Program Reviews

Never did I ever think I would have the opportunity to cook in Italy!! It was so much fun, I ate more pizza, pasta, and gelato than I can count. Each place we visited: Rome, Cortona, Florence, Cosenza, Asti, and Venice, we all beautiful and all different from each other. I never got tired of eating the food and comparing ti from place to place! My favorite part of the trip was definitely homestay. Meeting people my age and seeing the differences and commonalities we shared were great! My host family was wonderful and I adore them all so much ! Experiencing a different culture opened my eyes to what I was missing in my life, and that I do need to travel the world and make multiple stops in Italy! I would do this program again if I could.

My trip to South Africa was one of the best experiences of my life. It was my first time ever traveling and even with all my frights and emotions, I was able to make it. I had a very supportive group that made sure I was alright no matter what. Even when I felt uncomfortable, I didn’t feel forced to do all the activities and everything went at my pace. My favorite part of the trip was the homestay, I got to meet my new family and learn all about their culture. We did everything together as a family and it made me feel like I was very much at home. My goal for this trip was to come home more vocal. Before my trip, I would shy away from people and not be vocal with the important things that I have to say. But after coming home, I am very much aware of the power that a everyone’s voice has no matter what!

Going to India was always a dream of mine, but actually being there was such a great feeling. I had the time of my life while I was there and I met some of the most genuine people ever. Everyone was so welcoming and uplifting, I felt so comfortable around everyone. India was very beautiful and I had the best time ever. I had the opportunity to visit villages where I was able to see how people who did not have much were still happy with their lives and welcomed us into their homes and families for the short periods of time that we were in those villages. Being able to interact with the local people and their families especially the babies was the best part of the entire trip.
I was not only able to interact with native Indian people but also Tibetan people as well. While in India, I felt like everywhere I went the people I met soon became like family quickly.

Great trip! One huge highlight was the group; I couldn't have asked for a better one. They made everything so much more fun. Snorkeling in the Galapagos was unbelievable, as well as the atmosphere and staff on the boat we stayed on. Our tour guide was amazing, always happy to give long (in a good way) answers to side questions. The home-stay was also a highlight. My host family had radically different political and religious views than I did, which, while it was uncomfortable, was also valuable to experience. I got to go hit the town with my eighteen year old host sister and her friends, which was really special (not to mention a complete blast) because it was insane to see people across the globe doing something similar to what I might do with MY friends on a Saturday night.

One thing I will say is that this was definitely a touristy trip. If you're looking to really push your limits and/or be completely immersed in a new culture, this probably isn't the one for you. It felt like we touched the surface on a lot, from the history of Quito to the indigenous people of the Amazon, but we didn't really go into enough depth on anything that I felt like I really understood the whole subject. But it was still cool!

Life-changing. Though I sound dramatic when I say this, I am definitely not exaggerating. I have met some of the best people on the trip and I have also been able to experience China from a whole new perspective. I have experienced living in a yurt and in rural villages where the pavements are illuminated from the stars. Gone was the glimmering lights of Beijing and the magnificent building that would prod into the sky in Shanghai, I was experiencing the other part of China that most people wouldn't even think about. On this trip, I have learnt that the majority of China's population lives in rural areas. They ate simple foods, slept on the hardest beds, and lived simple lives. Being a part of this experiment has allowed me to experience this rural living; being a city girl myself.
And of course, we did other touristy things as well. Such as exploring The Great Wall Of China, Forbidden City, Temple Of Heaven and many other places. On the trip, I rode a camel for the first time - it hurt. But nevertheless, absolutely worth it. I remember loving trains...well till I came on this trip. I rode a total of 3 overnight trains. Maybe even 4? I've lost count. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adored the experience but It's safe to say that I've had my fair share of trains for a while. Being a Chinese-Malaysian, I somewhat knew what I was signing up for but I was still shocked at some of the difference. I remember in Chengde, on the very first day with my host family they served me silkworms. Now let me tell you something about myself, I absolutely loathe bugs and insects, they make my skin crawl. However, not wanting to be rude, I tried it out. Was it worth it? No. But did I step out of my comfort zone and try something new? Yes. My host family in both the urban and rural communities were amazing. They treated me as one of their own and it was sweet. I even had some 'step-siblings' to care for and play with! Now, I can go on for ages about how much I love this trip but it would require me to write a book. All jokes aside, what I most enjoyed about this trip was experiencing China from the perspective of a tourist and a local. Understanding that most of China still lives in rural communities made me realise how lucky I am to be born into a city. Being able to live amongst the locals, eat their home-cooked meals was so special to me. Would I suggest this trip? Absolutely. Not only do you discover China, but you also tend to discover parts of yourself too and learn new skills that would be vital in the future.

