abroad.
The staff at IES made it clear from day one that they wanted our experience in Chile to be as fun, productive, and safe as possible. During the first week, they taught us everything we needed to know about Chilean culture, how to navigate the seemingly enormous city, and how to decode the very fast paced Chilean Spanish. The academic coordinator met with each student and helped us select the best classes for us, and the student coordinator had an answer for literally every question or problem we may have had. The staff and professors were always very supportive and helped guide us through every aspect of our journey abroad. I enjoyed all four of the classes I took abroad, my favorite being the Health Studies Clinical Observation program. In this program, we not only studied how the Chilean healthcare system works, but we also got to observe in a different healthcare setting each week!
My host mom could not have been more excited to welcome me, and all my friends, into her home. My host family very kindly included me in all their family activities: birthday parties, cookouts, holiday traditions, etc., and that truly made my experience one of a kind. I got to experience Chilean culture through a fun, loving, and hilarious family that made way too much delicious food. I knew I had formed meaningful relationships with all the members of my host family when they were all very sad to see me leave and my host grandmother begged me to come back to Chile soon. I keep in contact with my host aunts and cousins through Facebook, and my host mom and I still message each other quite frequently.
Santiago, Chile is a wonderful city with endless activities of all types. Within the city there are museums of all types, beautiful parks, cute cafes on every corner, lots of shopping, bars and dance clubs, etc. The Andes mountains lie just outside the city and the parks in the foothills of the Andes provide easy access opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, etc. An hour bus ride west of Santiago gets you to beautiful coastal towns like Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. Chile is unique in that it offers literally every type of landscape and I highly recommend trying to see as many as possible. From desert, to beaches, to the frozen icebergs of southern Patagonia, and all the way out to Easter Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Chile has everything you could wish for. Some of my fondest memories abroad are traveling and exploring with other IES students!
If you still have a doubt about studying abroad in Chile after reading these reviews, know that you should go – immerse yourself in the Chilean culture, travel to all the different regions, and meet some truly incredible people. ¡Viva Chile!

Halfway through my semester in Vienna, I got the strong sense that every music student should have this opportunity. Vienna is not only a city with a rich musical history but also a city today with huge community support for the Classical arts. There are three different opera houses and each fill up; it is not unusual for the State Opera to sell out! This kind of mass communal support and enthusiasm, as far as I have observed, is absent from American culture. As an aspiring opera singer, Austria’s commitment to the arts was truly inspiring. I attended operas (at all three opera houses!) as much as possible and attended many concerts. Hearing so much great music performed by many fantastic musicians, I was eager to work on my own technique. I took voice lessons and received one-on-one coachings. I collaborated with other singers and instrumentalists during a performance workshop class. I took a class a specialized music theory class, studying Fidelio and Die Winterreise, both by composers who lived in Vienna. It was an ideal study abroad for me, and I feel lucky to have received the musical education and experience that I did.

I studied abroad in Rome with IES Language and Area Studies during the Fall of 2016, and it was by far the best experience of my life. I lived in an apartment, just a fifteen minute walk to school, with five other abroad students and one Italian Student Companion. I absolutely loved my classes and really valued the opportunity to take classes in art, history, politics, religion, and language. We would go on field trips to amazing places, such as the Vatican Museums and the Roman Forum. Rome truly became my living and outdoor classroom as I learned so much more than I ever thought I would. I had the opportunity to travel to Tuscany with IES, where we got to wine taste, site see, and learn how to make pasta from scratch. I loved every single moment of my time in Rome, from meeting the locals, experiencing the culture, trying new and delicious foods, and to developing such strong bonds with my fellow IES classmates. I remember one day in particular where my roommate and I decided to be spontaneous and spend the day doing everything touristy in Rome. We had chocolate espressos at the coffee shop just next door to our apartment, we went to the Trevi Fountain, shopped at local stores, sampled limoncello, and had the best gelato ever near the Pantheon. It was one of the best days I have ever had, and I am so beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to see Rome from this lens. My experience with IES in Rome was unforgettable, and I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to have a phenomenal abroad experience.

I got everything I could’ve hoped for from studying abroad with IES and then some. I arrived having done the minimum language requirement for the program and was worried about how that would translate to my courses. What I found was that the courses were challenging, but incredibly helpful in developing my German language skills both in an academic setting and while out and about in Berlin. Additionally, we went on field trips as part of courses throughout the city and we were able to visit and see things that I know I would not have known or been able to do otherwise. The structure of the courses also made it easy to be involved in extracurriculars, travel, or just explore the city. The staff would post on a bulletin board whenever a cultural event was coming up, in addition to any information about local community events. Personally, I didn’t use the board and instead went out and found things to do on my own, but I know people who did use it and had a great time at those events. The staff were also always willing to help and any questions I had (whether it about a course, housing, or travel) were answered quickly. My time abroad was one of, if not the most, amazing experiences of my life and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone I meet! So I hope that after reading this you are even more excited to study abroad because it will be such an incredible and rewarding experience if you choose to do it!