Program Reviews

Being in a new country with people you've never met is a duanting idea at first. I was nervous and kinda regreting my decision of even getting on the plane, but as soon as I got there I was greeted by my group leaders, and I started getting excited. From there everything went by quickly, meeting the full group, then security, then landing, motel, exploring spain, etc. Everything was quick and you had something to do everyday! Whether it was going to museums, cathedrals or new cities, you had something to do everyday. Homestays were one of the times thing went slower. Living with a new family was pretty nerve-wracking, especially since at the time I was sick. My biggest fears were getting the rest of the family sick or being disrespectful in any way. Thankfully, my family was so kind and understanding! They'd take us on small trips around Valencia, showing us landmarks, museums, beaches, and let us walk around the city. Truly one of my most memorable moments was anytime the whole family was together. Being able to see and be a part of a family, and experiencing their day to day was truly memorable. Although I know Spanish, I noticed that my family did try to make a slight effort to teach it to those that didn't. Advice I have for homestays is to definitely try to communicate. It might be hard at first but being able to talk to your homestay family is super important and can add to the experience!

I absolutely loved my trip to Spain. I found that the interactions we had with our Spanish peers were one of a kind, and we connected with them more deeply than I could have imagined. I appreciated the intense cultural immersion we had, and I truly feel like I know Spain and Spanish culture. I especially liked that I walked away from this trip feeling like I could give my family a tour around Granada or Guadix if I wanted to. I was really able to get to know the places we stayed in and the people we got to know. I would definitely recommend this trip to others!

This is a very impactful trip. I learned new things made new friends and have skills I can use later in life. When I met everybody we were all quiet at first but as we traveled more we all became really good friends. We all did not like the heat considering it was in the Hundreds. We all took lots of pictures at the art museums, at the restaurants and even at the country side itself. When we all went to our host families we all made some really good memories but they were very sad just like us when we had to go. But we all still remember and love them. This trip was so much fun I might think about coming back

When I first found out that I was accepted for the Experiment’s Ecuador trip, I was absolutely overjoyed. However, I don’t believe it actually hit me that I was going away for an entire month without anyone that I knew. It certainly was a bit overwhelming and daunting when I came to that realization. Now, after having experienced what I did, I should have never been even a little apprehensive about going. Being spoken to and forced to speak Spanish every day was at first annoying and made me nervous, but I quickly realized that it was extremely beneficial for my Spanish skills. I was forced to understand Spanish and speak it constantly, as opposed to learning Spanish in school, where you have to understand and speak it very little. At the end of the trip, my Spanish comprehension and speaking fluency had drastically improved, and I learned twice as much in one month as I have in all of school. We got to go to three of the four regions of Ecuador. The four regions are the coast, the highlands, the Galápagos, and the Amazon, and we went to the highlands, Galápagos, and Amazon. Doing so allowed us to experience the country from many different perspectives. The activities and learning that we participated in in every location added to the experience and understanding of where we were and the culture and norms. The home stay was the most culturally immersive experience of the trip because we got to spend a week with an Ecuadorian family and part take in their everyday lives. It showed me what the average day of an Ecuadorian family looks like, how they live, family norms and traditions, etc. It was incredibly engaging and an amazing experience. Going to the Galápagos was a truly unforgettable and amazing opportunity. I had read a lot about the islands, and seen countless documentaries, but never did I ever think that I would be able to go there for myself, but it happened. We got to stay on a boat for four days while touring the islands, and we explored and learned about the diversity of the life and unique ecosystems, and learned about the historical significance of the islands, and it was an unbelievable experience. Overall, with all the other locations, things we did, people we saw, and the things we learned, my Experiment experience has unequivocally changed my overall appreciation for and perspective on other countries all around the world and their cultures, and has made me a better, more independent individual.

Being able to study abroad in Geneva, Switzerland was one of the most amazing opportunities I've ever had, and I am extremely grateful. Not only was I able to learn more about Global Health and its philosophy, systems, and impact, but I was also able to see it tie to Humanitarian Action and meet real life humanitarian and health workers who have been on the front lines. Yes, the administration could have been more organized with the coordination of museums and events, but for a first time, it was amazing. Switzerland now is close and dear to my heart, not just for the people I've met and the sights I was able to explore, but for also being able to truly immerse myself and live there like a citizen, not just a tourist or student.

I went on The Experiment in International Living's trip to Italy this past July and it was an incredibly unique and exciting experience. I got to see new places and experience new things all while learning about Italian culture and cuisines and connecting with the other kids in my group along the way. The in country partners and individual group leaders were amazing and really helped the trip go smoothly. Overall it was a very positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to really get a feel for many of the different parts of Italy.

This was undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my young life. The whole application was extremely easy and the team was amazing. I got to visit places I could never imagine and meet incredible people. Honestly, I didn't want to leave. Going to Granada and Guadix gave contrasting yet starking experiences of spanish life. The people I met in spain are some of the most amazing and inspiring I have ever met and I am still in contact with many even now. Throughout the trip I also got assilamed into spanish culture. My spanish is hundreds of times better now than it was before and I can now confirm that siestas are amazing.

