The Experiment in International Living Reviews

I had the opportunity to study abroad this summer '17 and go to India! If you are a planning or have interest in going to India and are a high school student I strongly encourage you to go with an amazing organization called the Experiment in International Living. I will not lie, it wasn't all easy but if this is a piece of advice that I can give you is not to let any stereotypes of ANY country stop you from going. You will learn why things are the way they are and why they may seem different to you. Another piece of advice that I can give you YES YOU the one who wants to leave for the summer is JOURNAL!!!! it doesn't have to be everyday but if it weren't for the experiment to have told me that I wouldn't have anything else to reflect back on other than pictures. India is an amazing country, and you will have amazing in-country leaders so don't be scared! If I could do it all over again I would. The Experiment in International Living has been an amazing and strong support system all the way providing you every detail you and your family need to know to ensure your safety. I SAY TAKE THE EXPERIMENT TO GO!

This is an amazing program, and I recommend everyone to apply. Being in Argentina helped me improve my spanish and changed my outlook on the world. Meeting people from both different parts of the US and in Argentina opened my eyes to how large our world really is.
Both my group and my leaders were amazing. Our leaders gave us the freedom to explore parts of Buenos Aires, Salta, and Chicoana on our own. This freedom allowed us to see different parts of the cities that wouldn't usually be tourist attractions. Not only that, but it allowed us to truly immerse ourselves in Argentinian culture.
With a combination of the home stay, horseback riding, camping, and community service, how could you not want to go to Argentina? The trip was unforgettable, and I hope more people get to experience it!

The Experiment in International Living grants me special and unique experience in Argentina. It may be uncomfortable to travel to a different country with 14 strangers (2 leaders and 12 other experimenters) at first but everyone feels the same. Every student is really nice and we get along with each other quicker than we thought. I like the feeling of uneasiness and nervous at the beginning of the program become less and less throughout the program. The Experiment did an extremely great job to give experimenters a diverse group. People in the Argentina group are from different racial, economic and geographical background. Because of this, I get to learn the Argentine culture and their culture.

The Experiment is designed to exchange culture which means while I am learning Argentina culture and they are learning from us. Besides exchanging culture, community service is a great experience as well. We try to renew school and the police office that will actually help the community. There is alway activities planned during homestay or outside of it to help us learn about the culture and meet new people.

The program leaders are extremely helpful and answer any question you have during the trip. My leaders are respectful because they alway ask for our opinion whenever they have more than one option. They are also responsible because they alway make sure we are present and checking on us.

I will definitely recommend any programs on The Experiment list. Any of the programs on the list will shapes you to a better individual and gain more knowledge.

This program was an amazing opportunity to both discover and understand an urban culture that is very different from what you're used to. You'll be able to design and create your own 3D models using 3D printers and laser cutters, while simultaneously learning about tourism and it's effects to urban designs. This program nurtures your curiosity about the world and how much you can impact it. You won't ever forget the experiences and memories you can make in this program

On my trip, I went to various cities: Tokyo, Sapporo, Bihoro, and Kyoto.
In Tokyo, we navigated the train systems and experienced the various cities along the Yamanote line, which was a truly interesting experience as I had never been on a train before.
In Sapporo, we completed language lessons and met with college students for karaoke, cooking, and purikura as we prepared for our homestays.
Bihoro was where we had our homestay, and I truly had an amazing time in this city. The local culture was so amazing and everyone knew each other. I spent a lot of time with the other host families doing barbecue and hanabi (fireworks). We learned Taiko and etegami and went shopping with our families before preparing for our farewell party. I grew extremely close to my host family and truly love them as my own family now. They are very eager to learn English, but you must be eager to learn Japanese as well. The language barrier isn't that scary, especially with translation apps that are out now. Plus, mistakes lead to amazing stories later on in the trip!
Kyoto was beautiful and was truly a tourist site. We made it our mission to go to Osaka and experience the Osaka Aquarium with whale sharks, which was so amazing to see.
I really wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I met so many amazing people, including many very nice locals! I would give anything to be able to return to Japan.

I really enjoyed my experience at SIT, and would definitely recommend the program to anyone interested in studying human rights from the perspective of a different country. The program opened my eyes to the different problems the LGBTQ+ community faces all around the world, and the different work being done to eradicate the prejudice the individuals in this community face every day. I would say this program helped me be a better ally to my LGBTQ+ friends and family which I will be eternally grateful for. This program not only allows you to learn more about human rights, but also allows you to travel the beautiful country of The Netherlands, and learn about its complicated history. Overall, it was a special and enlightening experience.

I knew close to nothing about Peru before this experience. However, I wanted to join the program because I wanted to see how far I can push myself to be out of my comfort zone. I didn't know much Spanish, so the beginning of the program was very tough for me. However, my group leaders and my group members helped me a lot by encourging me and translating for me. I had great homestay experiences, my host family was nice and caring. Even though we communicated basically using Google Translate, I could still feel the love from them. I had many great new experiences, such as eating unusual foods, riding local transportations, and dancing the traditional dances. I made a lot of new friends and I had broaden my network. Because of this program, I am now in love with Peru.

From sightseeing the Eiffel Tower to living in an ordinary French home and cooking in one of France's most beautiful city, Lyon, this program has taken me on an unforgettable journey. I was immensely exposed to the French culture and language by having the opportunity to be proximate with local inhabitants. The Experiment program was very flexible and free flowing, allowing me to make my own discoveries of the elegant country and independently explore my curiosity of the food, language, and culture. Thanks to the Experiment, my love for the country has deepened, and my passion for the French language has been rekindled. My 3-week adventure in France has become one of my most cherished memories and most certainly remains as an "experiment" that was of great success.

I had a great time with this program. Although I was the only student not from the U.S., there was still a lot of diversity in both background and experience in my program group, and I made some great friends. Although I was not entirely happy that the administration may not have fully taken into account the situations of students living outside the U.S. or that the leaders were not extremely organised all the time, I still enjoyed myself and sometimes found that figuring out our plan as we went along made it more exciting than simply having a fully planned itinerary.

I got the chance to experience new things, like learning how to ride a bike, or archery, or living in a French family's house! I became more confident in my French speaking skills and truly enjoyed living in the moment, being it laughing at random feats, late-night conversations, or people-watching at cafes. I liked that the program focused not just on Paris but on regional culture, because I felt that I got to know France better and enjoyed it more by being in smaller cities/towns.

No one can say that this experience didn't change their life for the better. I spent three weeks with some of the most interesting and cool individuals from around the world. I learned as much from my peers as I did from the tour guides! From the rainy excursions in Mexico City to cave snorkeling in Cozumel, this trip was filled with insights from actual Mayan natives, lessons on prehispanic culture, and plates of tasty Mexican delicacies. 10/10 would recommend!