Program Reviews

CIEE Teach Abroad was a great opportunity to see a new part of the world. It’s a nice break between graduating and finding a career. I enjoyed living in Madrid, Spain for the culture, the people, the food and seeing a bunch of brand new things. My job placement (secundaria) was an easy commute from where I lived and in a nice enough neighborhood (San Blas). I loved working with the students at my school but the faculty that I also worked with kinda sucked and made my time at the school a bit hard.

The overall experience was what I had anticipated. Definitely coming in with an open mind is important. The only thing that I would say is that if you go through any racist experiences or microaggressions (esp. if you're a POC coming into this program), you're school may not take it too seriously. The language immersion program was especially great because I was able to advance my Spanish skills a lot.

Long story short: do your research before you come to Spain. Be aware of any cultural differences and be mentally prepared to handle any situation (whether it is good or bad) that may arise. Also, save money before you come because you'll definitely need the extra funds, especially if you plan on traveling to other countries.

I was an English Language Assistant (aka Auxiliar de Conversación) through CIEE for the 22/23 school year in Madrid. Although CIEE was more expensive than other options, their support was definitely worth the price. They gave us real time updates on visa requirements for each consulate before leaving for Spain, and really helped us get our paperwork settled on arrival. Also, the CIEE orientation introduced me to many friends who I got to spend the whole year traveling with. I expect many of them will be my friends for life :)

The help with the tie process was great and the school environment as well. You are only working 4 days a week with very little stress and i was able to travel as much as i wanted. The housing situation was very stressful, it would have been helpful to have more support for the program. Schools are very grateful to have your help and the kids were amazing. The income is manageable if you find a cheap place and manage your money well. Traveling has gotten more expensive so I could have visited more places but it was just not in my budget.

Incredible experience. Absolutely recommend if you want to have an abroad experience while making a positive impact AND getting paid. Would recommend especially to ages 22-26. I did the 6th month program which is great if you need a break between jobs. I definitely could have stayed longer. Madrid is a great city to be in socially and you can learn a lot of Spanish. The orientation week was helpful for making friends, but there are other ways in the city to meet people (language classes or exchanges).

CIEE was an amazing experience, I would recommend to anyone! I had a great time, and was able to grow both personally and professionally. I was able to travel during the weekends, especially since I had fridays off. The school environment was amazing and made my stay here even more enjoyable. Everyone in CIEE is extremely welcoming and made the whole process amazing. I would do it again if I could! It is a great way to learn about a different country and embrace a new culture. Spain has become my favorite city.

I spent this past year teaching English in Thailand through CIEE and had such a great experience that I decided I wanted to do Spain next! CIEE walked me through the whole visa process step by step and were available to answer any questions by email. Besides visa support, one of my favorite things about teaching abroad through CIEE is the community it helps you build. I’ve met so many amazing people through this program and nothing beats traveling the world with some of your best friends! If you’re looking for an opportunity to travel abroad, CIEE has so many options that allow you to get out there and see the world while making a difference:)

Teaching abroad in Spain was an incredible experience. I learned so much from living in another culture. I was challenged in learning a new language and seeing the world from a different perspective. I also gained some helpful teaching experince. By doing the program through CIEE I made friends and had assistance with the visa process and finding housing. There was someone there to support every step of the way. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to step outside of their comfort zone.

I had a great time teaching with CIEE. The staff was super supportive and able to answer any questions I had. I would highly recommend the program to family and friends. One of the most helpful things was the visa support they where able to give us as it is very complicated trying to tackle it by yourself. I felt super safe participating in the program and really enjoyed how they sent out weekly emails with things going on in Madrid and at the CIEE center. The orientation was also very helpful and helped me feel more at home.

CIEE was so helpful and made moving to Madrid so easy. I don’t regret going with them at all. They help with the visa process, provide and orientation with a leader who lives in Madrid. They always answer emails quickly and are very helpful. The money you pay is worth it as the transition with CIEE has been extremely easy. I would recommend this program to anyone who is trying to teach abroad. They have options for other places outside of Spain as well so you can really pick the best fit for you And where you want to teach.