The Experiment in International Living Reviews

What I appreciated the most about this program was the immersion into South African culture rather than deeming ourselves the white saviours of poverty ridden Africa. We never bought a goat or installed a well. We watched and listened to the sounds of South Africa and its people rather than our own. I fell in love with everyone we met, everyone was so incredibly smart and funny, eager to share their worldview to such clueless North Americans. Because of this program my perception of the world has expanded beyond my Canadian and American experience. I'd never seen a mountain before and suddenly I was standing at the peak of Table Mountain overlooking the beautiful city of Capetown! Although I was an obvious tourist, with my pale skin, red hair, and Canadian accent, I never felt like one. Tourists are comfortable, viewing the attractions and landscape from a narrow lense. We were thrown into South Africa -- I was never fully comfortable and that's a good thing. We toured through Langa, a township a little outside of Capetown, where we saw inadequate housing like never before. We were warmly welcomed into a small room where clothes and furniture were stacked upon each other, a woman sat there and invited us to take pictures of her poverty as she explained that 5-10 people lived in this small room. We stood there boggled, our privilege glowing and becoming ever apparent. We hopped from museum to museum consuming all of the information about apartheid and South Africa's history as we could get. We lived with host families and soon became a part of a community in Plettenberg bay. I connected with people who speak a different language and live a hemisphere away, but it makes no difference.

In the end I felt very at home in South Africa. Because of my partaking in this program I have an experience that the majority of people will never have. I go to a high school where people take long vacations in France and Italy, living in the comfort of their hotel room. They could never imagine a life without heat or wifi. They've never woken because of the rooster's call, and they definitely have never walked down a paved street next to a wild cow. My world has changed because of this program. I highly recommend it to everyone and anyone! Especially if you want to experience a world outside of yourself.

I never expected to fall in love on this trip, but I did. Ecuador took my heart and I don't think I will ever get it back. The environment and ecosystems there are so incredibly unique and unlike anything I have ever experienced before, and it was all amplified tenfold by the amazing job The Experiment did. I had amazing group leaders along with wondrous activities The Experiment planned for us. I made new friends, a new family, and experiences that will last a lifetime. I know that I will travel back in the future because of the huge impact it had on me this summer.

I had an amazing time in Mongolia and learned various things about myself throughout the journey. Mongolia was very beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the rich and diverse culture. There was never a dull moment, everyday there was a new adventure and there were always activities to do. I had a wonderful time getting to know the people I traveled with and we had an amazing group dynamic that made my time there much more enjoyable. One of the challenges I faced in the country was getting adjusted to their food, but being open-minded and having the willingness to try new things is definitely beneficial during the trip. I would recommend the trip to anyone whose thinking about going.

Traveling to Costa Rica through the Experiment was by far the best choice that I can recall ever making. Between the numerous friendships and relationships that I built with my group members, leaders, host family, and all of the amazing things that we did over the four weeks abroad, I'd 100% recommend embarking on a trip through this program. Even if you don't go to Costa Rica, there is an incredibly diverse amount of places that you can travel to through the Experiment.

I had an amazing time in Argentina, I met great people and loved my host family. They paired the host families to each family perfectly and every single student in my group agreed. We went out to explore the city and various towns and enjoyed every single moment of it. The group leaders were the sweetest and took care of us as if we were their own. They always made sure everyone was included in the group and had a lot of fun with us!

One 35-pound suitcase, 45-liter backpack, and a one-way ticket to Argentina later, I was on a plane to a country I have never been to before with 12 unknown students and two amazing leaders I would soon get to know. As my group and I landed in Buenos Aires, I could smell the freshly oven-baked empanadas, sweet dulce de leche spread on crackers, and juicy well-done steaks Argentina is known for. I couldn't be more grateful to have spent 4 weeks in a country that is known for their food and culture. From a friendly game of soccer with our host families to finding the restaurant with the best tasting pasta (which was quite impossible), we had the experience to immerse ourselves in more ways than one.

