Program Reviews

My API housing was in the center of the city, a 5 minute walk from campus, a 30 second walk to the tube, and was within walking distance of many landmarks. I lived in a better location then most of the University students, as well other study abroad students. The support given to me was outstanding before I left for the trip as well as upon my return to the United States. The staff on the ground in London was amazing (Rachel was like a mother to us), and made me truly feel like London was my home. They organized extremely cool trips around the city (and country), and were always present if we had questions or concerns. I would without reservation recommend this program for anyone interested in studying abroad in London.

I chose API based on the value and they did not disappoint! Everything from initial interactions with the staff in the US to my homestay to the unique excursions they offered was incredible.

From day one I felt as through my program manager wanted the best for me and I didn't feel like another number. The on-site staff in Sevilla were equally helpful and ensured we were getting the best cultural experience as possible. In fact, one of the resident directors spent an hour explaining the different neighbors, what to do and see and drew me a map of Barcelona before a weekend trip. They really go above and beyond.

My host family was great. I lived with my host mom, host brother, and another API student. My program included 3 meals a day at my house, laundry and my room was cleaned every other week. I loved living with a host family because I feel like I was able to say I truly lived in Spain. I completed small tasks with my host mom such as getting bread from our local bakery in the morning, grocery shopping, and visiting her grandkids. It definitely helped with my language skills.

The academics were more challenging than I anticipated, but still very manageable. The professors really challenge you to think in the perspective of a new culture and help to immerse you to the Spanish culture. Pablo de Olavide, the University, is outside the city so I needed to take the metro to class, but it was only a 15 minute commute. Classes are generally Monday through Thursday.

With the program I had two spring breaks, they feel on two cultural festivals: Semana Santa and Feria. I would highly recommend studying in Sevilla (in the spring) to experience these two weeks.

The city itself is safe and full of rich Spanish culture. I really enjoyed the size because it felt like a city, yet was small enough to walk almost everywhere. There is never a shortage of things to do from walking around and taking in the architecture to sitting by the river to enjoying a nice cafe con leche with friends!

Overall, my experience with API studying in Sevilla was phenomenal and I would recommend this program to all that want to experience a very rich Spanish culture.

This program is close to my heart since I was born in Colombia. I migrated with my family to Canada when I was nine and assimilated easily to life in Toronto. After graduating University, I decided to teach abroad for a year and Cultural Embrace by API's program to teach in Colombia seemed a prefect fit; an opportunity that would allow me to get reacquainted with my Colombian roots. My background, therefore, has influenced how I view this program quite a bit. Speaking just for the program, my day to day life consisted of two classes which were an hour and a half in length. We were told we would teach an instructor class, but it wasn't until the second semester that I acquired one. My schedule was very relaxed since there was so much free time, however I did spend a lot of time planning lessons since we were not given a curriculum and I had never taught before. Although we were given a week of training in Bogota, I felt what I truly learned about lesson planning was definitely based on my teaching experience in the classroom. At times this program was disorganized: we were not fully informed about how to grade students on a program called Sofia Plus, we sometimes had to search for classroom space because there was a problem with the one we were given, and instructor classes were always a bit ambiguous (even when I was given one attendance was very low because teachers have such a busy schedule).
However, despite these problems, the students were very friendly and humorous, and teachers were also very welcoming. The SENA centre itself is quite nice; it is a very illuminated building and the teacher's lounge on the fifth floor is a great space for working, relaxing, or having lunch with coworkers while not dictating class. Overall, my experience teaching English in Medellin was fantastic; I learned innumerable lessons and it was a great growth opportunity, both personally and professionally. Medellin is a beautiful place to live and I would recommend this program to someone who was considering teaching in South America.

Studying abroad in Bilbao was not only a great experience but I was able to experience another culture in depth, exponentially improve my Spanish, meet new friends from many different countries, and easily travel to other European countries. The program staff was helpful and contributed to the improvement of my Spanish. However, the language program was primarily American students which I was unaware of beforehand. There are testily opportunities to be more integrated with Spanish students such as taking other classes offered at the universities, participating in clubs (many people participate in the hiking club), or intercambia where you get paired with a Spanish student and speak each other's languages- I highly recommend it. The city itself is safe, has a great art culture, and offers many outdoor activities since it has the unique position of being situated near mountains and an ocean. My home stay was great however I did feel as though my family and my personalities did not match very well and wish that the matching process was more thorough.

My experience studying abroad with API was better then I could have ever imagined! I was set up in an apartment on the Arno River, looking over the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. Not only was the view amazing, but my roommates and I had live music outside our window almost every night. The school is located near the Duomo and the Central Market, so you are always in the middle of the excitement of Florence. LDM and API also provide a variety of free activities for students every week, including wine tastings, tours in the city, and live shows. Most importantly, there are tons of travel groups for students that make it VERY easy and inexpensive to travel Europe on the weekends! Also, API provides free excursions to cities in Italy like Rome, Venice, Verona, and Cinque Terre!

