Program Reviews

I attended this program last summer (2022) The in-country staff were great and the content was amazing. However the program was contracted to SIT which is not the Experiment directly. The trip started rough because the US based people didn't communicate to the in-country staff on what was promised to us. Tours, cultural experiences, etc. The in-country staff only knew about the need for housing/school. We also had problems with food money, being way to little for Switzerlands economy, and general support. Highly recommend SIT (school of international training) for programs, they were fantastic. You can also do this exact program in college! The promised program was so vastly unlike what I got, even my parents got upset. Just avoid the Experiment. I imagine its not all bad but I had such a bad experience I can't endorse the company.

I’ll never forget the four weeks I spent in Ghana while on this program and the experiences I was able to have! As a group, we traveled to Kumasi, the Volta region, and Cape Coast which gave us the chance to truly explore the country. While on program, I was also able to intern with Untamed Empire, an incubator for young artists in Ghana, where I learned more about artistry and the mechanics of a business. I enjoyed every second of my trip, down to driving through Accra’s heavy traffic and visiting multiple museums. It was a great way to spend my summer!

I loved the time I spent in Ghana over the summer! I learned a lot about the art scene in Ghana and the culture. During the month, I interned at Dikan Center, a non-profit organization committed to visual education through the advancement of visual storytelling in Africa. Through the internship and the projects and discussions had there, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of Ghanaian culture and history. It was nice to go on different excursions throughout the month like Kumasi, Cape Coast, and the Volta Region because of the different people we got to interact with and how the lifestyles differed from place to place.

This trip was one of the most amazing things I have ever taken part of and I would highly recommend for students who want to get out in the world. It is a good safe environment to be in and to still have fun! With the home stay in the south I was able to truly see what everyday life was like and I felt fully immersed in the culture. We also spent a lot of time with the group and got to create our own itineraries giving us more confidence in leader and planning skills. I hope many more kids get to have this experience and that they enjoy it as much as I did.

The Experiment in international Livings South Korea program was an amazing trip and experience. I was born in South Korea but at a very young age, I move to the United States of America. This trip was a great way to learn about the people and culture of the place I was born. During the trip I visited many incredible places for example we visited the Gyeongbokgung Palace, The Korean War Museum, the Han River, the DMZ, and many more incredible places. My personal favorite places we visited was the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Han River, and Seoul. I learned so much about the old and new traditions and culture of South Korea. It was amazing to see how technologically advanced Korea was. There were robot servers at restaurants and robotic guides in the airport. The food was another highlight of the trip. Korean cuisine was very different compared to America. The seasonings as well as the food ingredients themselves were different. I’ve had a good amount of Korean food growing up but there was a difference between having it in the USA vs having it in Korea. At the end of our trip, we met with a group of Korean high school students and did many activities with them. We visited Cheongju and learned about the Korean presidents, we attended a student lead fair and toured through an art museum. It was a lot of fun to learn about their lives as students in Korea and what their plans for the future were. At the very end of the trip, we were allowed to explore the city of Seoul and I was able to meet with a friend from America that was there as an exchange student. They gave me a tour of the surrounding area and we did some shopping. My biggest takeaway from the trip would have to be the culture of South Korea. Korea is so different than the US in so many ways. There are definitely cultural mannerisms I’ve taken back to the US and that I’ve implemented into my daily life. I would love to go back to visit again.

Being in a new country with people you've never met is a duanting idea at first. I was nervous and kinda regreting my decision of even getting on the plane, but as soon as I got there I was greeted by my group leaders, and I started getting excited. From there everything went by quickly, meeting the full group, then security, then landing, motel, exploring spain, etc. Everything was quick and you had something to do everyday! Whether it was going to museums, cathedrals or new cities, you had something to do everyday. Homestays were one of the times thing went slower. Living with a new family was pretty nerve-wracking, especially since at the time I was sick. My biggest fears were getting the rest of the family sick or being disrespectful in any way. Thankfully, my family was so kind and understanding! They'd take us on small trips around Valencia, showing us landmarks, museums, beaches, and let us walk around the city. Truly one of my most memorable moments was anytime the whole family was together. Being able to see and be a part of a family, and experiencing their day to day was truly memorable. Although I know Spanish, I noticed that my family did try to make a slight effort to teach it to those that didn't. Advice I have for homestays is to definitely try to communicate. It might be hard at first but being able to talk to your homestay family is super important and can add to the experience!

I absolutely loved my trip to Spain. I found that the interactions we had with our Spanish peers were one of a kind, and we connected with them more deeply than I could have imagined. I appreciated the intense cultural immersion we had, and I truly feel like I know Spain and Spanish culture. I especially liked that I walked away from this trip feeling like I could give my family a tour around Granada or Guadix if I wanted to. I was really able to get to know the places we stayed in and the people we got to know. I would definitely recommend this trip to others!

This is a very impactful trip. I learned new things made new friends and have skills I can use later in life. When I met everybody we were all quiet at first but as we traveled more we all became really good friends. We all did not like the heat considering it was in the Hundreds. We all took lots of pictures at the art museums, at the restaurants and even at the country side itself. When we all went to our host families we all made some really good memories but they were very sad just like us when we had to go. But we all still remember and love them. This trip was so much fun I might think about coming back

When I first found out that I was accepted for the Experiment’s Ecuador trip, I was absolutely overjoyed. However, I don’t believe it actually hit me that I was going away for an entire month without anyone that I knew. It certainly was a bit overwhelming and daunting when I came to that realization. Now, after having experienced what I did, I should have never been even a little apprehensive about going. Being spoken to and forced to speak Spanish every day was at first annoying and made me nervous, but I quickly realized that it was extremely beneficial for my Spanish skills. I was forced to understand Spanish and speak it constantly, as opposed to learning Spanish in school, where you have to understand and speak it very little. At the end of the trip, my Spanish comprehension and speaking fluency had drastically improved, and I learned twice as much in one month as I have in all of school. We got to go to three of the four regions of Ecuador. The four regions are the coast, the highlands, the Galápagos, and the Amazon, and we went to the highlands, Galápagos, and Amazon. Doing so allowed us to experience the country from many different perspectives. The activities and learning that we participated in in every location added to the experience and understanding of where we were and the culture and norms. The home stay was the most culturally immersive experience of the trip because we got to spend a week with an Ecuadorian family and part take in their everyday lives. It showed me what the average day of an Ecuadorian family looks like, how they live, family norms and traditions, etc. It was incredibly engaging and an amazing experience. Going to the Galápagos was a truly unforgettable and amazing opportunity. I had read a lot about the islands, and seen countless documentaries, but never did I ever think that I would be able to go there for myself, but it happened. We got to stay on a boat for four days while touring the islands, and we explored and learned about the diversity of the life and unique ecosystems, and learned about the historical significance of the islands, and it was an unbelievable experience. Overall, with all the other locations, things we did, people we saw, and the things we learned, my Experiment experience has unequivocally changed my overall appreciation for and perspective on other countries all around the world and their cultures, and has made me a better, more independent individual.

Being able to study abroad in Geneva, Switzerland was one of the most amazing opportunities I've ever had, and I am extremely grateful. Not only was I able to learn more about Global Health and its philosophy, systems, and impact, but I was also able to see it tie to Humanitarian Action and meet real life humanitarian and health workers who have been on the front lines. Yes, the administration could have been more organized with the coordination of museums and events, but for a first time, it was amazing. Switzerland now is close and dear to my heart, not just for the people I've met and the sights I was able to explore, but for also being able to truly immerse myself and live there like a citizen, not just a tourist or student.