This was such an incredible program. I learned so much on topics ranging from the refugee crisis and Afro-Dutch history to the queer and sex worker rights. We got to go to amazing museums like the humanity house and the Anne Frank House, as well as explore amazing places like Heemskerk, Vlissingen, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. We stayed in some beautiful homes and hostels as we experienced the dutch culture and spent time with new friends. I learned so much about myself and the world around me. It was so amazing to be in a queer space where everyone understood and knew about queer identity. We shared so many laughs and some amazing conversations. Those conversations truly changed the way I think about myself and my identity, and how I understand and advocate for human rights around the world. I will never forget this amazing experience.

When I first signed up for this trip, my biggest fear was missing out on my summer because of this four week long trip with people I didn’t know. Now, when I look back on that fear, I am glad that it didn’t stop me. This trip has been the highlight of my summer and if I had the option to go back, I would. From playing Uno with my host family to snorkeling with sharks, penguins, and sea lions I enjoyed every second. I was able to do things I never imagined myself doing and that made for a memorable trip. The Experiment did an amazing job picking activities for us to do. One of those activities was traveling to the Galapagos Islands and living on a boat. Everyday we snorkeled and every night, the entire group would sit, talk and stare at the countless stars that we could see due to our proximity to the equator. This trip has made this summer my favorite by far.

Through the Experiment of International living, I was able to learn about manga and anime from professionals. I made amazing friends and traveled all around Tokyo and Sapporo. The most important thing that I learned or gained from this program was a new sense of independence. Going on public transportation alone definitely made me more confident. In general, it is a really cool but niche program so you get to meet a lot of people who are interested in the same things as you. On the program, there is a week when the students each stay with a different Japanese family. I had the most amazing homestay family. They were so beyond welcoming and I am still in touch with them. This was definitely the experience of a lifetime and I recommend it!
Ella

When you’re online and you look for reviews, you want to find the ones that not only tell you the pros, but also the cons. This review, in particular, will not be like that; this is not because of bias or lack of perspective, but because there were no negatives. Sounds hard to believe, but hear me out.

We experienced Morocco from the point of view of a native and a tourist. We were able to see the country and it’s landmarks. We drove around the country and slept in several cities. But when it came to immersing ourselves, we could not rely on tourism. We traveled to the Atlas and we stayed with a family for twelve days. Those twelve days opened everyone’s eyes and truly induced a feeling of culture shock.

In short, The Experiment truly opened everyone’s minds through its thoughtful planning. I definitely recommend the experience.

This program was very well planned, and we got to explore different parts of Costa Rica. We went off-the-grid on an island for several days where we hiked and ate amazing food. We then went ziplining, and the forest was beautiful. For the next two weeks, we stayed with a host family where we worked on a community service project during the day and spent time with them afterward. It was a helpful and immersive experience because we got to experience the lives of those who lived in a different country and culture than us. We had planned community activities where we all got together. During the last week, we went to a turtle breeding ground and stayed at a nice hotel. We had some downtime to just hang out with our friends and explore. There was always an opportunity to go to the beach and swim.