IES Abroad Reviews

When I first decided to get involved in a study abroad program, I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. I chose Vienna, Austria solely on the fact that they had a psychology program. I didn’t know anything about the city, country or program. Before I left, I was extremely terrified because I have never been somewhere outside of the country without family or friends before. Once I got there, IES Abroad made it so easy to figure out my living situation, make friends and discover my new home away from home. The professors and staff were always so helpful and insightful. I left not knowing anything about where I was going and now (because of IES abroad) Vienna, Austria is my favorite place on Earth and I have life-long friends across the country!

Living in Siena was everything I wanted studying abroad to be about and more! Since Siena is a smaller city than others in Italy, it created a quaint, home-like feeling to it. By the time I left, I felt comfortable in the city and felt like one of the locals, and I always felt safe, even walking at night. I found it very fascinating to learn about the 17 contradas in Siena and how passionate each person is about their own contrada. Living in Siena was able to give me a more in-depth look at this. I also loved the apartment I lived in and how close it was to the Piazza del Campo- only a few steps away! The size of the program was only 9 students, so that created a very close, personal group. Most of the time, we all took additional trips with each other that were a blast!
Overall, I am extremely happy I chose Siena as the city to study in through IES!

I titled this a second home for a reason. Not only have I been missing Sydney since being home but I am physically home sick for it. Leaving to go abroad, I had the highest of high expectations and this trip still exceeded them. I never expected to be part of such an amazing opportunity in my life.

The Friends I made:
I didn't know anyone when I left for this trip but that didn't last long. The friends come so quickly; whether it's locals because you the interesting foreigner or because its other travels looking to get to know people just like you are. The friends you make on this trips quickly become your friends for life.

The things I saw:
The Sydney Opera House is the kind of site that's on everyones bucket list but imagine it becoming your backyard. If you're even slightly willing to do some exploring the miraculous things you'll encounter will blow you away. Sydney has awesome public transportation so almost everything is a bus ride or two away. The best of the best however are their sunsets. They are so unbelievable that sunsets will be forever ruin thereafter.

The experiences I had:
I went bungee jumping.... off a roof ......on a bike..... Australia's amazing. (This was on my own time of course.) They have ultimate thrills all over but that's just who I am. If you like the beach hop on the bus anytime you please. Australia only has over 10,000 to choose from. Coffee shops around every corner, hidden underground bars and endless boat cruises are waiting over there for you.

This trip was the best experience of my life by a lot. If you read this and decide to go, I'm sure you'll be dying to thank me after!

