Program Reviews

I learned a lot and grew as an individual by traveling abroad to Spain through the Experiment. The group leaders, host families, and coordinators made this trip especially memorable for me. I not only learned more about myself and how independent I was traveling to another country, but I also was able to strengthen my Spanish skills greatly. This was an experience that I'll cherish and I'll never forget.

Through this program, I have grown into a more passionate and aware leader. In this program, I met many new people in my group who have similar and different mentalities. Through this variety of personalities and opinions, I was able to gain more perspectives of life from others. I also got to see how passionate and determined the other attendees are - I left the program hopeful due to the fact that I knew the future was going to be full of individuals who are similar to the individuals in my group. From this impactful experience, I had the opportunity to succeed as a leader that I am meant to prosper into and also got to create life-long friendships with the most amazing people I have ever met.

I had an amazing experience in Mongolia this summer. I wanted to be immersed in a culture different from mine and the program really focused on the Mongolian way of life, traditions, and customs. The experience was amazing, Mongolia is a beautify and i would go back in the blink of an eye. I had a wonderful time and all the group leaders were extremely friendly and funny and over all wonderful people. I can not imagine having the same amount of fun as i did with other leaders.

Honestly, the most eye opening and rewarding experience. You will gain so much insight from this trip. I'm glad I was selected and given amazing financial aid to go. Before the experiment, I was pretty uncomfortable with stepping outside of my shelf or my comfort zone. I was used to talking to only so many people and not wanting to go to too many outings because of how anxious and uncomfortable I’d become. Signing up for this trip, I told myself that it was time for me to move past what held me back and that I had to push myself. Now that I am back, I am more than happy I went on this trip. I learned so much about myself.

Truly Enlightening! Reflecting on my experience is a privilege and I now realize how significant it is to be exposed to the customs of other countries. Overall, it was honestly the best month of my life and everyday was even better than the last. From the activities, to the home stays, to the connections each moment would feel completely new and I honestly wouldn't mind going back. My appreciation for culture, language, and sense of community definitely was strengthen on the course of this trip. When it came to serious matters nothing was held back and extremely informative. Based on the exposure of the history and the modern day crisis that strikes upon Germany, the awareness was something critical to not only myself but on a global scale. My overbearing year has definitely been shaped by the experience as a whole and having the opportunity to experience things I would probably never would get to do as an inner city student is refreshing.

One can definitely see Frances exquisite culture while roaming through the city of Paris. The city is made up of beautiful monuments, street art, cafes, and most importantly welcoming people. Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night felt like something out of a movie, I was star struck by a monument. The special part about the nigh was that I got to share it with multiple other students that also had shared the same dream as me.

I have always wanted to travel abroad my dream place to travel to was Brazil. This trip exceeded my expectations it was the best trip I have ever been on. My group was amazing we all bonded and sang songs throughout the trip. This trip exposed me to the beautiful culture in Brazil and their sense of community. Everyday of the trip we did something and interesting wether it be going to the planetarium, learning capoeira, seeing bioluminescent plankton on the beach, or learning Portuguese. These are just a few oath things we did along the trip not a moment was wasted and I enjoyed all of it.

On this program we learned a lot about different cities in Spain and what changes they have been through and are currently going through. From this information, we brainstormed and came up with many ideas on how we change these cities for the better. On projects we used 3-D printers, laser cutters, models, etc. We also had tons of fun throughout the trip too. We did things such as travel to beaches, bike rides, tours around the city, to staying up late playing cards with each other, and etc. Over all this trip was amazing and it's the people that I met that made this trip so amazing.

The trip does a fantastic job of making you feel like you're actually living in the country and not just visiting. It's focus on ecology and conservation fits perfectly with the area and the different excursions that we went on during the trip. Leaders and staff based within Vietnam were extremely accomadating and were a wealth of information during our stay. I would definitely recommend this experience to others and I hope one day I can go back.

Being in a foreign country with people you don't know can be challenging at times, especially when it's your first time travelling outside of the country. But I was able to meet so many amazing people that made me feel comfortable and loved. From gaining new friends to family members, I did not feel out of place at all. I enjoyed the program so much that if I had a choice to stay longer I would gladly take it. Though I did not know Mandarin my family still treated me like one of their own. Everyone was so kind and courteous to me. My idea of what China was before the trip definitely changed afterwards. I learned so much regarding China's education through my host sister Ann and one of the teachers from Tian Tian. I witnessed different methods Chinese students cope with the stress they endure from life. So many amazing experiences happened to me that it is hard to just talk about one, but my top favorite was when everyone played games with each other in the rural village. It was awesome. Some of us played basketball while others cheered from the sideline. Even people that didn't really want to do it at first joined once they saw how much fun we were having, even children from the village joined us. It was so much just running around and a cool day.
I would definitely recommend this program to everyone. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity that everyone should experience. Going abroad through The Experiment in International Living is way better than just going to the country. You get to live life with them by being in their home and eating what they eat on a daily basis. You began to break the assumptions you had before going by actually being there. Learn things I wouldn't have known if I had not gone. The Experiment not only unlocked my love for traveling but allowed me to appreciate my culture, China's culture, and the many friends and family I have gained.
Also, before going to china make sure you caring toilet paper or some kind of tissue paper.