The Experiment in International Living Reviews

It was a very full month, from Berlin to Bonn, staying in Niederalteich, and leaving from Munich. Berlin was our acclimation period, giving us a week to hone our German and see the vibrant urban life of the city. After a quick train to Bonn, we spent the next week shopping, sightseeing, and learning about political issues facing youth today. Niederalteich was the homestay, where we were truly immersed in German life. We rounded out the trip in Munich, for a final three days.

EIL was such an amazing experience. I fondly remember our visit to Cologne, our last nights in Munich. One of my photos in Niederalteich is still my desktop screen. I would highly recommend the Experiment to anybody looking for a month abroad--it was the highlight of my summer.

Mongolia is a place I never thought I would travel to, and it's also a place where I had the single best experience of my life. I was able to travel across one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, from the mountains to the steppe to the Gobi Desert. Along the way, I learned how to ride a horse and a camel, how to knit, how to play a song on the ukulele, how to speak some Mongolian, and how to communicate without language when attempts at using that Mongolian failed miserably. I came back with a broader outlook on the world and a much better sense of independence.

My absolute favorite part of the trip was the horse trek from community service to the ger camp we were staying at for the night. Other awesome parts were painting a school alongside Mongolian students, taking an overnight train into the Gobi desert to explore the monasteries and holy sites there, cooking with my host mother, and hiking up to places with the best views I've ever seen. Absolutely loved Mongolia, and I'd highly recommend the trip to anyone looking for an adventure!

My group: We came from all across the US, coast to coast. Getting to know the city helped us bond really quickly, and we stayed super close throughout the trip. It was really cool how everybody accepted one another. We couldn't have been more different, and it couldn't have mattered less. The awesome thing about traveling with EIL was that I had the security of group leaders and friends around me without the trip feeling like a teen tour--we had freedom in a way other teen groups wouldn't, like a weeklong homestay spent with just our host families and their herds. We had two group leaders, and both treated us like friends and equals while still keeping us all safe.

In-country staff: friendly, helpful, knowledgeable--basically just amazing. They set up language lessons, brought in performers to teach us throat singing and instrument playing, took us sightseeing around the city, helped us buy deels at the market, traveled with us as translators and guides, and gave honest information about the country that you can't find in a tourist guidebook. Two Mongolian high school students traveled with us as well, and they became our best friends for the rest of the trip. It was really cool to learn about what high school was like for them compared to the US, and they helped us a lot when we struggled with the language.

Things to keep in mind: If you wanna do EIL Mongolia, you have to be willing to do without running water whenever you leave the city, and that means the bushes will become your toilet and wet wipes will become your shower. It wasn't a problem for anyone in my group, and we all stayed clean and healthy. Also, the diet in Mongolia is highly meat and dairy based, especially during the homestay. Personally, these little difficulties just helped me learn more about self-sufficiency and using only what you need, but it's just stuff to be aware of.

Things I wish I'd brought more of: wet wipes, wet wipes, wet wipes. Wet wipes. Also,really do make sure to pack sun protection shirts because a lot of the trip is spent outside. A sturdy pair of shoes is super duper important too. Culturally, long pants are preferred for both boys and girls, so lightweight hiking pants became my go-to thing. Basically, it's not gonna be a fashion show, nobody's going to care what anyone's wearing, and you'll probably get paint or dirt or sweat on everything, so forget about style and focus on function. Also, I highly advise bringing a journal--I love looking back into mine now, and it was a great way to make sure I remember everything years from now.

Basically: Come to Mongolia! It was absolutely amazing.

The Experiment in International Living gives high school students a unique opportunity to become immersed in another culture while building friendships with interesting, new people and learning things that aren't typically learned in schools. I spent 5 weeks in Thailand creating memories with my group members who I still talk with every day (five months later). With scavenger hunts, community service projects, and lots of exploring cities, villages and breathtaking temples, we were kept busy, but we still had plenty of free time to bond over bowl of questions and throw our own spontaneous dance parties in our hostel. In addition to the incredible friends I made over the summer, I will never forget the kids I taught and played futbol and frisbee with in the villages and the generosity and welcoming, embracing hearts of my host family. It's beautiful how relationships can be built despite culture differences and a language barrier. This truly was an amazing and unforgettable experience, and I definitely recommend this program to anyone who wants to try something new, throw themselves into a new culture, learn tidbits of a new language and religion all while having a whole lot of fun.

