Program Reviews

On my flight to Buenos Aires I was full of nerves, excitement, and just dash of fear, but when I arrived I was met with a hearty handshake and a big smile from guide Kevin along with my awesome new roommate. This tone of friendships and good vibes continued throughout my three week stay in the incredible country. My host mother, my teacher, my guide and all the friends I made along the way will definitely stay in my memories the rest of my life.

We attended many different sites, but the true cultural experience begins with your own exploration; go with friends not with the director. Try to see and experience as much of Granada as possible because the excursions will not reveal everything. Do not expect all of Granada to reveal itself to you as much of it lies behind the tourist areas of puerta real and plaza nueva. This is my advice to you.

Wowza. Going with SOL to Argentina was an absolute blast! I was only there for about 3 short weeks but I got to immerse myself and explore the big bustling city of Buenos Aires. During the weekdays, I was able to brush up on my Spanish skills at the local university, and on the weekends I would find myself using what I've learned in order to effectively communicate with the people there. While I did take quite a bit of Spanish in school, I genuinely felt that my Spanish improved at a greater pace there due to the fact that I had to speak the language through out the entire day, rather than for just one class period. Also, all the sightseeing tours and activities that were part of the program were not only fun and engaging, but also offered an insight into Argentinian tradition. The host mothers are extremely hospitable and accommodating, truly like mothers away from home. Safety was never a concern because our director, Kevin, ALWAYS looked out for us and made sure we arrived safely at our house every day. Trust me, the friendships you will make in your group and along your journey will last a very long time. Even after my trip, I'm still in contact with all the members in my group. If nothing I've said so far has convinced you to go to Argentina, then maybe the tantalizing selection of meats, fresh aroma of world renown coffee, fascinating lifestyle, and rich culture will!

I stayed in Buenos Aires for 6 weeks during summer vacation (winter in Argentina!).
living – The living conditions were great! My host mom was very friendly and always asked me about the program activities. Food was delicious. The bathroom was tiny but functioned fine.
activities – Activities almost always remained within Buenos Aires. Aside from the tourist must ranch excursion + asado, activities included neighborhood tours, museum visits, cultural classes (tango, cooking), and Maté Club (practice Spanish making small talk w other ppl).
classes – Classes improved my Spanish a lot. Compared to U.S. classes, a lot more emphasis is put on speaking skills and immersion (for example, explanations are mostly in Spanish). I was put into a lower level (2) than I had already studied in the U.S. (3) due to my lower speaking skill but moved into 4 by the end of 6 weeks.
complaints – My director was super chill and friendly! However, he often arrived late to activities, which eventually became frustrating after multiple incidents. Also, sometimes the activities didn't seem planned out very carefully or in detail, and some were delayed or canceled as a result.

tl;dr –
I loved the trip; it was a lot of fun; I learned a lot of Spanish. I would recommend the program if your main objective is to improve Spanish. Students remain within Buenos Aires; despite several tours you will not be visiting Iguazu Falls, Patagonia, or other famous areas of Argentina with Sol Abroad. Remember that you will only get as much out of the trip as you put in! Make an effort to immerse yourself in the culture/language.

At the end of my 3 weeks, I felt sadder about leaving than I thought I would. My host family was amazing and the people and friends I met along the way were truly remarkable. While Atenas is a small town (and about 45mins from SJ), it is a great place to live and study. Our houses were farther from town but that just meant you had to plan time at home, or in the town. One of my favorite things was that not very many people spoke English. As someone who has been to Mexico and Spain, it was such a refreshing experience to walk around and actually really need to use my Spanish.

While everyone is different, I think in an ideal world I would have stayed 4 or 5 weeks. By the end of the 2nd week I felt so at home and had gained enough confidence to speak, which made the 3rd week incredible. I just wish I had another week to enjoy the feeling of being a part of the town and to use my Spanish. I have always planned on studying abroad in college but this experience with Sol totally solidified that desire.
This is a summer I am going to remember for the rest of my life.

