Program Reviews

If you are debating traveling to Peru with the Experiment, DO IT! I was a little nervous going into this experience, especially because I'd never traveled internationally before! However, with caring group leaders who made immersion easy, and the amazing activities we did every day, I didn't want to go home! I made the most amazing and lifelong friends on this trip, and made so many connections with people from the country. Even if you are uneasy with your spanish, DO IT, your language skills will improve so much. It truly was the best summer ever.

For everyone nervously considering whether they should take the plunge on the Experiment's program, I would really recommend that you do. While I'm contributing to it, the pool of online information you'll find won't give you the full view of the trip that I remember searching for. It's a big step to commit to something like this, but know that everyone on the 2018 trip had to go through this process, and I don't think anyone regretted their choice to enroll.

Worries you may have (all that I can think of):

-Living conditions:
We had pretty nice accommodations. We were in the Park Hotel in UB for about a week total (this could change for all I know, but I expect what you would end up with would be similar). Rooms (of 2) had a small bathroom and shower. We could get hot water most of the time. The beds, at Park and all other locations, were fine and easy to fall asleep on after packed days. We also had showers in Sainshand (Gobi location).

-Bathrooms:
In UB, Sainshand, and a few other places, we had standard flushing toilets.
Much of the rest of the time, we had simple outhouses.
At our homestay, we had no formal bathroom buildings. The world was our toilet.
I, of course, can't speak for everyone on my trip, but I didn't have much trouble with any of this.

-Food:
Mongolian food is pretty good. It's pretty simple, usually meat and grain. We eat at some restaurants in UB. We took a bunch of meals in private dining halls when we were staying outside of a city. We usually got something like Lipton tea with almost every meal. Portion sizes are huge.

-Water:
Though the temperature obviously couldn't be controlled, we had good, storebought, or otherwise clean, water for almost all of the trip. The one exception was in the homestay when we would generally be drinking milk tea with our families. The water situation shouldn't be a much of a deterrent.

-Horses:
We had the opportunity to ride horses with the group and at our homestays. Technically no one had to ride, but no one in our group left without doing a fair amount of horse riding. The horses were generally pretty relaxed and first-time riders didn't have much trouble.

-Language:
I'd certainly recommend some language preparation, but don't be worried if you don't know much/anything before you come to the program. We were adequately prepared with simple, functional language. My small Mongolian-English dictionary was very useful for more complex communication.

Highlights:

-Homestay:
The real deal. Living and participating in an ancient way of life. This was the greatest degree of immersion that we experienced. My host family understood that I didn't really know what I was doing in their lifestyle, but worked to include me, giving me whatever simple tasks that I could understand. I had some contact from the group throughout, but that week was mostly a process of learning and growth in a totally new environment.

-The Group:
Sharing new and challenging experiences brought the group so close together. Even after just the plane ride and first day in the country, I could tell that we were developing connections. By our last days, we had bonded an amazing amount. No matter how different my fellow Experimenters seemed, I found that I could more or less relate to everyone. We could all find some sort of common ground. Over a month, a group of people I'd never met became trusted friends.

-Everything else:
Our travel took us from North to East to South and gave us many interesting opportunities on the way. Our itinerary brought us many new experiences.

I don't know what history you have with travel, but this trip was very special to me because it offered a completely new and unique experience. It truly is hard to put into words how important and life-changing this trip was, but I can't recommend it more.

The experience I had exceeded my expectations. I really wanted my summer to be exciting and I was looking for some adventure as well as some learning experience and what I had with EIL was completely what I wanted. I felt like I was in a different country even though we were still in the United States. The group members and leaders made the whole experience even better as everyone was open and participative. I am forever thankful and I will forever remember this trip!

For me this trip provides me with a new look and deeper understanding of the civil rights. I am aware of the civil rights issue we face today but I didn’t take into account that we’ve made so much progress. This experience expand my respect and appreciation of those before me who stood up for the rights I take for granted today. There were many lives lost and risk taken just so I could get a school within walking distance from my home that have a high quality education. So many people who were my age were killed simply because of their race, something they can’t control. Although it still happens today it is no longer ignored and unsolved like the past. Going to different museums that highlighted these crimes and traumatic Times brought me to realize this. Also meeeting with people who lived through these times help me connect with the reality of the past. This experience was eye owning and provided me with a new appreciation for things I took for granted before. I gained more knowledge and respect.

