Program Reviews

It has been quite a journey! Choosing to come to New Zealand has been nothing short of amazing. Going through this program was the best way to do it ESPECIALLY doing the welcome week. I cant even believe I was debating doing it before coming because I would be having a totally different experience. The welcome week introduced me to 12 people in the same boat as me and we have been having an amazing time. All the experiences we’ve had together and still are. We are now a family and have been living together. The help and guidance from staff has been amazing and so helpful, I highly recommend! The service that has been provided is something that I’ve greatly appreciated. I had many questions before coming and everything always got answered right away.

I went through this program for reasons that probably won't align with most of the other participants. I wanted to be able to move to and work in Quebec to be with my boyfriend that I had met while studying abroad.

Having met the criteria for this visa, the cost was worthwhile since it allowed me to break into the market here. While on a 6-month tourist visa, I enrolled at the YMCA for French courses in preparation for job interviews which began in November and ended mid-January.

Although my IEC Working-holiday visa has ended, I'll be staying in Canada and continuing in my current position - my employer has sponsored me for another two years on a closed work permit! I've convinced another American friend of mine to join me here on this program and would suggest it to others looking for a change of culture from the US.

Over a year ago I was presented with a very cool opportunity to move to Toronto and level-up my career while experiencing another part of the world. The biggest hurdle was obviously - how do I get there??

A coworker told me about InterExchange and they took care of everything! Every question I had was answered before I even knew I needed help. If there was ever a time when something wasn't clear I was able to call my contact Mellisa DIRECTLY (no phone system or random support agents) and get exactly what I needed.

I can't recommend InterExchange enough! Moving to another country and being eligible for work can be a super challenging process. I wouldn't be here without the help I had through the program. If you're looking for something life-changing - this is it!

Teaching in Spain over the summer was amazing! I participated in another program in Italy before coming to Madrid, Spain. I lived with an awesome host family and taught their two teenagers for 3-4 hours a day during the week. I met friend who also went through InterExchange and her family was actually friends with mine. We traveled on the weekends together on our off time throughout Spain and Portugal. My favorite places were Barcelona, Sevilla, Segovia and Lisbon, Portugal. I learned so much about my family and their culture. They had a house near the mountains and a flat in Madrid. I would highly recommend living with a host family and connecting with other expats for travel! I still keep in touch with my family and plan to visit them again in the near future!

Teaching abroad for me, was an opportunity to travel and live in a different country. Since it was my first big independent trip abroad, interexchange was 100% worth it. The training was awesome, not only did we learn about teaching, but also the culture/language. The training also helps you make friends when you’re alone in a new country! You may even meet someone who is going to the same town/school as you! I was the only one going to my town...but I could meet my new friends for weekend trips, etc! The teaching abroad experience is unforgettable and irreplaceable. Interexchange added the security that I needed in order to make such a big trip. Interexchange also helps with getting your visa (complicated process), finding a school, and communicating with the school. It was nice to always have a “go to” person for questions.

I did the teach English in Italy program through InterExchange and it was by far the most challenging, FUN, and beneficial thing I’ve ever done. I say this a lot - I grew more in those months than I did in my college experience, because I was thrust into a world I didn’t know with support, but also had to take a lot of intiative and figure things out on my own. I would highly recommend (and have referred friends) to this organization. They were responsive, helpful, and connected me with people who were incredibly helpful once I got to Italy.
Aside from my teaching experience, i got to know some other teachers who became good friends and we traveled most weekends to other places in Italy, as well as a few other countries during the Easter break. I am so thankful I took the opportunity to do this and thankful for a program as well run as InterExchange to go through! Thanks, InterExchange!

I decided to go abroad after graduating from college because I never studied abroad for a semester. Typically, traveling stresses me out, but I knew it would be an experience of growth, and it was something I wanted to do before moving on to graduate school or a career. InterExchange was extraordinarily helpful, and helped me take care of all the logistical concerns that would normally stress me out, or that a study abroad program within a university would usually help with. They provided structure to my plan to travel, and without that I probably wouldn't have gone abroad.

