Program Reviews

So the experience was outstanding. From the food to the people I got to meet, every moment was memorable. Honestly, I never thought I'd enjoy being so out of place. At first, it was like Woah... I'm actually in the U.K. A country I've been wanting to visit ever since I was a child. A truly jaw-dropping thing for me. Now, of course, there was sightseeing, roaming London, enjoying the local food, all that good stuff. However, this was a study abroad program, not a casual visit and thank God for that. What we studied over there, Journalism and contemporary media really struck me. I learned not only awesome things like how to properly handle a camera, But I also learned what other countries think of America. Yes while there we were bombarded with questions and thoughts about Trump but that showed how intriguing we were to the English People. It was cool in some ways. A bit repetitive but cool. In the end, the program consisted of a bunch of cool people getting tightly knitted and becoming a big family while learning about themselves and the country they live in. Also, did I mention the custard creams? they're a biscuit full of custard cream and I can confirm me and the rest of my group give them a 10/10. This trip can truly alter someone's life in a positive way and I am 100% grateful for the opportunity. I will never forget the memories and will only further develop the person I have become(I am actually more into leadership roles and overall outgoing now because of this trip.). Yeah, there's not much else to say. The trip overall, 10 out of 10. Would recommend.

The four weeks that I spent in Morocco with EIL this summer were an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The other students were fantastic, like-minded individuals, and our in-country leader was fantastic. We were able to explore many different aspects of the country, from the urban to the rural, and I feel I came away from the trip with a genuine sense of the country's culture. Additionally, the homestay portion of the trip added an element of intimacy impossible to get from simply staying in hotels. I adored my time in Morocco with EIL and would immediately recommend it to anyone interested in Moroccan culture or simply looking to discover a richly diverse, exciting, and welcoming country in-depth.

This program was so much more than a simple trip abroad. From living with a wonderful, caring, and supportive host family to making countless connections with locals and fellow Experimenters alike, this experience was truly one that I will never forget. Despite previous travels abroad, this experience allowed me to completely immerse myself in a foreign culture more fully than any opportunity that I had had before. It was truly amazing to be able to meet local Spaniards and create unique, memorable friendships with them while learning about Spain’s beautiful language and culture. However, I still believe that the best part of this experience was the ability to live with a host family for an entire week and a half. Although the availability of this aspect of traveling abroad is harder to find nowadays, it is, in my opinion, what made this trip so unbelievable. During this time period, my Spanish skills improved remarkably and I made unforgettable personal connections with my host family and their friends which will undoubtedly last a lifetime. All in all, my participation in this program has provided me with indescribably precious memories and friendships that I am sure to treasure for the rest of my life.

I had more fun that I ever imagined I could have during the trip. I significantly improved my Spanish skills and had the opportunity to do many unique outdoor activities, including biking, hiking, camping, horseback riding, and white-water rafting. I would definitely recommend this program for anyone with a passion for outdoor fun. The community service portion of the trip was also very fun and a great bonding experience for the group!

I was changed all the way from my perspectives, to how I act around others. I learned the importance of having an open mind and respecting other people's opinions. I learned that this world is not perfect but that we have the power to make it better. I learned what it means to be a leader and what I can do to help my home community. For all this, I want to thank South Africa and this Program. An experience of a lifetime.

Rester, c'est exister, mias voyager, c'est vivre. To stay in the same place is to exist, but to travel is to live. This Summer 2018, I was given the life changing opportunity to go abroad, in which I was exposed to French life and culture over the span of 3 weeks, even visiting the country of Germany in the process. All honesty, I had personally thought that although I was given the chance, I wasn't going to be able to experience it due to the complication of not having a passport, but surely enough, after 7 attempts (a long story) I was handed the blue colored leather document and within the next 4 days, I was seated in the aisle seat of a plane to France. My first few days were definitely an introduction to the country, the moment where I was able to dip my toe into the water to test it all out, consisting of sight seeing, metro trips and trying new foods that some could only imagine eating, like snails. It wasn't until I had seen the Eiffel tower that the fact that I was in France hit me by 25%.