IES abroad in Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was the total study abroad experience. My parents called me a “nerd” for wanting to take summer classes, but my experience was not limited to the classroom. I explored the city, in my free time, just like a true Ecuadorian. Having almerzos for $3, going to free concerts in the parks, and trekking around the downtown city center, these experiences might sound unimportant details; however, these memories are the ones which you’ll never forget. Sure I did not know what was in my food or what the musicians were singing, but I do know that through these experiences my group was able to bond more. My group consisted of nine other collegiate students from all across the United States. At the beginning, we were just like awkward freshman during orientation. Not really knowing what to talk about or what should be our mannerism. It wasn’t until the end when I realized, all the pre-departure nervousness about meeting new people was just an imaginary monster continuously making me doubt myself. As time went on, we slowly became more comfortable with each other. It wasn’t until playing soccer at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station that we came to together finally as a program. Even though we resembled a peccary and even though I scarred my legs, this would be one of the highs on my trips. By the end of the trip, we did highs and lows. And the soccer game was one of my highs. In actuality, the whole trip was a high. Even the “bad” experiences could be laughed about and remembered fondly. Going to Ecuador with IES totally changed my perspective on life, you don’t just come back with souvenirs and pictures. IES allows you to come back with new memories and a new culture which can completely change your outlook on life. Cliche, I know. But going to the rainforest, the mountain regions, the cloudforest, and the Galapagos Islands really does change you. No longer are you a regular American. I lived in Ecuador and I feel completely immersed with the student and local lifestyle. I plan in my future to return to Ecuador. I want to see how many more memories I can carry with me for the rest of my life. I want to be able to say to my kids, “yes, when I was 20 I traveled by myself to a foreign country without knowing the language.” I want to listen to the song by OneRepublic and agree that I have lived. Hopefully you can travel abroad and see, taste, smell, study, learn, and live. These small things will allow us to truly gain an experience, the same kind of experience which I have gained through IES Abroad. The program was well thought out, from the pre-departure packing list to the farewell dinner. I could not imagine using any other study abroad program than IES. IES abroad in Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was the total study abroad experience. My parents called me a “nerd” for wanting to take summer classes, but my experience was not limited to the classroom. I explored the city, in my free time, just like a true Ecuadorian. Having almerzos for $3, going to free concerts in the parks, and trekking around the downtown city center, these experiences might sound unimportant details; however, these memories are the ones which you’ll never forget. Sure I did not know what was in my food or what the musicians were singing, but I do know that through these experiences my group was able to bond more. My group consisted of nine other collegiate students from all across the United States. At the beginning, we were just like awkward freshman during orientation. Not really knowing what to talk about or what should be our mannerism. It wasn’t until the end when I realized, all the pre-departure nervousness about meeting new people was just an imaginary monster continuously making me doubt myself. As time went on, we slowly became more comfortable with each other. It wasn’t until playing soccer at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station that we came to together finally as a program. Even though we resembled a peccary and even though I scarred my legs, this would be one of the highs on my trips. By the end of the trip, we did highs and lows. And the soccer game was one of my highs. In actuality, the whole trip was a high. Even the “bad” experiences could be laughed about and remembered fondly. Going to Ecuador with IES totally changed my perspective on life, you don’t just come back with souvenirs and pictures. IES allows you to come back with new memories and a new culture which can swirl together. No longer are you a regular American. I lived in Ecuador and I feel completely immersed with the student and local lifestyle. I plan in my future to return to Ecuador. I want to see how many more memories I can carry with me for the rest of my life. I want to be able to say to my kids, “yes, when I was 20 I traveled by myself to a foreign country without knowing the language.” I want to listen to the song by OneRepublic and agree that I have lived. Hopefully you can travel abroad and see, taste, smell, study, learn, and live. These small things will allow us to truly gain an experience, the same kind of experience which I have gained through IES Abroad. The program was well thought out, from the pre-departure packing list to the farewell dinner. I could not imagine using any other study abroad program than IES.

The desire to study abroad was something I expressed since first starting college, but the reality of my experience is still surreal. I had wanted to study in Paris ever since my first trip there in 2013 and it finally came to fruition this past summer. I had always known that I didn’t want to spend an entire semester away from my university, and since I have been taking French since middle school, I knew I wanted the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the language and culture of France. IES Abroad Paris Summer was the perfect opportunity for me to immerse myself in a new city and dive headfirst into a native French environment and it was, by far, one of the best experiences of my college career.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived in Paris at the end of May—what my host family would be like, who I’d meet, what I’d discover about the city—but I had a wonderful experience. IES Abroad took care of everything and the staff was friendly and approachable, as well as willing to lend a helping hand to any cultural acclimation, health, or well-being issues we might have had during the duration of the program. In terms of academics, the professors were great. I learned a lot from inside the classroom, but I learned even more from the course-related excursions I attended, which allowed me to see more areas and neighborhoods of the city than I would have seen on my own. My French language and comprehension skills were challenged daily, as I communicated with my host family, my professors, and the people in shops and restaurants. I expanded my vocabulary and grasp of the French language in a way that I could not have done sitting in a classroom in the United States, far from native French speakers. I was able to view firsthand how life operates in a major European city, and how different the culture is in France versus the United States. I walked along ancient streets every day, lost myself in the history of the city, ate all the baguettes my heart desired, and met some people who made my experience as amazing as it was. I came to Paris not knowing a single soul beforehand, but I left with the memories of meeting amazing new friends and a wonderful family.