The most helpful things they offered, for me, were help setting up a bank account and calling me before I left the US to let me know I needed to get a year's supply of my prescription medication from my doctor. That's not something I would have thought of! They were available my phone before I left to answer any questions I had, and no question was viewed as silly or too small. When I arrived in New Zealand, they offered tons of support, and are always there to chat, to offer travel recommendations, or recommend the best hostels in various cities.

I did the welcome week and I highly recommend it. It helped to be with a group of people while adjusting to a new country, and made it really easy to make friends. The places we visited were awesome, and it's a great value for the cost.

I'm still in New Zealand, and my life has already become enriched by traveling here on my own. InterExchange has made it so I can focus on the fun parts of traveling without stressing about the logistical concerns.

Through InterExchange, I was given the opportunity to live in Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy for 4 weeks, while teaching English at two different locations of You Can Camp (one in Recananti and one in Macerata). Through this experience, I was able to really experience the culture of the people living there, build relationships with the children at the camps, and meet lots of peers from all over the world who were also working alongside me. The camp staff who was from Italy were so friendly and accommodating and really made us feel at home. I made so many wonderful friends on this trip, and I was also able to travel to different areas around Italy on weekends too, which was absolutely phenomenal. This program really helped me grow as a person, increased my cooperation and teamwork skills, and gave me an experience that I will remember for a lifetime.

If you have experience and enjoy working with kids and you want to gain experience travelling, being an au pair is an incredible opportunity, and I'm so glad I seized it. You really get to immerse yourself in the culture by living with an Australian family--much more than you would just traveling as a tourist. There are definitely days when the kids drive you crazy and life feels mundane--and for some people they realize working with children really isn't their thing--but I've found myself well-suited to the work.

I was placed with a great, supportive family in a small town in Western Australia. It was a bit isolating at times, but it was certainly a unique way to experience Australian people and culture. It also made it easy to settle early on, as the community was so close and friendly. I explored nearby Perth on the weekends, went on trips with my host family, and made friends both with other au pairs and other Australians my age. - Making friends with people from the country is also a great way to get to know a place!

Since I'm American, I didn't have the same language barrier that some au pairs have (other than the notorious Australian slang), which made it a bit easier to settle in as well. But I have much respect and admiration for some of the people I've met who just jumped in not speaking a lot of English. In addition to Australians, I've met people from all over the world who have either moved or traveled a lot. My friend group is now global, and I feel like I can have even more courage trying new things in the future.

Moving to a new place--especially a new country--can seem difficult and scary, but InterExchange and their in-country partner were there to help me with every step--even my rambling uncertainties over email. I would consider taking another opportunity with InterExchange, and I would recommend them to anyone wanting to live in another country who isn't sure how. (In fact, I already have recommended them to some friends who have asked me about my experience!) I feel they've provided me with a foundation for exploring future travel endeavors, and I'm grateful that I discovered their program!

I decided to take a Gap year after graduating college and It was one of the best decisions I could have made! I reached out to InterExchange and throughout the whole process Melissa H. assisted me with everything I needed to know. She was extremely helpful,provided plenty of great resources, quick to respond, and very friendly! She really helped the whole process run smoother and I am so grateful for her assistance. When I arrived to Canada I received help from Amber at SWAP Toronto and she was also extremely helpful! One of the things I liked was how there was a Facebook page and newsletter emailed to us that kept travelers updated on events,job openings,housing and any other useful information. I ended up working in Muskoka in the summer through a job agency that provided decent housing. It was such a beautiful and amazing location! I met so many friends from around the world and learned about their cultures..which is exactly what I wanted to do while being out in Canada. I had so many new and exciting experiences, being out on the beautiful lakes canoeing, camping, and parties! I was also able to make some trips to Toronto and Niagara Falls with my new friends. I like how InterExchange allows you apply again for another year. I recommend bringing a car if you can if your living in the middle of nowhere like Muskoka- that's how I survived. Another benefit to this program is how I now have work experience in another country ;). I would not have been able to make this happen without the support and guidance of these programs and my family!! Even though I was only living and working in Canada for a few months,it turned out to be one of the best experiences that I'll forever remember!