I have worked with Sol Abroad for six teacher-led trips: four to Granada, Spain, one to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and one to Costa Rica. I just returned from a three-week trip to Granada and will lead my 7th Sol Abroad trip back to Buenos Aires next summer. Clearly, I think extremely highly of Sol! I have not considered working with anyone else.

Sol Abroad is dedicated to encouraging kids to step out of their comfort zones on many levels and broaden their understanding of the world. On my first trip with Sol, we went to Granada, Spain. Brent Hunter, one of the owners was our personal on-site director and guide. Brent embodies everything Sol Abroad stands for. He is passionate about history, language, and culture. He loves the great outdoors and the adventure it brings. On day one in Granada, Brent arrived on his skate board to our meeting point in the Plaza del Carmen. He skated in and did a jump and a twist and landed it perfectly. The kids were in awe of him! He knew how to capture their attention and proceeded to share all he knew about Granada, its people, culture and history. Brent encouraged my students to push themselves physically, mentally and intellectually. His passion for studying abroad was contagious. All of my trips since have had the same impact on my students.

Sol Abroad makes sure everything goes according to plan down to the very last detail. The people who work with Sol have always been incredibly professional and also kind and compassionate. I have had several students with special dietary needs ranging from vegetarians to diagnosed celiacs (one with severe intolerance). Sol took everything seriously and made sure all needs were met. The host families I have worked with over the years with Sol have been real families for my students. The language teachers are experienced and make classes fun, practical, and very applicable to the students' day-to-day lives in Granada. The excursions are all excellent. Sol is open to adding new programs. For example, this year I asked if we could add an excursion to Los Cahorros of Monachil where we could hike and see the sights from hanging bridges. I asked and they delivered.

My students all come away from the trip having learned something new: new words, new verb tenses, new facts, but most importantly, they always learn something about themselves. Rarely do I have students who are eager to return home. Many wish they could stay in Granada for longer and many return to Spain with Sol Abroad for a semester or a year in college.

Sol Abroad is an excellent company and I have been so lucky to work with them all these years. I give them my most wholehearted recommendation for anyone wishing to design a teacher-lead high school program.

This past summer I joined the sol abroad program and went to Atwnas Costa Rica for three weeks. I can't say that I've ever had a better experience or ever done something that fun in my life. I love traveling and sol abroad was the perfect program for me. I met so many new friends that I am still in touch with today and I couldn't be happier with the experience that I had. The town life and activities that we participated in were always so enjoyable. We had the perfect amount of time to enjoy experience the culture and city on our own. It was over all an amazing trip and I hope I'm lucky enough to be able to go again.

This is actually my second time going on a SOL Abroad program. My first was going to Argentina for a month the summer before last. It was an experience unlike any other and the first I had ever had but it was so interesting, exciting, and impactful that I had to go on another program. This past summer was filled with activities so I could not go for a full month, but it the 2.5 weeks I spend there was life changing. I was pushed out of my comfort zone because I had never stayed in a rural area, nor had I ever done some of the crazy excursions we did (like white water rafting and ziplining). All of these experiences, plus the teachers and staff, plus the phenomenal kids, made my trip one that I will never forget!

Oaxaca was almost a blur. I had to take breaks from whatever I was doing to really take in what was going on around me. The city is so full of color and people who are willing to help a lost American kid find his way. The excursion to the beach really stuck with me because of their awe-inspiring beauty. Every beach was so picture perfect that you felt like you might be looking at a screensaver that might suddenly change because what you were seeing was too flawless to be real. Not only was Mexico gorgeous it was also the perfect place to practice and learn Spanish because of the genuinely kind and caring people.

My high school daughter spent three weeks in Buenos Aires. She found the program a perfect mix of formal studies and exposure to Argentinian culture and sights. Having spent the previous summer as a volunteer in a small Peruvian community, she enjoyed seeing another side of life in a big, bustling city. Her focused classes helped her progress in her fluency. She had plenty of opportunity to meet locals from her host mother and her extended family, to students and people she met out and about. Sol Abroad provided ample assistance in planning her trip and gave her the flexibility to make the most of her time in Argentina.