For the first 2 days, our group had the opportunity to explore what Buenos Aires has to offer such as the Tigre delta and practice our Spanish language skills. Over the course of two days, we received the chance to visit significant cafes, theaters, and art galleries that embodied the Argentina culture. One 4-hour local flight later, we were sitting in the Experiment's office in Jujuy, where our home stays would occur. To be completely honest, my family in New York and I have never been close enough to share a memorable encounter as I had when my host sister came to pick me up. She knew who I was, what I did, and why I was in Argentina, but I did not know anything other than her name. It was quite amazing. I could start from scratch in meeting and getting to know new people, in hopes of building long-lasting relationships.

My homestay family consisted of 4 wonderful-beautiful individuals: my mom, dad, and two sisters. At first, it was strange to share the table with people I did not know and sleep in a house I was not familiar with. Nevertheless, we started to warm up to each other, unlike the weather we were in. Their love snuggled the cold out of my body more than a simple sweater could ever have. I felt at home, 4,516 miles away from my house. I will always keep them in my heart, even if we're not together anymore. The long, chatter-filled nights I stayed up with my sister and hearty meals my mother cooked for the family will remain in my heart for the years to come.

Community service was like the icing on the cake; I could not be happier to have helped the local communities of Jujuy and Chicoana. Our community service projects such as gardening, painting, and remodeling a run-down police station and the humble school gave me the chance to learn life lessons I will sincerely hold dear to my heart. Durning the last couple of days, our group and I experienced white-water rafting in the Juramento River, horseback riding up rocky mountains, and camping in cold winter weather. Over the span of 25 days, I learned and experienced a lifetime of adventures. Indeed, it was a summer to remember.

My time on the experiment was nothing short of spectacular. I learned things I didn't know about myself, along with learning about new cultures and a new country. I have traveled vastly before, but this immersion was more than I've ever experienced. The intensity at which it was provided was perfect. It was overwhelming, but well worth it. I had a homestay, which was two weeks and it was there that I attempted most of my Portuguese. After our home stays the group traveled to a remote island to learn about conservation and ecology. Overall the trip exceeded my expectations and fueled my curiosity in other places.

The experiment is a great program for student to be apart of. When I was in Spain I was able to learn about the culture and visit important sites, while still being able to pursue my interest of technology and urban development. My group was able to create a model, using 3D printing and laser cutting, to help develop a new park in Madrid. In Valencia we helped promote bicycle riding and bike lanes. Lastly in Mallorca we helped paint a wall to bring color to the area. Through the experiment I have made many relationships and I was able to immerse myself into cultures outside my own. The experiment really gave me an amazing opportunity and I highly recommend others to take part in this program.

My name is Ashley Rivera and I was lucky enough to partake in the program of arts and social change that took place in Nicaragua and Cuba. Over the course of roughly 4 weeks, I was given the opportunity to stay with an environmentally conscious rural community within the Nicaraguan mountains whose desire for change was evident in their day to day lives. Also throughout this program, I stayed in Cuba for a week and visited multiple art museums/installations and was given a chance to explore Cuban society within a safe and responsible context. I appreciate being able to experience the lives of those who are so different from a mine, because it gave me a new perspective or more so a changed perspective on the definition of happiness. In lagartillo (Nicaraguan community) there are latrines instead of bathrooms, and when I asked why this community did that, their response was that gallons of water are used when you flush the toilet, so if they could conserve that instead of what they thought was needlessly using it, then they are doing a little part of what needs to be a big change. Watching such a small community attempt to do their part in what needs to be a bigger concern for the world and being happy to do so made me appreciate and rethink my luxuries and gain a humbling perspective on the world today. My experiment leaders and in country mentors were very helpful and supportive as well.

My summer in Tanzania was truly amazing. To be quite honest, Tanzania was nothing like I imagined it to be. While all my friends were going to Spain, France, and other European countries to enhance their language skills, I was having the time of my life in Tanzania. It's definitely a different type of program. Not many people have the opportunity to travel to and experience life in an African country, and those who haven't will never be able to understand your experience completely. Tanzania is such a culturally rich place with their preservation of traditional tribes, captivating music industry, and beautiful art and carvings. The people are so welcoming and they have the kindest hearts. We took on everything one day at a time. Everything is "pole pole." I think that going on this trip before my senior year of high school really allowed me to reassess myself and my values. Overall, this trip taught me so much about myself and expanded my perspective on many issues. It's really the place to form a pure connection with the people and enjoy the beautiful nature and culture.