A Life-Changing Experience

Programs for this blog post

French Language & Culture

Authored By:

Maylen Rafuls

The CIEE High School Study abroad experience can be life changing for students. Being abroad presents a plethora of new challenges, including learning to survive in a new language, getting adjusted to new customs and life in a host family and balancing the demands of the academic coursework with the cultural activities and flex time. Not only do students make huge gains in their language abilities, but they also enhance their cultural understandings and become more independent and mature. 

I spoke to seveal students about their experience and asked them to answer one or two of the following questions.

  • How did this program enable you to grow and in what ways did you grow?
  • How did this month in France change you or change your life? 
  • How would you describe this experience to a student who has never heard of CIEE before?
  • What advice do you have for future students as to how they can fully take advantage of this experience?
  • What was your highlight or the best part? What's something you would change about your experience?
  • What challenges did you face and how did these challenges make you stronger/a better person?
     

In the videos below, check out what our Session I Toulouse students had to say about the ways in which this experience has left a mark on their life...

Nicole [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/wLFNDdHhxsE]

Shobini [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/vTwIwG6HThw]

Christine [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/c2NfSDhqPRk]

Busira [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/IvyrhaROrbM]

Jenn - Program Leader Perspective [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/xwzp8wEthuc]

Samantha [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/2Prh5T7C_Bk]

Francesca [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/1HJ6ZmpA0A4]

Zoe [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/nf7HM6TFeDo]

Marissa [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/jPjBV8CASv8]

Nikki [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/9extsU-QOgM]

Sophia [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/vh0vEzqsP4k]

Kenneth [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/VOZXEGYd0AU]

Aden [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/Ov5QimLYLs4]

Alexis [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/J54yz_RNbEs]

Sydney [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/U7_CygDDbrA]

Liliana [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/buI2RXdQpsI]

Angela Talks about Mini's Kindness [VIDEO::https://youtu.be/GEKKgBXM3qQ]