With my time abroad I had life changing experiences and memories that will last a life time. I met so many people from different backgrounds, and I think that helped me grow as a person. There wasn't a time where I was bored. This program exposed me on how people live outside of my country. I was able to live like a local and get a better understanding of how a normal day would be like. I would definitely recommend this program.

The Experiment in International Living is a wonderful experience that provides time to explore a new environment in a country away from home. I traveled to France and Germany with The Experiment on their France: Regional Cultures program. My group and I had the opportunity to do everything from exploring Paris, to biking through the French countryside in Munster, to hiking in the Black Forest in Germany, to watching and celebrating France's 2018 World Cup win with our host families in Nancy. The time I spent abroad with the Experiment was wonderful, and it was further augmented by the diverse selection of students I had the opportunity to travel through France with. I highly recommend the Experiment in International Living for high school students looking to broaden their cultural horizons and experience something truly life-changing.

This program was by far one of the best experiences I have ever participated in. Everything was great; the staff, the activities, and how it was run. For me, what made the program so great were the activities we participated in and the focus of the program. My program focused on community service around Argentina and exploring the adventurous and outdoor side of Argentina. The community service was great and I loved the manual labor part of it that we did at a local police station. We were also able to work at an Elderly Persons' Home which felt very rewarding since we could really see how happy we were making the residents. As for the outdoor side of the program, everything was very fun and well run. From the whitewater rafting to the horseback riding to the bike riding. The activities were what made this program different from any others. Another great aspect of this program was the homestay. All of the families were set up and dealt with very well and everyone had a great experience. The overall program was great all around and I would definitely recommend to others.

During my month with The Experiment, I learned first hand how to travel effectively. Having minimal international travel experience before the Mongolia trip, I went in with low expectations. Stepping off the plane, I was immediately enveloped by the new culture and fully immersed in learning the language. My group leaders were warm, supportive, and thoughtful throughout our experiences. My fellow experimenters and I became very close & our relationships grew immensely during our month together. We considered ourselves an experiment family and have formed plans to meet up in the near future. The experiences we shared stretched each and every one of us in a way you can't fully understand without having been there. A few of my favorite moments from the trip were when we as a group reflected and questioned what we had learned or experienced. Theres a special comfort knowing that wherever you go in the world, the unity & friendships you share with other people (wether you speak the same language or not) is remembered. The most valuable skill I retained from my travels was finding comfort in the unknowns. As Chris Burkard said “if everything goes perfect you walk away completely unchanged”. This has been true and applicable to all facets of my everyday life in the US. I understand the fears that many teens & parents have about traveling abroad. I can't recommend enough that you push past those fears and choose The Experiment in International Living. The ways in which I grew as an individual, the people I interacted with, and the experience of Mongolia were truly priceless.

I've said this before to so many people and I'll say it again; this trip was life-changing. Although I had to jump through a few hoops to get to the UK, I'm never going to stop traveling. This trip was the domino to set off my fervor for travel even more. Ever since I was little I've always wanted to travel and I finally had the chance to do what I dreamed of. We learned about journalism in a way so unlike any others. We were immersed in it and got to feel what exactly it took to be a journalist. I know now that I don't want to be a journalist but I am so grateful that the Experiment gave me the opportunity to figure out what it is I do or do not want to do. Not only that but I met some amazing people and I learned some amazing things about myself and the world.

This trip allowed me to learn new things about Japanese culture and advance in the field I love to study, Animation. Going to school in Japan was a different experience than in America. I made a lot of friends. I wish I could have stayed longer, so that is something to improve upon. I miss the food. It was super tasty and cheap. I also enjoyed the trains. I wanted to get pushed into a rush hour train and I got that experience. I would gladly do this again and again. I met amazing people and I still keep in contact with them. This trip is well worth the time.