CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL Reviews

While making the decision on whether or not to move Madrid, I was overwhelmed with an array of different emotions. Most stemmed from not knowing what things would be like when I arrived, or how exactly to even get there.
But from the moment I committed to teach abroad in Spain, the CIEE program has helped me every step of the way - with ample resources, how-to videos, guides, alumni advice, and e-mail and phone help.
Applying and obtaining a visa was immensely simplified with their guides; as was finding housing and dealing with legal obligations upon arrival.
But the most indispensable aspect of CIEE was the community it has given me. Of almost the hundeds of other Americans I have met here in Madrid, most of them have been CIEE participants as well. It makes it so easy to connect to others 'in my boat'. Every week I meet new auxiliares, and my group of friends is ever expanding. Moving to a city with over 3 million people is daunting in itself, but being able to see many familiar faces - from orientation or Facebook or mutual friends - makes it actually feel like home.
It is also great to have a network of people to reach out to for help. Within a massive Facebook group of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year auxiliares, it is impossible to not find a question to any issue you are facing here.
CIEE truly made this transition as easy as possible for me. It has allowed me to expand my horizons and grow in ways I surely would never have attempted to do on my own.

I've lived abroad in other countries, but this has been one of the best experiences abroad! From the community to the students to my host family, I am so glad I chose to do this program. I applied very late (the day of the deadline) and the staff was communicative and helpful! The orientation in Spain was thorough, and I'm glad I was able to meet the other participants. I volunteer at a high school and everyone there is extremely kind and welcoming. I do recommend this program for those who are pretty independent or have some travel experience, though. You only work 12 hours a week and can easily travel on the weekends! Last weekend, I went to Salamanca (such a beautiful city)! Also, while it's not required to participate, definitely practice your Spanish beforehand. Overall, I recommend.

CIEE provides great support for getting your adventure up and moving. Up and moving to a new place, however romantic the idea, is extremely scary. CIEE gives you advice pre departure (they're really good at responding to e-mails/answering questions) as well as a support system once you're abroad. It's comforting to know there's people looking after you. In my opinion, the peace of mind is worth the program fees. Now, stop reading reviews and get to traveling!!

I will say, the hardest part of the program is finding your own place to live. CIEE doesn't hold your hand and help you find a place, but they do provide you with the low down on what apps/sites to check and how to use them, which is all you really need to know. My advice for this is, when you come out, book yourself a place for AT LEAST 2-3 weeks (I recommend your whole first month). Try and time it to where your reservation would end on either the 15th or the end of the month, as that is when you'll likely be entering your permanent place. But don't do what I did; I booked my first Air BNB for less than two weeks and had to rush into a spot. I ended up paying way more than I should have and had a crazy landlord who lived in my living room (crazy Spanish landlord stories are common). So give yourself time to be selective so you don't have to jump on the first place that gives you an appointment.

As most people in this program will tell you, I spent my first week in Spain in a constant state of panic. My host family was wonderful, my school was better than I could ever hope for, and I was gaining a once in a lifetime experience; but it was also the hardest thing I have ever done. It is difficult to feel like you don´t understand anything. It is really difficult to feel like a stranger everywhere you go. And it is extremely difficult to think that it will get better. But it does. This has been the greatest experience of my life. I have made best friends here, I have traveled to Italy with Italians, explored villages with natives from Spain, and ate way more food than I ever thought possible. While I do miss the comforts of living in a big city, this experience has given me an entire new perspective that I am so grateful for.

From the time I was accepted as a three month volunteer in Castilla y Leon, I have felt supported by the US mainland staff. My questions were answered quickly, and the pre departure modules were informative. (I did need a quick tutorial on how to post answers in Canvas or whatever the platform was). Once at the Madrid airport, we met our leaders in Spain and felt we had someone to call locally should a problem occur. I appreciated the help with getting the Spanish SIM card the first night and cultural sensitivity training at the orientation.

My family is wonderful, and the school´s children and faculty are fantastic. The weather here is much warmer than in my home state of Missouri. I did not expect that. I am in a primary school and see each class in grades one through six each week (12 sessions). When I am not teaching, I am immersed in a Spanish class. Although Spanish speaking was not a requirement, I would feel more confident if I had a basic Spanish course under my belt. It would be easier to communicate with all the teachers at the school, not just the English teachers. I am expected to speak English at school and at home, so there is not much time to practice. Maybe CIEE would put suggest a basic Spanish book on the internet if needed. I could not find one that was colorful and self explanatory.