Soon after, we left Paris and headed to the city of Nancy, where I jumped straight into French life, living with strangers who easily became my second family. I fell in love with my homestay parents and siblings as soon as they approached me, flipping through French to English dictionaries. They led me around their hometown, bringing me to the square, explaining the history and buying me treats I hadn't known existed such as bubble gum ice cream. At home, I was treated like their own child, running around the backyard with my brother and sisters playing soccer, helping set the table and cook dinner and even witnessing France win the world cup, which ended in an everlasting celebration. It was the day we departed from our families, as we wiped the tears off of each others cheeks that the fact that I was in France hit me by 50%. We headed straight to Germany for 3 days after our homestays, where we had gotten a glimpse of German life, including their food and luxurious hotels before going back to France. The last few days, we did more sightseeing and group bond building, our last night ending with dinner on a boat right beside the glowing tower before taking a boat ride around the area. That night, I was hit with by 70% realisation.

It was like before I could say “allez les bleus”, I was on my way back to America. That morning in the airport, our goodbyes were filled with fresh tears and 98% of realisation that I had just spent 3 weeks in the home country of the Eiffel Tower and the macaroon (even with the fact that I couldn't stop saying “merci” after being offered anything) hit me. I came home with not just French phrases staining my vocabulary or the fact that I communicate with my homestay family with every chance I had, but also with a sense of independence, self worth and confidence in trying new things. Till this day, I still feel like I’m dreaming, like I hadn't gone to France and Germany at the age of 16, being an African American girl from a low income part of New York, but I did, that's all thanks to The Experiment In International Living.

From the minute I stepped off of the plane to the minute I left, I felt so accepted. At the beginning, the novelty of it all was shocking, and surprising, and always so interesting to see how communities other than mine worked, but as I began to feel more comfortable, it grew into something bigger. I felt like a part of the country, even though there were people who would recognize me as American or a Westerner. But that all became part of the experience as I learned how people really lived, what they ate, how they talked, and the dyanamics of each family or city.
The cities were amazing, as expected, but the one that really stood out to me the most was Merzouga, or in other words, the Sahara Desert. It was an place I never thought I would have the opportunity to experience, and the whole thing was a dream. From riding camels and watching the sunset on top of the perfectly geometric dunes to the sleeping out under the stars, I could not have asked for anything better.
Then there was of course, the homestay experience in Brachoua, which I think taught me more than any other place I have ever been to combined. It was just so different from my normal routine or the one I had gotten used to since arriving in Morocco. But as the two weeks there went on, I felt more and more love for everyone I encountered, and an appreciation for all that they do.
I also made lifelong friends, so I would give this program a high thumbs up.

My time in Tanzania through the Experiment in International Living defied words, expectations, and explanations. This program was so well structured and planned. My only wish would be to have had more time. I thought it was perfect that we began in Dar Es Salaam and were slowly eased into Tanzanian life. We then had our homestay in the village of Stahabu, where I was stunned by the connections I was able to build with my family and other members of the village. The homestay experience is one that I believe could not be replicated outside of this program. It was unique and mind blowingly different, yet normal. This would be one of the main reasons I would recommend this program. We also stayed with two ex-Black Panthers, Pete and Charlotte O'Neal, at the United African Alliance Community Center. Exposure to this hub of art and music and creativity moved me deeply and created one of the periods of most creative inspiration that I have experienced in my life. This, along with our time staying with the indigenous Maasai people, are two experiences that I do not believe could be replicated outside of this program. I was extremely grateful to have this opportunity to spend time with a Maasai family and get to know them on such a personal level. I went into my time in Tanzania with no expectations because I knew I could not predict what incredible things I would experience. The trip was more than I could have ever imagined, and I am grateful to have had this unique opportunity.

When I first signed up for this trip I didn't know what to expect. Everyone would tell me how unforgettable it would be. After going on it for myself I say the same thing to others. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything else. I will remember my trip and the people I was with forever and use what I learned on it for the rest of my life. This is something that is once in a lifetime and if you have the opportunity to do something like it, always take that chance to do it. This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and would 100% recommend this trip to anyone who asked me about it.

I loved going to Mongolia. It was super fun and interesting. Everyone was super nice and all the activities we did were really cool. Mongolia is an amazing country with beautiful scenery, interesting history and the kindest people. Some highlights was going to the capital, working with students, going to the Gobi desert, and the homestay. Getting to know another country was really fun and seeing both the similarities and differences between the US and Mongolia was really interesting.