IES Abroad Reviews

My semester in Rome was incredible. Getting the opportunity to live and intern in Rome, a city I had always dreamed of visiting, was absolutely amazing. There was always something to do and another hidden treasure to find. The classes I took were interesting and actually helped to enhance my experience. There were a lot of field studies built into each class which really helped to make the class more fun and interesting. Being in Italy also made it really easy to travel to other countries. I was able to visit five other European countries while still traveling around Italy. I wish I could go back to eating incredible food and drinking fantastic wine every day. Don't ever worry about where to eat in Rome - everywhere you go has great food!

I studied abroad in London with IES Abroad this past spring semester. I come from a small town in West Michigan, USA and I have never lived further than 30 minutes away from where I grew up. Making the decision to go live in one of the biggest and most famous cities in the world was the best decision of my young adult life that I have made thus far. IES London helped me get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself in ways I didn't think possible. I learned so much about organization, time management, stress management, and taking in every opportunity that life has to offer. I also learned things about myself including how I react to certain things, what I value in other people, and what is most important to me. I'm sure I won't ever be able to fully grasp the impact that studying abroad had on me.
My classes only met once a week, but I was always excited to go to them because it was a different and new experience than what I had back home. I had the opportunity to learn from professors who grew up and lived in London and they shared experiences and secrets of the city that I never would have heard of otherwise. I made lifelong friendships in just one semester and I will take the memories I made with me wherever I go for the rest of my life. The staff of IES and the program field trips made the experience even more memorable. We travelled all over the UK to places like Scotland, Bath, Stonehenge, Brighton, and more. I learned just as much inside the classroom as out of it.
Studying abroad truly changed the way I look at the world and has sparked an interest in me to see everything the world has to offer. IES helped me live out dreams that I didn't even know I was dreaming.

IES Abroad helped make my study abroad experience the time of my life! From the moment we arrived in the airport the program directors were there to help us transition. The first week of the program was an intensive orientation, where we met everyone else in the program, toured the city and museums, and had initial Spanish classes.
After I adjusted to living in the city and classes started, time flew by! I lived with a Senora and another girl from my program. Our conversations over meals dramatically improved my Spanish and it was nice to have a local to ask advice about travel, restaurants, etc. I highly recommend taking the art history class in the Prado Museum, it was my favorite course by far and I will always remember what I learned about Spanish artists. Overall the classes were much easier than I was used to, but I didn’t want to spend all my time studying so it was a welcome change.
There are no IES classes on Fridays so three day weekends allow plenty of time to travel. I suggest finding a balance between traveling and staying in Madrid, because there is so much to explore and discover in Madrid. All the museums, shopping, parks, and restaurants fill the city with life and energy and culture that I miss every single day. Study abroad is an incredible experience, I cannot recommend it enough!

My name is Maddie and I studied in Barcelona, Spain with IES's Liberal Arts & Business program for the Spring 2016 semester. I found Barcelona rather intimidating when I first arrived in El Prat airport on January 7, 2016. When I met the IES administrators, however, everything changed. The staff at IES answered all my burning questions, directed me to my new home and best of all, spoke English very well.

The staff at IES were staples in my day to day life in Barcelona. Be that my lovely Spanish teacher, the staff who guided IES through different cities in Spain, my Barcelona Cultural Companion or the staff making me emergency doctor appointments. Through IES guidance, I found myself on free Bus tours of the city, visiting Granada, and eating typical a typical Catalan feast! I was able to complete everything on my "Barcelona Must See List" and more. Including an amazing castel festival, a flamenco show and a cooking class!

Additionally, my experience at a local university only enhanced my abroad experience. I met amazing professors, of whom I still am in touch with; as well as friends to last a life time!

The way I see it, everyone has around eight semesters to achieve their degree. What we choose to do within those semesters is up to us as long as we meet our concentrations requirements and maintain a minimum GPA. What some often forget, however, is that behind that degree are all of the memories and friends that we made along that way during those semesters.

For me, study abroad was a way to not only strengthen my Chinese fluency and further my pursuit for a Chinese major, but also to turn 12.5% of my eight-semester college experience into some of the most memorable months of my life. For me, choosing to study with IES Beijing began with the recommendations from many peers and trusted professors. From there, my own research concreted my decision to spend a semester in the Chinese capital.

IES did a terrific job with everything inside and outside of the classroom to ensure that our experience in China was enriching. The two things I enjoyed most from my time with IES were the week long IES-sponsored field trip in Yunnan and taking place in the opening event for the year of joint tourism between the US and China which took place at the Great Wall.

I am disappointed. Disappointed that I waited so long to study abroad. Disappointed that I only spent one semester with IES Beijing. To say that I was pleased with my experience would be an understatement. When I arrived at the Beijing airport to begin my program in China, I was counting down the days until I would be back home in America. When I arrived at the airport again to head home, I was counting down the days until I could return to Beijing again.

Studying in Dublin, Ireland for a semester was by far one of the best decisions I've ever made! The IES Writer's Program deepened my love for books and writing, and I'm equally happy I decided to study with them while abroad. Dublin is home to many amazing authors as well as intricate history, and being immersed in these things, as well as the culture broadened my horizons in many incredible ways. I have taken home interests and questions that I wouldn't have discovered in any other way than studying abroad, and learned about myself in valuable ways. I would highly recommend this place and program to anyone - I wish I could go back!