I travelled abroad to London for 8 weeks as a part of IES Abroad's 2015 UK Today program. I had the time of my life, with so many amazing new friends! I had the experience of fully immersing myself in a different culture and meeting people from all over the world. I got to take in an incredible amount of beautiful art, and try new foods that I never would have tried before! I was able to travel outside of the UK and extend my experiential learning in other countries. I came back to New York a changed person with a refreshing new outlook on life, and it's all because of studying abroad. I couldn't be happier to have had this amazing experience.

The opportunity to study abroad this past summer was one I'm glad I took advantage of, especially through the IES European Union program. Germany had always been a future travel destination for me and being able to spend several weeks there gave me exposure to a different country, culture and social scene. The academic aspect of the program focused on the Western Balkans and Turkey's integration into the European Union and allowed us to travel to both Bosnia and Turkey, two places I never would have considered had I not been in the program. Being able to experience a country and its culture first-hand after just having learned about it was incredible especially since we had the chance to speak EU officials and other people in the region. My summer abroad not only allowed me to recieve credit for two classes, but I gained many new friends, amazing memories and has encoraged me to consider working abroad in the future.

I attended community college for 4 years part time before finally transferring to the University of Pittsburgh for my junior year. Since I only had 2 years left at my new school, I wanted to make the best of it and take advantage of every opportunity that presented itself. I chose IES Abroad Berlin because I wanted to practice my German and learn more about German architecture. I learned so much through hands-on activities, field trips, and the wonderful professors who seemed to love what they taught. There were many  opportunities to travel on weekends or just hangout in Berlin and learn more about its history through museums and memorials. For anyone looking to study abroad in Germany, I highly suggest IES Abroad Berlin. There is so much to learn about in that beautiful city and it seemed that even with 8 weeks of classes, I didn't even skim the surface.

Studying abroad was the best decision I've ever made for a number of reasons. Most importantly, though, is the way you learn to be yourself - in more ways than just the traditional, first-day-of-school, "coming of age" film kind of way that we've gotten used to hearing about through mainstream media.

It's difficult to explain exactly what's going to happen during that first week or two that you're in a new country. It's a strange little bit of time; you haven't quite gotten into the rhythm of a new city, adjusted to the accents or the slang vocabulary, or felt the pang of homesickness that will inevitably come to you one day later on in the program.

The first two weeks of living somewhere is like being thrown into a swimming pool with your clothes on. It's funny and it feels a little odd, mostly because a part of your brain knows that something isn't right. You're going to find out that it isn't a fanny pack, it's a bum bag. You aren't alright, you're grand. When someone is feeling down or having a rough time, you say "aw, sugar," instead of "honey." Suddenly, everyone uses brown sugar in their coffee and macaroni and cheese is something you only see when your eyes are closed.

The best advice I can give you is to pay attention to the differences. If something doesn't make sense, ask about it. Stow it away to think about later, because by the time the third week rolls by, you're going to be doing all of those things, too. If you keep track of what's different, if you remember what it is that made it hard to get a handle on your new country, it's going to be a lot easier readjusting once you come back home.

Pay attention to them, but don't get stuck. That's what will bring you down. Think of how funny they are and bring up the differences with other people on the program; see what they've noticed that you might have missed.

Don't let the little things that don't quite jive weigh heavy on your homesick heart; instead, make a game of it. Try and pick up on what you can, and don't spend so much time trying to hold on to who you were and what you did before. Studying abroad is going to teach you how to be yourself without being held back by who other people know you to be; the best way to be okay with that is to forget who you knew you were before you left, because it's all going to be different once the trip is over.

If you're looking for a complete study abroad experience that allows you to immerse yourself in a country's culture, history, and way of life, this is the one for you. This program, through course topics and amazing staff, gave me the opportunity to delve into the essence of Ireland. The staff provided amazing feedback on travel ideas, focussing on the students' overall abroad experience. They were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. I took two of the BEST courses in my academic career on this program in Dublin. They weren't too difficult, but they kept you coming back for more information, which was optimal for students. Also, Ireland is gorgeous and the people are one of a kind. I highly recommend this program.