The first half of the trip involved our group going to the cities of Madrid, Toledo, and Granada. We spent a few days in Madrid getting orientated and meeting our amazing guides from CELEI. We ate some typical spanish meals and toured the city. Next we went to the historic city of Toledo which is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. We wandered around the city and saw the cathedral which was stunning. after leaving Toledo we went to Granada which is where we were for two weeks. There we met local kids and did all kinds of activities in the city. We saw the ancient alhambra and went to a flamenco show among other things. We also took part in interactive spanish lessons where we would go one the street and learn spanish first hand.

After taking day trips to Cordoba to see the cathedral-mosque which was one of the highlights of the trip, we went to guadix where we took flamenco lessons along with spanish cooking and pottery lessons all in spanish. In guadix we spent a ton of time with the local kids and went out to the city for food or to play soccer a lot. In guadix the focus was much more about Spanish culture and we spent more time exploring culinary and home life aspects. We even spent a day with a spanish family.

As a whole it was an amazing experience and one I will never forget and I thank the people at the experiment as well as the amazing teachers and guides at CELEI. I would highly recommend this program for someone looking to have an immersive experience in spain.

By far the best experience I have ever had the privilege of being apart of. Not only did I gain a better ability to speak Spanish and experience another culture, but I also was gifted 5+ absolutely amazing role models, who opened my mind and altered my ways of thinking for the better. We visited the most beautiful cities and sights: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Guadix, Cordoba, Castril, and the beautiful Alhambra palace and fortress. There was definitely a lot of walking, which I enjoyed; In Granada, most of the neighborhood streets are paved in river rock and the architecture is stunning, the 100+ years old stone walls, the archways, and homes, everything was absolutely breathtaking. Our residence had the most beautiful view of the Alhambra. While in Granada we went to school, both teachers were absolute delights, they were understanding, funny, and really cared about our educations and well beings, Im really grateful I was able to meet them. During our stay in Granada we did many activities: our guides took us on a graffiti tour of the neighborhood ( the artwork was skillful and beautifully crafted, the locals admired the murals greatly), we walked up to a gorgeous viewpoint to watch the sunset over the entire city, hiked a mountain path to overlook the landscape and get to know some of the local teens, traveled to the river to have a survival skills class, visited the Alhambra and toured the grounds with an amazing and knowledgeable tour guide, visited multiple Cathedrals, and roamed the neighborhood and shops.

While Granada was packed with adventure, Guadix was equally great. Our activities included Flamenco, Art, Cooking, and Ceramics classes, we spent our days with local teens from the area, whether we were swimming,on the trampoline, playing connect four or uno, or just hanging out, we were always making new friends and getting to know each other. Due to Covid-19 we were unable to have host families, but we did each go with our friend/s to their homes and spent the day with them and their families. On the last day of our stay in Guadix we all participated in a talent show for the residents living where we were staying, there was skits, dancing, and music.

While on this trip I made some amazing friends and even more amazing role models, people who truly wanted to help others and see change in their communities. We were taught to "Act Local, Think Global" when it comes to making a change in our communities. I left this trip with a completely different mindset than I had come with. I have truly grown so much as a person because of this trip and I could not be more thankful to The Experiment for allowing me to experience something I never thought I could.

My time in Spain was truly life changing. I learned so much about an amazing, culture rich country, about what life is like for kids my age there, and about myself. The Spanish classes I took were unlike any others I had ever taken. I found them particularly helpful because we were building our vocabulary while also discussing things such as the history, government, and society of Spain. I definitely felt my Spanish vocabulary and comfort level speaking it increase, and it has even more since I've continued to practice it. I also made so many great friends along the way. The other Americans I traveled with and I became such a close knit group and we still continue to talk every day. In addition to them, the groups of Spanish kids we met there have become some of my best friends. I think one thing that made the experience so unique was being able to not only learn from them about their lives, but also to teach them about us and help them speak English while they helped us speak Spanish. The trip taught me more about my likes, dislikes, what I can actually do when pushed outside of my comfort zone, and as soon as I visited Granada, I knew I had to go back there. Because of the trip, I have decided I want to do a year abroad of college at the University of Granada, where one of my wonderful group leaders did the same. The Experiment in International Living was a life changing experience that I think more people should try.

This summer I studied abroad in Switzerland about global health and humanitarian actions. It was definitely one of a kind experience. I had the opportunity to make new friends and get to know people from all over the U.S. I am very happy that I was able to excel and expand my knowledge about humanitarian roles and how they help and change lives. One of my favorite learning opportunities was when we went to the International Red Cross Museum. It was a very touching experience that I will never forget. We got to do these activities because of Alexandre Lebert and our teacher Clair. They did everything in their power to show us the beauty of Switzerland. I felt very honored to be invited into a different culture for a month. We also had the opportunities to do excursions such as hiking with Saint Bernards, taking a gondola to Matterhorn, and being able to try fondue and cheese which was delicious. I strongly recommend joining this program and get to experience what I learned. As a high school student, taking the opportunity to go to Switzerland with the experiment was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I would have never known that by the age of 16 I would have traveled across the sea and gotten to the beauties of Switzerland.