Paris est magnifique. Studying abroad is an experience I recommend to everyone, especially with the IES program who made sure that I was safe and at home in a country so far away. As a student with only a basic knowledge of the French language, I spent four months learning about the French culture, language, and marketing (my major). I came back to the US wanting to go back Paris immediately. I had incredibly intelligent professors, a caring staff to ensure everything went smoothly, and a host family that made Paris home. I also made friends from all over the world! I hope to study abroad again next spring because of the amazing time I had studying with IES in Paris. If you need any advice or incentive, check out some of my experiences abroad in my blog - https://www.iesabroad.org/gwendolynlee

My study abroad experience with IES Milan was nothing short of incredible. The program staff was filled with generous, kind and knowledgable people who were there to support me in my experience from the moment I landed in MXP until I departed in May. I lived in an apartment with four other girls from the US and my Community Assistant, Ilenia. Ilenia welcomed us with warm hugs, cookies, and a jar of Nutella, eager to show us around the city and befriend us. I was nervous the first few days about making friends and living a country where I had no prior knowledge of the language, but by the end of the first week I was already planning my first trip with a group of friends to Florence. The orientation events put on by IES really did help me meet a bunch of the students in the program and get me excited about the semester to come.
Over the course of the semester I learned a ton about the Italian culture: how to correctly pronounce "grazie", where to find the best aperitivo, and when and when not to order a cappuccino. I enrolled in two Italian classes in which I was able to develop my language skills. I also had the opportunity to take a business fashion class where I was able to combine my major study with a passion of mine in one of Europe's most renown fashion capitals. Thanks to one of the Community Assistants I befriended, I was even able to attend a fashion show during Milan Women's Fashion Week.
Many weekends of mine were spent in Milan exploring different corners of the city. My friends and I became regulars at a particular pizzeria and spent the warmer afternoons picnicing in the local parks. Our other weekends and breaks were spent traveling Europe where I was able to meet up with friends from my home university as well make new friends in foreign places. My favorite trip was pretty adventurous. Eight of us decided to spend our week of spring break in Morocco. Traveling to the different major cities and exploring the northern African country was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Towards the end of the semester IES hosted a trip to Parma, Italy, where students were able to tour a parmesan cheese factory, a balsamic vinegar factory, and a historic violin museum. Because this trip was at the end of the semester and most students enrolled in the program attended, it was a great way to bring everyone together again and wrap up the incredible semester.
While the fancy trips and delicious meals are some of my favorite memories from my study abroad experience, the best part of Milan was the people I met. I made lifetime friends during my semester abroad, people I know that will be in my life forever. Saying goodbye to all of those friendly faces at the end of the semester was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Luckily since returning to America, I have already had the opportunity to reunite with a few of them and plans are in the works to have a full blown IES Milan reunion in the future. Milan will always hold a special place in my heart and forever be one of my favorite cities in the world. The beauty of the Duomo is something that never grows old or wears away. I hope more than anything I can return to Milan in the near future.

Oh, Nantes. My home away from home. How I miss you! But where should I start... Probably with my family. My French host family was absolutely my favourite. Coming from being one of two children, I was a little nervous for what to expect when I ended up being one of six kids during my semester abroad. However, let me tell you that this provided a really neat opportunity in that I was able to a) practice my French more, as there always seemed to be someone around with whom I could chat, b) end up being connected to a lot more people, as my family would bring me with them when they went places, and c) take part in lots of memories that I will cherish forever. My parents were awesome about spending one-on-one time with each of us, and their household ran on a well-oiled system that provided just enough structure but also a lot of fun. I loved taking classes. Personally, I took all of mine at IES, but that doesn't mean that you need to! I had many friends who thrived with a mixture of classes at the program centre and at the local university. Our professors were dynamic, witty, thoughtful, and helpful-- they allowed me to go beyond what we were learning in the text and to make real-world connections. I LOVED going on field trips-- what a neat way to truly see first hand how skilled French bakers make their phenomenal bread or how much work it takes to grow the grapes that will become the equally-as-famed French wines! I also did a teaching internship, even though I am not an education major or minor. This was particularly insightful for me as it allowed me to get to know more about how the French school system operates in comparison with that in the United States. Finally, just a brief commentary on the city itself-- Nantes is big. It may take a bit to find your way around, particularly if you're like me and not necessarily good with maps. :) That being said, it is not overwhelmingly large! I found myself making true connections with shopkeepers who I would pass each day. I loved the balance between familiar and new, routine and adventure! I would definitely recommend if you're looking to make new friends (and family!) and to truly call another place halfway around the globe home.

Considering that Germany to me, as a Filipino who had never been there before, was almost a mystical, alien otherworld, I came into this program with fairly high expectations to say the least. And considering that, I thought that perhaps these high expectations would have bordered on the unreasonable and would end up not being met. And yet, as cliche as this may sound, it ended up not just meeting my expectations, but exceeding them. Throughout my time in Berlin and other places in Europe (Schengen visas are Godsends), I came to know a land with a rich history, remarkable culture, and beautiful atmosphere. And through IES, it seemed that every single week in this program brought something fun, something valuable, or something that was a mix of both. Whether it was in walking through the German Historical Museum and tracing the slow and steady rise of the Nazis, or in exploring the art and culture of Paris, reading literature that described life with the Berlin Wall, traveling to St. Petersburg to attend a ballet, or going to hear the German Chancellor speak, the opportunities this program brings are nearly endless. And this isn't even limited to the IES and its classes' sanctioned activities. The program also leaves space for independent enterprise. From exploring Prague while riding on a Segway, to hiking in the forests of Helsinki, to taking a boat tour through the fjords of Oslo, all of this and more can be done during the duration of this program. This is an opportunity and program like no other that is certain to showcase all that Berlin (and Europe) has to offer.