I had such an amazing time at France. I'm still in contact with my host family and a host sister, whom I dearly love. Not only the program gives me an amazing extended family, it also helps me grow as a person and be able to take on the challenge in exploring French culture. The smell of freshly made baguettes during our cooking program still lingers in my mind. It was such an unforgettable experience that I cannot forget even a second of it. I was also able to learn how to communicate without speaking English. Although I may not be fluent in French, my host family still understands me and try their best to explain their culture and day to day life. It is like once in a lifetime experience for me and I would say, EIL has given me one of the lifetime experience that I would never get elsewhere.

As a student who has never ventured outside of the United States, I can say that without a doubt Experiment in International Living's overseas programs have provided me with one of the most inspirational and educational experiences of my life. Each of the different programs focuses on a theme that is well integrated throughout the program alongside exciting activities, informational tours, and life changing home stays. From the moment I arrived at the airport, the group leaders and members all worked to create a safe community among themselves and allowed the other high school students and me to connect not only with each other but with people of different languages and cultures. The trips are detailed so that in everything you do you are enlightened about the world you are in and the ways of living of other people. Whether you are doing a home stay or simply participating in a tour, you are constantly learning something new while also having fun experiencing the adventure with other students around your age. Though most people come having fears about going overseas, most end up having more fear about having to leave the overseas communities that they have grown accustomed to after experiencing their way of life and learning so much. After returning from my own trip, I have worked to raise awareness of the programs in my high school and even helped some students apply because I believe without a shadow of a doubt that the lessons that I learned from participating were life changing and not things that can be learned in a classroom. I strongly recommend Experiment in International Living's programs to any high school student looking to widen their knowledge of the world outside of the United States and truly come to understand just how similar they are to young adults their age in other countries.
Sincerely,
Omar Hargrove

Between the beautiful hike to Cape Point, safari, and home stay with my new family I felt that I not only saw a nation but learned so much about the history and culture that I began to call myself a traveler- not a tourist. This has exposed me to traveling in the best way possible and I hope for the day when I can return to South Africa and see the nation I feel in love with.

Whether we asked strangers for directions in the streets of Madrid, ate a late dinner of almejas with our host families, or walked 20 kilometers a day while enjoying the beautiful vistas of the Camino de Santiago, this trip is truly an immersive experience for those wishing to work on their Spanish and Gallego, and to learn more about the beautiful Spanish culture.

I think going to Korea with the experiment in international living was a great experience. I stayed in a Buddhist temple, learned how to meditate, painted a mural for comfort women and so much more. I experienced Korea as both a tourist and a native. Everyday I learned something new about Korea and was never bored.

Konnichiwa, Summimasen, Hajimemashite. When I first decided to travel to Japan, what I expected from when I visited there was totally different from what I actually experienced. I thought everyone drove cars, the roads wider, and people being more open and such. What I got was different though, I never knew that roads were so small, all the buildings are bunched together and people are polite but keep to themselves. Everyone is living in their own world over there, the atmosphere is quite different from America. Although the country is advanced in technology and such, the use of it in every-day life goes to an extreme along with the fantasies and the art of animation. Once the rural part of japan is discovered however, there, people are more open to making conversation. The traditions they practice also rises to the surface because they are away from techy Tokyo and such. The urban, sub urban, and rural life actually differ drastically. The places I have travelled to, Tokyo, Sapporo, Kamaishi, and Kyoto were all unique in there own way, they're all pieces in a puzzle that make up Japan as a whole. Almost all the Japanese people that were encountered were surprised at us American-jins and loved to hear us try to speak Japanese. Coming to japan I knew only a crumb of the cake and left with1/4 of it. There is still a lot I don't know about japan but what has been learned is more than enough for now, which sums up to quite a lot too. Along with the Japanese people I met and stayed with I was also able to communicate well with the people I went there with. My leaders were helpful and knowledgeable, their resourcefulness gave me a surprise too. Overall, everything was spectacular, this is an opportunity that shouldn't be missed!

If you're reading this and wondering if the trip is worth the effort, I can tell you right now that it is. The first day feels so long ago but I remember it clearly. Within a matter of coming off the plane, I became close with my travel mates. They were all wonderful. My guides were so helpful and experienced, all three of them.
My first day in the home stay at Baan Mae Bon, I became a part of a family within a matter of hours. I only had parents, but my host mother's extended family (her sister and mother) made me feel accepted. Teaching the kids at the local villages was a humbling experience that gave me joy at watching these kids have so much fun without the amenities we take for granted here in the States.
If you're a parent worried about your child being safe, I assure you that there's no need to worry. The guides are more than capable to take care of them, and the settings (i.e. the hostel, host villages, guest houses) are surrounded by people who are accustomed to tourists, so the environment is friendly with a hint of westernization.
I hope you consider taking the trip to Thailand. It is life changing.