Program Reviews

This trip to France was by far the best thing I have ever done. Highly recommended! Well put together and very fun. Paul Bocuse Institut chefs were so amazing and helpful. We created so many delicious dishes with very high quality ingredients. My host family took me in like there own child. We did so many great activities. I became very immersed in the culture. Language classes were very helpful. Overall absolutely amazing!!

This program provided me with a comfortable and encourage setting of kids from all of the US as well as kids from Spain to help improve my language skills as well as explore the culture. The in country leader was fantastic at explaining historical sites and significance to us both in Spanish and in English, allowing us to have a deeper understanding of our surroundings. The homestay portion was for me, as well as many others, was another great highlight of the trip. Personally, the activities done with the host siblings made everyone feel included and allowed us to make unforgettable friendships. A lot of us still have shared group chats to keep in contact with one another.

On my trip to Spain, I learned a lot about the Spanish culture. I participated in experiences that took me out of my comfort zone and into a learning environment where it was easy to have fun in addition to learning. I ate new foods, met new people, spoke a different language, and visited new places, in addition to educating myself about how cities in Spain worked and how people used them.

The leaders were great at keeping us on track and making sure we always felt safe. We learned a LOT about the Indian healthcare system- how it works, issues within it and ways the issues are being addressed. Met and were able to speak with doctors, nurses, and ASHAS. During out home stay in Dharamsala, we spent the week learning about the Tibetan crisis, through museums, meetings with organization leaders, and meeting individuals who are effected by China's control over Tibet. I had lots of fun and learned things I couldn't have imagined.

This program was honestly the best experience i have ever had and I hope more students are able to hear about it and apply. The leaders in my group were like parents to me as well as friends and I felt 100% safe at all times. Overall for me, my experience was great and my home-stay family was a perfect match! I never got homesick while at my home-stay and to me that was such a shocking thing since I tend to get homesick fast. The fact that my family was able to make me feel so at home meant so much to me.

Going on The Experiment in International Living’s program to South Africa this summer (2018) was so amazing! The program itself was centered around the theme of leadership and social change, which are two subjects that I am very passionate about. Some of my favorite parts of the trip were hiking Lion’s Head in Cape Town, spending 10 days in an Afrikaans speaking community for homestay, and learning about sustainability at the Tlholego Ecovillage. There was always an activity or thematic workshop to do; the trip was never boring or too touristy. I feel like I came back to the USA with so much more confidence and ready to tackle the social issues facing my community. Our group leaders were some of the most supportive and nurturing people I have ever met, and always challenged us to get out of our comfort zones. My group was full of wonderful, diverse people from all over the US, and we all bonded really quickly. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for some challenge and adventure- be warned that there will not always be things like WiFi and showers available to you!

Going to Thailand with the Experiment was the experience of a lifetime. Being that I had never been out of the country prior to traveling with the Experiment, I was very nervous to go abroad. However, the Experiment provided me with the support and care I needed to have the time of life. The Experiment allowed me to experience a culture that I would not have gotten to experience otherwise. One of the most special aspects of the Experiment experience was the homestay. I got to be fully immersed in Thai culture, and I became very close to the Prao District community.

This program was amazing !!! I’ve met people from all across the states. We all an open mind to the cultural barriers in language & setting. We had so much fun seeing the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and many beautiful stores and learning about the history behind different architecture. Not only is France all about Paris but many places are rural/ suburban having a country feel that you’ll see with your host family. It was best of both worlds getting to experience tourist & cultural immersion vibes.

My experience on the Experiment was beyond incredible. Initially, I was extremely hesitant to be immersing myself in such an unfamiliar culture for what seemed to be for such an extensive amount of time, but these emotions quickly faded. The 15 strangers that made up my group turned into my close friends almost instantaneously, and the experiences we shared were beyond compare. From exploring the streets of Madrid and Toledo, to meeting our homestay families in Guadix, to taking language and history classes in Granada, my time in Spain succeeded all my expectations. While I was the most anxious about the homestay portion of the trip, I ended up absolutely loving it. My family was beyond welcoming, and even though the language barrier was difficult to take in at first, I grew more comfortable communicating as time went by. I have so many great memories with my family from Guadix and they were, without a doubt, one the hardest goodbyes. I highly recommend this program, as not only is Spain such an amazing country full of endless culture and beauty, but I also met some of my best friends through this experience.

This four week trip I took to India, via the Experiment in International Living, did not only give me a summer to remember, but also helped me secure the idea of double majoring in International Relations and Writing. I was, and still am, fearful about college and the idea that I have to start putting my life together. The Experiment's trip to India gave me more joy and hope for my future! They gave me the security and courage I needed to move on to college.