"Croi alainn" in Irish means: a beautiful heart. This place gave me such a new perspective on the world, and along with it, a beautiful heart. This program allowed me to see and receive all of this and more. It was an adventure of a lifetime, from all the trips we went on to the day to day support given by the group of friends I met while over there. I learned so many things about myself and about the world around me. I have made memories that are irreplaceable. Even the simple walk to class was a memory in itself. It is something to walk alongside the River Lee and climb a hill to see the buildings of Cork all around you and the green hills in the distance. Every time I escalated to the music building of the University I can hear those hills calling, even when it was pouring rain. I can still hear them now, and I can't wait to go back to the place my heart calls home.

My trip to Antigua was life changing and reaffirmed that healthcare is where I should be. I was not entirely sure what to expect because our program provider had never led a healthcare related trip before, but I was so impressed with every aspect of the trip: the activities planned, the organization and the extreme effort to help us get the most out of the short time we had over our Spring break.
We were prepared to work in some sort of capacity within the community and we had a vague idea of the itinerary for each day, but what we encountered was so much more than we expected. We eased into the trip with a couple of sightseeing days and "getting to know you" activities, such as hiking and zip-lining, which really got us, a motley crue of nursing students from various classes, communicating, laughing and much more comfortable.
Once our work week started we had a very structured schedule that included tours of local hospitals and clinics, attending lectures on local healthcare, assisting in passing out fresh fruit and vegetables to poor communities, teaching school-aged children about hand hygiene and dental health and, my favorite, two days of a mobile clinic. The mobile clinic gave me an experience that I had not had previously. It forced us to communicate and work through language barriers and gave us the opportunity to assess local communities and see what issues affected them on a daily basis. Although we were exhausted, the trip had plenty of fun and relaxing times too. We ate delicious local food, both provided by our host family or out on the town, we hiked an active volcano, an important and beautiful experience and we explored the town through our morning jogs.
I went on the trip believing that I would really enjoy working as a nurse internationally, but I walked away with the confidence that that career needs. I was so comfortable, adventurous and excited with every activity on the trip. Great, great job.
Since we were the maiden voyage, there were snags with being unprepared, such as a lack of certain supplies (gloves, masks, etc) but our trip allowed the next years participants to be better prepared.
Antigua felt like a home away from home and I made life-long friends on my trip: I would go again in a heartbeat (and there is talk among my group of doing just that!).

From the scale 1 to 10, I rate my overall experience an 8. The recruiters of Cultural Embrace were a great access. They assisted applicants with materials about the country before their departure and during their stay in the country. Their communication is very effective.

I taught in Cartagena, a coastal city in the northern region of Colombia. If you're the type that enjoys Miami weather and a vibrant atmosphere, then this the city for you. One thing that bothered me was the long commute to the school. Even though they have homes near the school, they (my opinion) were not of good quality, and I didn't want to live in the middle of nowhere. If you enjoy living in a rural area, then you will not have a problem.

If you're looking for a lucrative salary, then this is not the program for you. You will receive a stipend (plus housing allowance if you do not wish to live with a Colombian family) that will allow you to live comfortably. However, I think they can pay a little bit more. The main goal is to gain experience if you wish to become an ESL/TESOL instructor. If you decide to participate in the program, be prepared for work as a Teacher. Colombia largest public institutions are promoting bilingualism in their country; therefore, they are looking for individuals who are serious about teaching than having fun (you will have leisure time, though not much).

I had the best time during my study abroad in Barcelona. I was able to experience the nightlife, have home cooked Spanish meals, go shopping in local shops, and enjoy touristy places in and around the city. I was able to travel to different places in Spain such as, Burgos, Sevilla, Bilbao and Islas Canarias. I was also able to visit Italy and Portugal. This was all done in a short amount of time but has remained as some of my best memories. I met people from around the world and was able to pick up on Catalan. I lived right across from the the Picasso museum, as well as a beautiful park, the metro station, arco de triunfo and the Catedral. I would definitely recommend studying abroad in Barcelona and doing it through API because their staff was wonderful and all of the activities we were able to do were awesome. We were taken to learn how to make Paella, went bike riding in Sevilla, visited the Colosseum in Italy, watched a Flamenco show and so much more!

The Teach English in Colombia program has been an incredible experience. It was a relatively new program so there were some changes in the beginning. More cities were added at the last minute and the specific details about the centers weren't clear but CE did a very good job of staying in touch with me before and during my time here. By participating in this program I have had the opportunity to improve my Spanish, to learn more about the Colombian culture, I have been able to teach English to Hotel students, I have been able to travel in Colombia and experience living in the beautiful coffee region. Although there were difficulties, I believe the benefits out way them. If you enjoy adventure, experiencing a new culture and can go with the flow then this is a great program and I would recommend it to anyone.