Program Reviews

I did this certification course as preparation for becoming an Auxiliar de Conversación in Madrid, Spain. I had zero teaching background prior to this course and my program in Spain. This course gave me a wonderful and thorough introduction into the world of teaching English as a foreign language! By the end of the course I felt that I would be able to enter a classroom in Spain or anywhere else in the world with confidence! The skills I practiced in the course help me daily in my classroom now!

As someone who has never traveled abroad alone, this program gave me all the support and knowledge needed to make it as stress free as possible. The program helped me pick an area that was best for me and allowed me to rank my preferences in order to be placed in a school I would love. The orientation gave me knowledge to help me prepare for my time here and give me accurate expectations. I was placed in a school that set me up in comfortable and convenient housing as well as helped me apple for work documents and banking. Overall, I am very glad I applied for this program.

This experience has been amazing and transformative. My host family is kind, accommodating, and excited to have me here. I am truly grateful for how amazing they have been. The students and teachers at the institute embrace me warmly. They are equally excited to learn English and about American culture. There is great support from CIEE, and we have a chat with all the other volunteers for any questions. I have been able to travel a lot around Spain and experience the Spanish culture. I enjoy working with the students and watching them improve their English. I recommend this program for anybody with a desire to challenge themselves and to help others. There is also enough time for me to maintain my regular activities such as going to the gym.

This program provides a great opportunity to live in a new city. Madrid is very easy to navigate with the public transport systems. Housing is challenging to find, but there are many great neighborhoods to choose from. It is easy to travel from Madrid to other Europe cities via cheap flights and trains. Teaching has allowed me to learn more about Spanish culture and customs. When talking with my fellow teachers, I can practice speaking Spanish and work on expanding my vocabulary. I would recommend this experience to adventurous recent graduates interested in learning a new language, living in a new city, and meeting new people.

CIEE is the best program I have been involved with ! I wanted to move out of the country and I saw this was the #1 way people do it. I have never taught before but I knew I wanted to work with Children and live across the world somewhere. CIEE was very helpful especially the first week. I still reach out to my orientation leader with questions and I’ve been here for 3 months already! They provide support and step by step instructions for all your important documents making the move less stressful!

I'm currently in my gap year after University and couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my time. Every day, I am discovering something new about Thai culture and becoming a better version of myself. No, it is not always easy, but that's part of the experience. Everyone on this program will have a different story- there are so many differences between schools, provinces, and student populations that I couldn't even begin to try and explain to you what to expect. You just have to go into this program with an open mind and heart. The orientation from CIEE was extremely helpful from an informational standpoint, but also for the social aspect. Meeting people before starting work was a great way to transition and I would recommend it to anyone!

I cannot begin to explain how happy I am with the "Spain Volunteer" program. From the beginning, my host mom and the family were welcoming and kind. All the staff at the school I was placed at were also the same. I was given a lot of support from my school and family throughout this whole journey. The students were always eager to learn and were excited to have me in their classes. I have been able to explore so many sights and cities with my host family and also have had the opportunity to go out on my own to other countries. I would do this program over and over again.

I would highly recommend the CIEE teaching abroad program. The process has been simple and the staff is extremely helpful. Understanding each component of living abroad can be daunting but the program provided step-by-step guides for paperwork, applications, etc. In other ways, this program has connected me with people from all over the world and I continue to become more culturally aware with each passing day. I am grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been provided with and I look forward to what is to come. I am excited to continue this journey, deepen my understanding of the culture, and eat more amazing food!

I had a great time with CIEE teach abroad. From the beginning they guided me through the VISA process, and everything leading up to moving abroad. The only thing I will say is from the information I was given by CIEE I was expecting housing to be less expensive. I can’t complain about my situation because I am very grateful for how it worked out but I think some of the data they use is a bit outdated. Overall the program was excellent for foster community during the transition and it felt like someone had my back if I found my self in a pickle.

CIEE sets up participants for success! They offer various programs and have experts within all areas to guide you with whatever you may need. I am teaching English in Spain and have had a wonderful experience with CIEE. Before coming I got TEFL certified which has allowed me to be more supportive within the classroom. I do believe going to location of your desire for the first time to teach English should be through CIEE, they help and tell you how to go through the government processes which other programs do not. They help you get settled in with as much information as possible. They offer extensive support through the time you are abroad which is also something other programs may not have.