Program Reviews

I signed up for this program in order to fulfill my italian language credit at school, and ended up having the best summer (and overall experience) of my life. Not only are the staff extremely accommodating (Arthur Kian could not have done a better job making sure everyone was comfortable and secure), but there has been unconditional support from almost every staff member at abbey road. The italian teacher (Angela) was phenomenal and my language skills have been stronger than they ever were from taking language at school. All of the students were friendly and I’m happy to say I made friendships that will last a lifetime. The weekend excursions were always so fun and it gave us a chance to explore the country, while also being able to call florence my home. Though there are other Abbey Road programs that offer more traveling, there is something very unique about spending (almost) a month is one central location, and feeling like a local. Despite all the freedom we were given, safety was always prioritized and my parents were constantly being updated. Overall, I could not have chosen a better program and I would 100% recommend this to anyone who is looking to spend their summers abroad.

This program was very fun and a great way to experience Spanish culture! The staff was very easy to work with and made me feel accommodated. I learned lots in and outside of class and have made some great friends. We did lots of fun group activities and the staff really did try and find something that everyone would enjoy. They have us many options for fun things to do during free time but also understood that this experience could be over welding and didn’t try to push us too hard. During the weekends we took day trips to other towns close by and it was very cool to be able to experience the different cultures within such a close area. Barcelona really did open my eyes about the world and was a great experience for me Overall this experience was 10/10 and I wouldn’t have wanted it to play out any other way!

I had a great experience in Barcelona with Abbey Road! I made new friends and got to see all the city has to offer with them! Classes were challenging but interesting and helpful. My Spanish skills were strengthened though conversation with my teachers in and out of the classroom. There was also plenty of free time to explore by ourselves as well as group organized activities. Trips to the Picasso and Dali museums and visits to Gaudi’s most famous works give a great look into this beautiful city! Weekend excursions to other towns, including Tarragona, Girona, Cadaqués and Figueres, were full of beach time, museums and shopping. I’m sad to be leaving the program and my new friends here! This program is a great way to spend your summer and experience new and exciting things.

I had a wonderful experience at Abbey Road’s St Laurent Homestay Program. Even though I was only there for three weeks, I learned so much about the culture, language, and lives of Laurentines! The classes were super helpful to learn the ins and outs of the language, and a lot more about the vocabulary that one could use in everyday conversation. My experience with my host family was amazing, Cathy and Herve were the sweetest people I have met in a long time, and they always made sure that we felt at home with them, helping to acclimate to the new schedule and lifestyle in France. I would recommend anyone to stay with them, and I can faire tes that any other kid that will stay with them will have the same enthusiasm as I do. I will continue to stay in contact with them, because I hope to maintain the close relationship I have built with them over the past few weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here in St Laurent!!

I loved the fact that the group was small and that allowed for more growth and was a better social scene. I loved all the variety of different activities such as snorkeling and shopping and visiting museums and the electives. I wish there were a couple more activities and maybe a little more free time of long mounts of time where we could just head to the beach for a day or maybe go out for lunch or something. I thought my host family was so amazing and I thought it worked out perfectly. The host family living situations were perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing about them. I had an amazing experience and I thought the teachers and all the adults were just absolutely amazing and super kind and understanding. I am very sad to leave, but I know I made the best of my trip.

I spent three weeks in St-Laurent-du-Var with Abbey Road programs this summer, and it was absolutely amazing. I made lifelong friends and memories that I’m never going to lose. I’d highly recommend the home stay program for any student looking to really immerse and learn the language, as my host mom helped me a lot with my accent and learning how to express thoughts and feelings. The food was wonderful and the classes were beneficial and fun (shout out to Sarah and Camille for being the BEST teachers). There were a few small things that the program could have done better, for example communication between staff members, host families and students. I also would have appreciated knowing the schedule for the week a few days before or having a digital version of the schedule. Aside from those things, however, this has been an incredible experience.

The Modern Europe tour provided a fantastic outlet to explore Europe, and it's history, in a very fun and interesting way. The cities picked were perfectly selected, and the staff facilitating the program were compassionate and fun to be with, whilst also balancing a safe environment with a good amount of autonomy from the group. I think that this trip was an incredible experience, and my views of Europe as a whole have grown significantly because of this trip. The program did a very good job in conforming to people's needs, and was very inclusive to everybody involved. One thing I would improve upon is the overall preparedness by the coordinators of the trip. I found that numerous things had to be cut short, or missed, because things like tickets, passes, and itineraries were not planned in advance. I found this particularly frustrating when there were very interesting things I wished to see, but couldn't because we had to spend time buying tickets for something which could've easily been done online.

So far I have loved the entire experience! I made friends on the first day and I know hat I’ll be friends with them forever. My favorite part about the program is how much freedom we get in the city. The administration trusts us so much and it really makes me feel independent. Another fun part about the program is the weekends. Every weekend we go to a new place outside of Nice. So far we have gone to Cannes, Monaco, Italy, Antibes, and a couple other places. They give us leniency in foreign cities too which is fantastic. I enjoy the ability to live with other people my age. It is great to know that if I want to hang out with someone there are 30 people right down the hall. I feel like I have grown so much over the duration of this program and would surely do it again!

I have had a lot of fun at this program !! I have also improved my français!! This program has also allowed me to experience independence as well as learn new things about myself. I would highly recommend this program to my friends and family !! This program allows students to experience living in France for a shirt period of time while going on adventures, meeting new people, and improving your French skills !!! I am very satisfied with this program and I am happy that I chose Abbey roads to improve my French skills !! To be able to speak français and spend time in France has always been my dream and I feel like this program is the perfect way to start mon rêve français !! My family and I are very satisfied with Abbey roads and the program has been a lot better than I expected !! Thank you !!

To preface this, I think you should know that I received an International Baccalaureate Scholarship from my school that allowed me to go on the trip. I chose Abbey Road’s Modern Civilization program for a multitude of reasons. I really wanted to get something out of a summer program beyond simply sightseeing. It was really important to me that my program does not resemble a surface-skimming tourist group. Whenever I travel, I love truly experiencing the foreign city and not just moving from monument to monument with blinders on. The fact that Abbey Road has you staying in a location for at least a few days and really experiencing the culture was extremely appealing. 



I got more out of the trip than I could have ever hoped for. I got to immerse myself in the vibrant cultures of all four countries, I fell in love with France, I got to see so much incredible architecture that I cannot possibly name them all, I got to learn about the German perspective (both historical and contemporary) of WWII and the Holocaust, I made two amazing friends that will last a lifetime (I’ve honestly talked to them every day since returning home), and I got to sample all of the regional foods, discovering some favorites along the way. 



By going on this trip, I truly enhanced my view of history and broadened my global perspective. In addition, I honestly believe that I was able to grow as a person. I had never really been on my own before (I have a twin brother) and I got to see how good I was at handling my own affairs. 
I went on the trip by myself, without knowing anyone prior to arriving at JFK. I immediately clicked with my two future friends in the airport and in the first city, Berlin, and that chemistry lasted the duration of the trip. As the trip went on, I found myself getting closer and closer to my two friends and was able to get along well with the others in the group. 

 
 The staff did an excellent job orienting us with each new city. The hotels were topnotch. The rooms were lovely, the locations were perfect, and the breakfasts were superb.

I would definitely recommend it or any other Abbey Road program.