The Experiment in International Living Reviews

My time in Spain has made it the most memorable summer I have had so far. I worked with 3D printers and laser-cutting technology. It was also very eyeopening to witness the effects of tourism, which are often overlooked. I made many close friends and had a bunch of laughs. I have grown to be more independent and felt very comfortable away from home. My homestay experience immersed me into the local culture. I love Spain and would totally do it over again if I had the chance. Overall, I cannot wait to study abroad in college.

Studying abroad in Spain was a dream come true. Not only did I make new unbreakable bonds with my group and our group leaders, but I gained a new family through my home stay experience. While in Spain, I became more confident with speaking more Spanish and becoming a more open minded person. Along the way, I became stronger and grew familiar with the Spanish tradition that I now make an effort to incorporate into my daily life. On this trip, I got the opportunity to see things that I have never seen before and I got to immerse myself in a culture I want to become more familiar with. Last but not least, I was given the chance of a life time that has made me a better individual. This was my first time going abroad and I will forever be grateful to the Experiment, my friends and family, and other people who made this happen for me.

The title says it all. It truly was one of the best summers ever. I was able to experience a whole new culture and made some really great friends too. My leaders were compassionate and caring and they went out of there way to do what was best for us. From getting bug bites to playing soccer with locals to hiking and nearly touching wildlife, Costa Rica is a place you'll never forget, especially if you go with the Experiment Study Abroad program. Everyday is fun and enlightening and sometimes there's surprises too. I don't know anybody who didn't like the trip because everything, every place, and everyone were so welcoming and not afraid to make mistakes. Through these type of programs and groups, you are able to really get out of your comfort zone and immerse yourself into the culture. Having had to use my broken Spanish skills was hard but it taught me to dig deep down to find in me and try. That's what the whole trip is about: trying and experiencing new things. Take it from me, a girl who ate termites straight from the nest and even went back for seconds. It was weird but now I can say I did it in Costa Rica. You want to have those moments where no one else has ever done it before and going to Costa Rica with EIL program will allow you to make memories of you own. Every second is a second I'd like to relive. No matter the time or day, no matter how tired I was, I found it in me to explore something I'd only have that one chance to do it. My group may have had ups and downs but we became one of the closest people ever; we became part of a new family.

I'm so glad I went on this journey with no true expectations of what it would look like. The spontaneity with which I approached this beautifully complex foreign country made the experience all the more rich. I gained an immense amount of confidence in my french speaking abilities and formed close with bonds with the friends I met along the way and the places I hope to return to. And the best part was, as fate would have it, the part I dreaded the most: the homestay!

Everyone in my group, including myself, really enjoyed their time in Japan. We got along fairly quickly and learned and did so much in such a short time. We were going somewhere different just about every day. There was a lot of walking, bootleg Japanese language and gestures and trying to find wifi at seven eleven's. It was a lot of fun and I would recommend this program to just about any human being anywhere.

When the trip first began, I was ready to view the world in a different way. I was able to meet my homestay family with excitement and curiosity, the mind of someone who wanted to explore. Living with my homestay family, I had to try harder to communicate with them. It was not something easy that I would usually do at home. The language barrier was something that made the experience more important. With the first few days of the homestay, I had to use a lot of gestures and body language to help my host family understand me. It made me realize how much easier it was for me back at home because I didn’t have to do much for anyone to understand me. I really enjoyed seeing the change in relationships I had with my host family. We somewhat connected really well after the first few days of struggling to communicate, but it wasn’t just that experience that changed me, it was the whole Experiment itself.

I was able to empathize and put myself in a different perspective to understand how it must have been like with the language and culture barrier. Seeing things from a different view makes situations a lot easier to comprehend. Being able to understand someone and not make judgments or assumptions upon your own perspective was something that I figured was going to be helpful in the future.

The Experiment experience changed the way in which I perceived things. I’ve learned many things along the way. Looking down to the simplest of things, I’ve learned to appreciate what I have. At one point during the trip, I really missed the fresh air back at home. I also started missing the tap water as well because the tap water in China was unsafe to drink. I remember being in Beijing and thinking about how much I missed seeing a blue sky. It wasn’t something I would ever miss, but the thin layer of gray that’s always in Beijing due to the air pollution made me miss it badly.

It wasn’t so much as how the homestay experience has changed me, but how The Experiment has changed me. All in all, The Experiment has taught me many good things. I had many realizations about my own life and the life of others. I gained a better perspective and stronger will because of The Experiment. To be able to realize that I should really appreciate what I have means that I have learned one of the many important lessons in life. And it was not only about learning new things by perspective, but also about learning about myself. I believe The Experiment has helped me gain new knowledge to further myself in life. To experience through The Experiment has never made me so happy and grateful for the things in life.

My trip to Tanzania was unforgettable. I experienced many thing that I will remember for the rest of my life. I had many highlights throughout my trip but one of my favorite parts was staying with my home stay families. I love children and I got really close to my little sisters from the moment I met them. It was really hard to say goodbye to them. I'm thankful for my home stay families because they taught me a lot about there culture and traditions. I know I wouldn't have learned as much as what they have taught me, just by reading a textbook in a classroom. I got to experience there way of life and I stepped out of my comfort zone to do so. Another part I enjoyed from this trip was The safaris. I took many beautify pictures of the wild life animals. Spending a full day outside in the nature, looking at all the animals was just incredible. Overall my experience was amazing and I am so thankful to have been a part of the EIL 2017 Tanzania group.

This program's main goal was to teach about the French culture and to teach about the regional differences. This program accomplished that and then some. Within the first day I learned about all 14 of my now great friends and I learned so much about the daily Paris life. It was busy busy busy, no time to stop. When we were participating in our homestays, I immediately noticed the differences in speak, and in culture. I felt immersed wherever I went, every time I was encouraged to speak French, and every time I spoke it without being encouraged. I felt truly like I was a part of the country. I adapted quickly and fell in love immediately. Now, back at home, I've implemented new things I learned into my home life. For example, I am in love with apricots now and buy them whenever I go to the store. I also encourage fresher produce and less store shopping and more farmer market outings. If you're looking for an amazing experience through an amazing program, go with this one. You won't regret it.

This program was very fun to do. The group was very enthusiastic and made my experience a lot better. From meeting at the airport to arriving to the country the leaders made everything very easy and calming. The orientation was great and you get an insight on how the city differs from other cities and the other smaller towns that are also part of the program. The home stay families are very welcoming and engaging even with a language barrier. My family was amazing because they treated me like their daughter. We ate together, shopped, cooked, and watched movies as a family. I learn to do a Brazilian dessert with them and now i make it back at home. The program teaches how each part you visit works. They explain the ecosystems they have and the issues they have with the environment and how there working to improve For example we did community service and this year i planted a tree and help restore the forests that had been cut down. We also went to an island and stayed there for a couple of days and learn to catch fish from the ocean and nearby rivers. Overall Brazilian people are very warm and loving people. Something to know is that they hug and kiss every time you greet someone. After completing my experience i felt more aware of my surroundings and the things i have. I started to focus on the things i have and not the things i want.

When I went overseas I had my doubts about Spain, and the challenges it would present. However, I soon learned my group members and my homestay family would support me throughout the trip. By far, the best part of the trip was the homestay experience. I felt like a small part of the bigger Spanish community. When I returned home my dad said they was a big improvement with my Spanish. This program was great and I hope that I can return to Spain soon!