Program Reviews

I had such a BLAST in Barcelona! It was such a great experience! I was welcomed by the support staff almost as soon as I arrived. They were really helpful in the initial few days with the transition. I loved my classes and actually learned a lot in them, and created relationships with my professors-one is actually a reference for me. The apartments were in nice neighborhoods and you were able to really get the Spain experience in them. I met some awesome people and really had the time of my life. Everyone should do this program!!

I loved every minute of my summer in Barcelona. Having class four days a week and free time three days a week was the perfect balance. API was extremely helpful and our trips were incredible. I stayed in an apartment in a residential area of Barcelona with one women and the living conditions were great! Our apartment was cleaned weekly and I've never tasted such fresh food! The metro was extremely easy to use and there were metro stops located conveniently all over the city. My classes were slightly challenging but extremely interesting and beneficial for my studies. My teachers were helpful and cared about our learning. There was never a dull moment in Barcelona because there are so many sights to see and places to visit! I will never forget my experience in Barcelona and the incredible services that API provided to me. It was definitely worth every penny!

Salamanca is a great city to study in. There are not a lot of english speakers, so there is always opportunities to practice spanish. It is an extremely safe city and very walkable. Also it is only 2-2 ½ hours away from Madrid. The API staff there is great. They are always there to help. I even got sick and had to miss an exam and the API onsite coordinator handled everything for me and I didn't have to worry about explaining to my professor what happened. I would highly recommend staying in a host family home.

I lived in an amazing apartment in the most adorable neighborhood (Gracia). We were right down the street from the Metro which was super easy and fun to take. We lived around many fun restaurants and plazas and even a little fresh food market. The weather was wonderful all semester, only raining twice that I can remember, and it was so fun walking down to the beach on beautiful sunny days! Barcelona has the best of both worlds, mountains, land and sea; city and parks; crazy tourism and down to earth locals. I really miss it and want to go back ASAP!

This summer I was seeking a way to be independent while experiencing something completely new. As my parents, of course, were not enthused by the idea of their child roaming free in a foreign country, I had to choose a program. Somehow I came across Aspire by API, and I am SO lucky to have chosen it. At the University of Salamanca, I was challenged to really increase my Spanish conversational skills. Taking Literature in another language was an incredible experience, and my professors welcomed me enthusiastically, answering any questions I had and slowing down the Spanish when necessary. Aspire by API provided us with great activities and the weekend trips were lots of fun for the whole group. I met a bunch of great people, and we all became close by the end. Our group leaders were lovely, and we all grew to love them as well, as they helped us immerse ourselves in Spanish culture. Salamanca is a beautiful city and I'd love to go back. We got to see Santander, Madrid, Segovia, and even Portugal on the weekends, which were incredible experiences as well. Salamanca is a place unlike anywhere else in Spain, and you are guaranteed to stay with an amazing host family if you go through Aspire by API.

Living in a Muslim country has been the most wonderful learning experience in my life. Traditions, culture, believes and even the financial system were different to the western world, which made my experience unique and exceptional. Every day I listened to the 5-preayer call wherever I was in the city or campus. I witnessed spectacular landscaping in the UAE, caravans of camels, the contrast of beach and desert, the most beautiful full moon I have ever seen, and extraordinary sunsets. I had the fortune to attend a spectacular Emirati wedding. I also witnessed several Guinness records in one single city, Dubai; such as, the biggest mall, the tallest building, the largest hotel, the fastest roller coaster, the largest fireworks display, the “palm islands” which are consider to be the 8th wonder of the world and the world’s first seven star hotel. As an International Business major this has been the best experience I could have embraced in. My program supported me to get an internship. Living in a cosmopolitan city, such as Dubai, showed me that understanding the global world is crucial to succeed in my career.

The on site API representatives were extremely helpful and a great resource to have around. The excursions we went on through API were fantastic.

Berlin was amazing and we had plenty of time to explore the city.

Wonderful experience.

API staffs were the best! They were always there when you need them, no matter how much trouble you got yourself in, they always helped you with a warm smile on their faces. The trips are the best, they left you enough time do your own stuffs. I also traveled to many other European countries and cities while I studies abroad in Florence, but no where can compare with it, It is small but it has everything you need! The best food, the richest Renaissance history, etc. I would totally do it again!

As an undergraduate student, I volunteered with Cultural Embrace during my winter break. The program was 2 weeks and I was with several other college students.

The program provided one-on-one Spanish lesson at a local partner school. I also stayed with a host family. I didn't know very much Spanish before going, but my language definitely improved after this trip. In the morning there was 4 hours of classes and the afternoon consisted of volunteer at local orphanages.

The pre-departure staff from Cultural Embrace was very accommodating as well as the local staff in Antigua, Guatemala. The overall experience was great! I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone interested in traveling to Latin America.

Living with a host family is unlike any other experience you'll have. It is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture, no matter what country you're in. Being open to drastic differences in culture is essential; I saw something new every day between anything from mannerisms of my host family and people I met to something as simply as the weather each day.