I spent a month in Toulouse with CIEE and it was the most amazing thing i’ve ever done! The teachers were awesome, my group got along super well, my host family was amazing, and the overall atmosphere of Toulouse is amazing! I got back a couple of weeks ago and I already want to go back, I miss it so much! I would recommend this to anyone, I learned so much, felt so independent, and really got to explore another culture in a way I couldn’t before! My french also improved tremendously, especially thanks to my amazing host family!

This is one of the few places in the world that teaches indirect painting. If you are interested in the old masters this is the place to go. Process is the other half of the fórmula for painting like the old masters. The knowlwdge Greg has will allow you to understand this and to place a base for the rest of your life.
The studio is located in a beautiful bastide town from the 12 century. It's quite and perfect for focusing on painting. If you need an escape it's no problem France has a great train and bus system.

I really enjoyed my time in Toulouse! I learned a lot about the French culture and had an amazing professor for my international marketing class! CIEE provided many activities to help you learn about the culture as well as build relationships with your peers. Some activities I enjoyed more than others but most of the activities such as weekend trip to Ariege and a day trip to Albi were amazing. We also got the opportunity to take a cooking class and attend a cheese and wine tasting. Class schedule was slightly intense but workload was very manageable we were given an hour lunch each day but had class from 10:30-12:30 and 1:30-3:30. The class I took offered excursions to Airbus and a local hospital to help learn about the subjects. They give weekends free to your freedom where I ended up going to Paris and Nice which is awesome for any outside travel you want to go. This 4 week program is structured very well, it’s extremely organized and they give you lots of support and help you find fun activities. I also was here during the World Cup when France made the final so that added to the excitement!

It’s an outstanding program that enchants our language and culture skills. It helps you view the world in a different perspective and be alert of your surroundings. For example, in France there’s a variety of diversity from all over the world due to the fact that France is close so people migrant to the country. I had the Time of my life I made a lot friends from all over the country. My favorite memory was us in Port Vendres in the Mediterranean Sea.

This experience was an amazing introduction to traveling abroad. It has inspired me to pursue foreign language much more seriously! although sometimes challenging, this program and really helped expand my language skills. One of the most unique ways that someone can learn a language is to stay with a host family. This program allows you to do so, which also results in more knowledge of the nations culture itself.

CIEE approached my high school to begin doing study abroad trips during my junior year; it was the first year that my high school got this sort of opportunity. I had been planning on majoring in French in college, so I was interested in the program. Through my high school's connections, I applied to the program and was accepted. It was going to be my first time outside of the United States and going on a trip by myself of that magnitude. For me, a big reason why my parents were so okay with this prospect was how involved the program was with the school; they held presentations, gave out information, and were readily available for questions. They laid out the whole program, something that my parents appreciated. They also liked how there were mechanisms in place to give us the flexibility of being more independent or being with a group, such as with traveling there. CIEE was parent-friendly and it was easy to work with them and learn more about the program, which made it easier on me and my parents when preparing for this experience.

I really enjoyed the program; I liked my host family and my house-mate. The group of students that I met were amazing and I'm definitely glad that I still talk to the friends I made while I was there. This experience definitely made me champion studying abroad; I've talked about it with friends and some of my friends went on different CIEE trips after I went. As a whole, the summer programs give a glimpse into what studying abroad for a full semester or a year could be like. There were times when the program felt a little too structured where there wasn't any flexibility, but it's also understandable as we are high school students in a foreign country.

As for after studying abroad, it only made me want to go again very soon. I still keep in touch with the friends that I made while I was on the program and we talk often enough to know what's going on in each other's lives. The program also helped steer me into knowing what I wanted to do later on in college both as a French major and a Political Science major. It wasn't more than a meeting, but we had the opportunity to meet with the US ambassador to France, which to a then-potential Political Science student was really exciting. I loved the immersion experience and the opportunity to do this, especially in high school. Some people don't get the chance to study abroad until college, so being able to do it when I did was an amazing opportunity that impacted me academically and helped shape what I wanted to do then after.

My experience with CIEE is truly one that I will always remember. The friendships I made, the material I learned, and the culture I experienced all left made my decision to apply worth it. I had never heard of CIEE nor known any alumni, but I am so thankful that I discovered this AMAZING program!! The program leaders, teachers, students, and host family were all able to make me feel comfortable in experiencing new things. I recommend this program to anyone who wants to discover a new culture, learn a new language, make lifelong friendships, or just simply step out of their comfort zone!!:)

It was awesome. I wish that I could have stayed longer. I’m
Over the summer I went to Toulouse, France because I got a full scholarship to study Language and Culture for a month. There were many obstacles to overcome such as the language barrier, cultural differences and behavioral differences. I went into this new adventure without knowing anyone and coming out with new friends. We would go out and explore the city together and live like real french teenagers. I was living with my host family that consisted of two younger girls the ages of 15 and 12. The funny thing about them is that they reminded me of my own family with an occasional bit of confusion. Not a lot of students get along with their host family due to closed perceptions/minds, but everyone and each family is different. One just needs to learn to adapt. As a matter of fact, I adapted so much that I felt like a real Toulousain. I had to get comfortable with public transportation so that I could go to and from my school that was in the heart of the city of Toulouse. There had been occasions just like in NYC, transportation was down due to repairs or accidents. I had to learn how to navigate through a foreign city and deal and respond to these situations by communicating in a language that I am not a native to. Once while on my way home from school, I was on the bus standing next to a lady who suddenly collapsed and fainted. She was unresponsive for a couple of moments. I reacted calmly and asked others for help. One called the ambulance, the bus driver stopped, another was following the CPR procedures, and I offered her some water and snacks. She pulled through.