Program Reviews

I traveled to Tokyo, Japan for the Anime and Manga program. It was an amazing experience. I met new people along the way. Our leaders were very informed and experienced. I was able to not just learn the anime and manga but also the Japanese culture and food. The class was fun. The fun trips through out the month were also interesting. Learning the train transportation was important. My host family was welcoming and I enjoyed my time with them. A great life experience. I reccomend the Japan Anime and Manga trip.

My time in Germany was such an exhilarating experience, making it unforgettable. Not only did I have the opportunity to visit Germany, but I was also able to visit France, Luxembourg, and Belgium! By visiting these countries, I learned about their culture and politics. The purpose of my trip was to learn about European politics and German culture and language. On this trip, I traveled with a group of 13 teenagers and had 3 group leaders. Everyone was kind and supportive, which made my time there more valuable after the obstacles I faced.

The moments that stood out to me the most were when I talked to each person in the group. They all had their own set of stories to share and what they’ve learned so far. Bonding with each one of them changed my way of interacting with others in ways I can’t describe. An unexpected highlight from my trip was my homestay experience. My homestay family was the sweetest people I’ve ever encountered. They are a big family, but they all communicate so well with each other and gave my friend and me so much love during our stay. I was fearful about staying with an unknown family, but we bonded so much that it became my favorite part of the trip. It made me excited about what the rest of the trip was going to be like.

On this trip, I learned about how the European Union functions, and it was interesting. I loved learning about its history and how countries get accepted into it. In addition, the group experienced what it felt like to be part of the European Parliament through a simulation. This was one of the best activities I did on the trip! Learning about politics gave me motivation to pursue politics later down the road. I already had thoughts about it, but now that I’ve gained a new perspective on the subject, I feel more confident. Others in the group felt the same by the end of the trip, which goes to show that this was an amazing learning experience. This trip has encouraged me to research studying abroad and visit Luxembourg again! Luxembourg was my favorite place to go to because of its diversity and education.

This experience challenged my leadership and assertiveness skills through my relationship with the group and group activities. I had to be a good influence on others, but sometimes I had to build boundaries with others, which was the most challenging aspect of the trip. I thought adapting would be difficult, but it was really easy to embrace the new culture. By the end of the trip, I am more confident, empathic, and independent. Any small obstacles I faced, I had to use these skills and keep my integrity in mind before making a choice. I am overjoyed that I got such a unique opportunity to travel abroad with others my age and learn together. I made the best memories that I will talk about for the rest of my life.

I initially was a bit reluctant to open up to the prospect of living with a bunch of people I've never met before in a whole new country but it was an eye opening experience that allowed me to break out and discover new joys that I have.

Throughout the trip I felt very safe and welcome throughout the entire stay. My experience studying abroad was very peaceful and full of learning experiences.

One of my highlights was at the metro where I learned the vast network of Seoul's amazing transportation system. I miss hearing the little jingle played when a transfer stop is announced.

I was very immersed in the culture and learned a lot more than what I had read and learned about France in my previous research and studies of the country. The trip allowed me to experience authentic day to day life and true culture in many places of France. With interacting with locals, adapting new routines, and participating in cultural traditions, I achieved a deep understanding of the French values and norms that cannot be known only through research itself. With that, I met lots of amazing people from all over the country which was really refreshing. And also made the trip 10x better and memorable.

I was able to go thanks to a scholarship and it was the best thing ever i got to see a place I’ve never been and get learn the anime and manga art style for a week while learning about this new country I would 100% recommend my group leaders were amazing and my group was awesome if you can go do it’s life changing and you will have stories to tell for a life time the only downside is I have a lot of food allergies and I found it hard to find food I could eat luckily my group leader helped find me food I could eat

I had the best time of my life in France. Everyone there was so kind, and I truly felt like I was immersed in the culture. The homestay was my absolute favorite part. My host mom and I connected so well, and I couldn't have asked for a better host family. My group leaders were flexible, and they genuinely tried to give us the experience my whole group wanted. We changed the day-to-day itinerary a few times because it just didn't fit our group and the dynamic, so it was great to have it specialized to us specifically.

This trip is absolutely. Worth. It. Aside from the language and communication skills you achieve, I grew a lot as a person and received amazing leadership. The experience improved my mindset, mentality, and goal-setting significantly. The activities and sites prepared to see and breathtaking and astounding, so if you're an art person, this is your place! Siesta is also one of the greatest parts of the trip, where it helps you regain your energy and get to bond with friends or just reconnect with yourself.

Going to Japan was something I had dreamed about for a long time. I was introduced through anime and manga, but quickly became fascinated with their history, language, and culture. Participating in the Experiment gave me the opportunity to experience the things I had admired and researched independently. Going to historical sites like Hiroshima Castle, viewing art at the Osaka National Art Museum, and eating cultural cuisine like Takoyaki were memories that I will always treasure. I learned so much about Japanese people by talking to the college students who accompanied us and observing people in everyday settings. This was especially true during the Homestay. Spending time in a Japanese home I got to experience a typical weekend for my family, allowing me to have an authentic perspective of what life is like in a different culture. With my homestay family I got to dress in Yukata and go to a local festival, or Omatsuri. This was the highlight of my trip! Watching Taiko and talking with local residents was such a unique experience. I’m so glad the Experiment matched me with such welcoming and lovely people! Everything from the quiet bullet train rides to the bustling area of Dotonburi were thoughtfully planned by the experiment to give greater understanding of Japan. This program was great for people who want to be introduced to Japanese culture!

The Experiment was the best experience of my life. First of,f Amy and Danielle were absolutely amazing leaders and extremely easy to talk to and the friends I made in the group were extremely nice as well! Along with this the homestay experience was the most uncomfortable yet rewarding experience yet, I had the time of my life living amongst my host family and was able to see how it is to live in a family that is completely different than mine. I would do this all again if I could! Heck, I even wanted to stay in France when we got back to the States!

Honestly, at the beginning of the enrollment I was a little hesitant but I am so glad I followed through. I learned a lot of new things and met amazing people throughout this program. I tried new things, experienced the life of an Italian, and I built bonds. I am so incredibly happy about this and I would one hundred percent do it again. My homestay family was really nice and they had amazing food. My favorite thing I ate with my family was tomato pasta. We all attended a cooking class and my favorite thing we cooked in class was lasagna. Every single food that I ate was so amazing and flavorful and I am definitely gonna try to make some at home for the family. I could go on and on, but 30 days might be a lot to explain. I would highly recommend.