Program Reviews

The South Korea program was such an exciting trip and experience. The culture in the country is something I have never experienced. To learn about how this small country went from being so poor to now thriving and a technologically advanced was mind blowing. The trip showed me that old traditions and new modern trends can come together beautifully. The Korea trip is in the summer so it gets quiet hot so i recommend packing light clothes and keeping water on you at all times. It was supposed to be their rainy season but it barely rained. Coming home from the trip I hope to tell my experience to whoever will listen in hope to spread the idea that there is a whole world out there beside our country worth learning about.

This trip showed me what really matters to me and what I need things I truly value. It changed how I see myself; I now see myself as a leader. I know that I can push through any challenge put in my way and I know that with people at your back, no challenge is too big. Weather the challenge is eating a meal to make your homestay mother happy or if it’s solving the world’s climate issues I am confident in our ability to do it as long as we do it together. Nothing will ever compare to the friendships and memories that I made on this trip. The worst part about the whole thing is that it's over and that I'll never have that exact experience again.

A large family. Dutch pancakes. Public transportation. The sound of the canal as I walked to school.
I never knew how much I wanted to travel abroad until I did with the experiment. My program was breathtaking, captivating, and utterly resonates with anyone identifying in and around the LGBTQ+ community. I was the only cis-straight gendered person in attendance of the program, but that made it all the more special to me. The trip was fantastic, educating, and breathtaking at every turn. I can't pick a best part. There was absolutely too many to choose from. The friends I made, the connections I created with our group leaders will stay with me forever.
You not only get a rich education, but also a cultural immersion that will leave a lasting impact on you. You get freedom, you get family, you get everything you could have ever wanted in a study abroad trip.

My experience was amazing as I was able to be in a great amazing country where I learned the different culture of other people. I explored many different places all around Vietnam that were amazing. I also got to stay with the best host family in Ho Chi Minh City where they were treated me great and took me out to learn more about the culture and life in Vietnam. You might experience a bit of culture shock at first but later you will meet great people to interact with and that was something great for me as I was able to connect and create amazing bonds and friendships that will forever stick in my heart.

Similar to what my peers have said, this experience was so unbelievably incredible. In our time in London, we worked with a nonprofit media organization called “WORLDwrite,” where we learned to use professional camera equipment, conduct interviews, and direct news shows. We even took our skills to the streets and interviewed Londoners on the cost of living in London. It was an amazing experience! In the evening, we were given a lot of free time and a bunch of us spent it going to Shakespearean plays, dining in Italian joints, drinking tea, exploring the scenic parks, visiting museums, or shopping in bookstores or music shops. It’s safe to say we spent a lot of time riding the tube. We also visited Bradford, which was unlike any other place we had gone to in England. It is a very multicultural city with old, vintage architecture and a growing immigrant population. More specifically, religion plays a huge role in the city and we got to visit a Hindu temple, a Sikh temple, and a Mosque which was so transformative in the way I view religion. I felt like this because the people of these religions were so kind and welcoming and accepting of us: they answered our questions with an open mind, they took us inside where they do their prayers, and even fed us their holy food. It seems like a common trend in the trip (as well as one of my favorite aspects of it) was having in-depth conversations with people we met over there, in terms of American and British political and social issues. While the "What do you think of Trump?" question was very common, the conversations were much more complex than that due to our perceptions of England as well as their perceptions of America. Ultimately, as a wise person once said: positive experiences are the best form of diplomacy and I’m so grateful I got to experience what I did with the people that I did.

Regarding the group leaders, if there is only one thing I could say about this trip with absolute certainty, is that I felt one hundred percent supported by my group leaders. From the very start, I grew to trust them so much without any fear of judgment or punishment. They stood up for us, they listened to us, and they always reminded us that if we needed absolutely ANYTHING, they were there. I miss them so much.

I'm still processing the significance of this trip and how to move forward with everything I have learned and with everyone I have met. I feel different. I feel less anxious and more confident in my ability to lead and exercise the values I have. I have a better idea of what I want from this world and it definitely includes traveling and telling people's stories.