We all have at least three days to travel a week, and some have four. The bus and train systems are very efficient in Spain, and Laura compiled a list of everyone´s email and phone for group communication.

Overall, my expectations have been exceeded. This whole trip seems like a dream even after a month.

This is a chance of a lifetime. Grab it and go!

When I figured out I wanted to move to Spain, I was so worried and unsure how to go about it (legally getting there, finding a decent job, etc.) CIEE helped me through ALL of this. Getting my Visa couldn’t have been easier and placing me in the school that I work in now couldn’t be a more perfect fit for me! I moved with my best friend and they even placed us in the same school so that we could live together and not have to commute far. They help you with things as small as cultural questions to standing by you when things really get tough. I got pickpocketed and sure enough, the insurance that CIEE provides was able to reimburse me. The process of obtaining a residency card is difficult enough but CIEE guides you through it step-by-step so none of it is intimidating. They really take away all of the fears of moving to a different country so you’re able to enjoy and live it!

Teaching abroad is an incredible experience that you don't want to miss out on. You will learn so much about yourself as well as meet lots of incredible people. CIEE has helped me so much throughout the process of getting here. The pre-departure help with getting the visa, packing, the webinars, and even the pre-departure course about the culture were very beneficial and made the transition much less stressful. The support remains constant upon arrival. CIEE will help you do the things you need to do here in Spain, like getting your residency card, and will always respond if you're having troubles abroad. If you want to live in the city center, the pay is a little bit low, but it's very possible to find private lessons or even teach English online to Chinese kids. I personally don't think it's necessary to do a second year in the same place with CIEE, but if you're coming for the first time, it's worth it to let someone else stress for you!!

I was hesitant as I had never heard of anyone who had done one of CIEE's Teach Abroad programs, but I really enjoyed myself. All the people I met were lovely, from the CIEE staff in the USA and Spain to the teachers and my host family in my placement. If you can afford to go abroad for three months volunteer, I'd highly recommend it. It is so much fun to embrace the Spanish culture, and they are such loving and kind people. The teaching experience was really what I made of it. Sometimes they would have activities they wanted me to do with the children, and sometimes I was able to lead my own lessons that I had designed, like learning about American holidays. And it is really easy to make a little money through private tutoring, if you're really worried about money.

I've been teaching in Thailand for about 4 months now. CIEE and OEG are helpful at orientating and preparing you before moving to a foreign country. They give you as much information as possible and provide you with as much detail as possible. However, they are a bit pricey. You can definitely do this on your own with some research. I don't regret it though.
My placement, however, is another story. I wish I would've been placed with another English teacher or another school entirely. I must admit that I love my students and they are the only reason I've stayed, even though they get a bit rowdy (they are in high school after all). I can tell they love coming to my class and enjoy my teaching style.
I've also enjoyed traveling to the different parts of Thailand, learning about the culture and picking up a bit of Thai.
This was a huge learning experience.

Moving across the world to pursue a profession I have never done before was definitely scary, but CIEE made it easy and doable by organizing almost every detail other than your prep and flight to Thailand. CIEE provides ample support throughout your entire experience. The orientation program they provide when you first arrive is thorough and gives you a great opportunity to connect with other program members. CIEE (or OEG) is always there for whatever you need. The coordinators all make themselves very available via FB, etc. to answer any questions and concerns you might have. The only concern I will mention is that much of your experience is largely dependent on your placement. While CIEE provided teacher training materials and an idea of what your experience might look like, I feel that this training/information was geared toward residents of cities or suburbs. I was placed randomly in a very rural area of Thailand. My students' English proficiency (high schoolers) is mostly nonexistent, so it was very difficult for me to adjust to teaching at first given that much of our training revolved around English learners with at least very basic literacy. My living condition is inferior to other teachers I know throughout Thailand but far superior to many locals in my rural and low-income area. I would not trade this experience for the world despite the challenges. It has given me incredible perspective and gratitude. As long as you are okay with accepting that CIEE cannot account for every single experience and that many of your questions might be answered with "it depends" until you actually see for yourself, this experience is a MUST. You will grow in so many ways!