CIEE is a great help, I am very happy I made the decision to move to and teach in Madrid. Although it was a quick decision and not as planned out as it could have been. things are going reasonably great. Make sure you stay on top of the critical stuff and the rest is just fun! Can't wait to see what the rest of this journey holds. Five more months I definitely want to travel to more countries, explore Spain more, and knock more things off of my bucket list! I'm sure if you save and plan wisely, with the help of CIEE you'll have an amazing timeeee.

I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to experience life abroad. Not only is it different from just traveling, but you get to work and live in Madrid as if you were a local. It is an amazing opportunity to develop skills for working internationally. If you have ever found yourself lost and think that maybe a change in pace would be beneficial, I urge you to think about doing this program. I have learned several things about myself that I don't think would have been possible without this program.

As someone who is not in any way close to being fluent in Spanish, everyday is a new adventure. CIEE has given me an opportunity to create new memories across the world, learn about different cultures along with a new language, and live to teach those who are excited to learn! I have easily made new friends, and grown relationships that previously existed. As someone who worked tirelessly to be able to do this program, I am finding my hours of hard work worth it. This is an adventure of a lifetime!

I would not complain about CIEE and never about the staff. Any problems that may be present has to do with the job opportunity you’re signing yourself up for and the staff does the best they can to help you navigate it all. But if you are not prepared yourself that’s where the trouble lies. Finding a place to live before arriving although not advised may eliminate a lot of stress factors when you first arrive. Just be sure you use a reputable site that has insurance on those kinds of things like housing anywhere.

I was planning to become a language assistant for CIEE in Jan. As in I was already there, but due to my health circumstances things spiraled really quickly. I was already in Madrid for my orientation as in paid 2k and have my visa and everything. I ended up getting really sick from not sleeping for 7-8 days straight. I couldn't get out of my bed or walk at the hotel. I was so insanely surprised that CIEE didn't help or ask if I needed help during those 48 hours while I was in and out of the ER in Spain. All they could tell me was the people I reached out to were "contract workers" therefore they could not ask me how I was or help me. The people at the hotel were super rude as well. I knew Spain and the people their weren't my cup of tea within 2 days of being there, but the lack of how the Spain team handled all of it was the worst part.

This a is a very corporate company that will not care about your wellbeing while you're out there. They only care about your money. There are so many other programs that cost less to nothing that will do everything to help you while you're aboard. Asking for a refund was out of the question because programs like this will never have any other options or even want to give you a refund.

Please save your money. It's not worth it. They won't be pay for an uber or taxi from the airport or metro cards for orientation week. They do not care.

I taught in Madrid through CIEE from 2022-2023. I had an incredible experience teaching at an elementary school. While I experienced many challenges along the way, I am very grateful for the growth that this program instilled in me. The team at CIEE was incredibly helpful throughout the visa and orientation process, and the on-site team was wonderful to work with. The team answered all of my questions promptly and accurately, and really made me feel supported while I was there. The visa process can be rigorous and daunting, but the CIEE team had lots of guidance and was incredibly helpful.

CIEE has helped make my dream of teaching abroad a reality. The transition to a new culture was aided by the orientation and all the resources CIEE provided with prior to leaving. Within this orientation, I was introduced to many like minded individuals who became fast friends and my home away from home. My school is very welcoming and the students make everyday that much better. Though there are difficulties in initially finding housing and adjusting to a new culture, I couldn’t be more thankful for this life changing experience.

I have really enjoyed being an auxiliary because of the opportunities it has given me. I have met so many amazing teachers who have helped me integrate into the culture, for which I am really grateful. Teaching has become something I really enjoy because of the students. They make the job so much fun and exciting every day. I also have made many friends in the program and we get to experience Madrid and Europe together. I recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn about Spain!!