Overall, I feel like this program was very successful. The experienceI gained through the program helped me grow as a person. I feel like I have grown as a person and this experience has made me the way I am today. I learned about the amazing Brazilian culture and I developed my athletic and language skills which I plan to incorporate into my everyday life. The community service we did in Brazil was a wonderful experience as well. Being able to help others in need was such a rewarding experience in my opinion. Furthermore, I excelled as a leader, became more independent, and formed unforgettable bonds during my Experiment experience in Brazil.

Activities were very enjoyable and helped the group become closer and work together. The classes we took were pleasant and fun. The host family made me feel comfortable and included me in all of their activities and made me feel as if I was back in Florida. They made me feel comfortable. The group leaders made me feel safe and made sure I was feeling okay considering my dietary needs. My overall experience could not have gone any better than it did.

Going to Spain with the Experiment was the best decision of my life. Not only was I able to understand the Spanish culture and language but i was also immersed in courses where I learned Spanish, ceramics, and flamenco dancing. I was able to do tours of authentic places in Spain where the tourist population is minimal to none. I felt like doing this i was able to have a better experience and understanding of the Spanish culture and improved my Spanish because I was forced to communicate by speaking only Spanish. I was also able to make friends who are now like family to me and I consider like my brothers and siblings. There is nothing I would want to change about my experience and the program.

My Experiment Abroad experience in Argentina was truly amazing. It was a perfect blend of rewarding community service, experiencing the beauty and value of nature, overcoming challenges, cultural emersion, and cultivating life-long friendships. It is difficult to put into words just how grateful I am to have had this opportunity, and it is harder still to touch upon all of the aspects of my experience that made it so wonderful. I met so many incredible people both in the communities and within my group with whom I formed meaningful connections and inspired me to push towards my personal and academic goals. The many once-in-a-lifetime experiences built into the program including horseback riding and camping in the mountains, whitewater rafting, and visiting the sand dunes were definitely highlights of the trip, but what made them even more special were the people with whom I got to experience these moments. My group quickly became one big family, and together we made every moment of the experience fun and memorable. A large part of my group's success came from the love, respect, and support we all showed one another. I still keep in touch with my wonderful and loving host family and chat frequently with the members of my group. Upon returning home, I found that my Spanish language skills improved dramatically during my time in Argentina without me even realizing it, and my newfound ability to view the world through two distinct lenses has given me a heightened awareness of the word, “normal,” as I am reminded of how each person’s concept of “normal” is subjective. Thank you to The Experiment team, my fellow students, and my group leaders for making this one of the best experiences of my life.

I relentlessly worked on finishing my application hoping my dreams to go abroad would come true. After a month or two of waiting for a response, I finally received the email. I was in. I was overjoyed in the moment, but I was unaware of all that this experience entailed. My first day with other leaders had already informed me of so much because of the diversity in perspectives and background. I had been around intelligent young people before, but I had never been in a room full of intelligent young minds that were so similar and different from myself. Immediately, I started bonding with these once strangers- some bonds were even stronger than those with the friends I had at home. The strength of these bonds made challenges easier. With this family we created, my group and I had experienced and learned an abundance of things through each other and immersion. One of the many aspects of this program that I loved was being able to learn from the South African people. Through a series of workshops, visits with NGOs, visits to schools, and two homestays I had immersed myself in South African culture, and I was able to evaluate the true ethos of South Africa. Not to mention the leadership workshops that took place in D.C., were used throughout my stay in South Africa, and were strengthened in Vermont. These workshops prepared me for not only South Africa, but for returning to my home community. Because of this experience, I will only continue to advocate- even more than before. Additionally, each day I still utilize what I learned on my journey to approach a wide range of problems including personal, interpersonal, emotional, and even physical. My family noticed a change in me right away as joy was now more of a priority than perfectionism. Who knew a flower could grow so much in 6-weeks?