High School Experiential Learning Programs in Western Europe

During this program, I grew as a person, global citizen, and in the French language! The camp was amazing and we got to do so many fun activities like going to the beach and exploring cities around us. I also had a huge improvement in my language skills thanks to the classes we took on campus. I made lifelong friends from around the world as well! It was truly a once in a lifetime experience!

In December of 2025, I had no plans of studying abroad; everything seemed to expensive or out-of-reach. It was half-way through that month that my French teacher approached me with an opportunity to pursue a scholarship that funded the majority of this program. Upon winning that scholarship (on my birthday!) and another financial aid tuition cut—all thanks to the amazing AFS donors who made that possible—I was given the chance to attend this program. Together with 24 other people from the United States, we were thrown into a whole new world. As would be an expectation by anyone who had never experienced an opportunity of such a scale before, the beginning of the program was difficult. It was easy, at this point, to only see what was negative about being in France at that time: the rooms were hot and muggy, I was unsure of my roomates, and I hadn’t slept well because of adrenaline. It was the end of June of 2026, and I had only just began my month-long program; I couldn’t wait for July to come faster. Almost exponentially, in a sense, my experience of the program skyrocketed in a good direction. Simultaneously with all the enjoyment and excitement studying abroad brought me, I learned to enjoy things that were different from what I was used to: we learned work-arounds to cool off the dorms at night, I learned to see the dorm bed as my own and finally be able to rest and process what was going on, the people around me developed too—we were all in it together, and those fellow attendees became some of the best friends I’ve ever made. Come the time of my graduation in 2028, I want to continue what I started this summer and pursue a degree in France at university. I’ll never forget my time in France. To whoever happens to be reading this—either adult or youth—the risk is worth it: the heat, the stress, fear, were all worth it. Life is far too short, and the world is far too divided to never see it all. Take the chance if you have it!

Wow! Travel For Teens organized an incredible trip! There were fun activities, great food, and lots of memories! This trip was a great combination of sightseeing, beaches/boating, and learning about a new culture. The three trip leaders were absolutely incredible, they were fun while still being very responsible and organized. I absolutely loved this trip!

My trip to Italy in Greece was the trip of a lifetime. I met so many amazing people who I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life! Spending two weeks abroad with people my age was one of the funnest times ever!!! I loved getting to go to new places, try new foods, buy way too many souvenirs and take so many photos and videos!!!

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

Going on this trip was something I wish everyone the experience of. Not only did I feel confident in my growth of French I made life long friends and got to experience the French way of living, a pain au chocolat every morning 😜. And see so much beautiful art in museums like the Musée d'Orsay and of course The Louvre. I also got to get some shopping in and as a teen girl that has passion for fashion you know I LOVE my shopping.

This trip changed my life and allowed me to grow in more ways than one. I met my best friends, learned independence, and became a more global citizen. This trip was the highlight of my high school experience, creating lasting friendships with people I still talk to today. Each day was filled with fun, new activities and gave me the chance to be independent with the support of my trip director and the other TFT staff. The program could not have been more memorable.

This program made 2026 the best summer of my life. London is my favorite city and this program couldn’t have been more perfect. A perfect mixture of education (classes were so much fun, and I also loved our workshops too where we learned about British culture) and free time to explore the city. We also did so much fun things as a group in the city, but you get a lot of free time with your friends. I learned so much in the creative writing classes and all the lessons were fun rather than boring. I really felt like I got to see London inside and out and get a real Londoner experience rather than as a tourist. I also loved our trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon as well. I made so many friends and many great memories. The staff are also very caring and awesome. Overall, everything about it was perfect and I miss it everyday. Thank you CIEE for this trip of a lifetime!

I had a life changing trip. I met so many friends that I am still friends with now two years later. I learned so much about the countries I went to and how to navigate internal travel in Europe. Seeing different cities and cultures broaden my horizons of the world and what I want to do in life.

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!

My trip with TFT was truly one of my best travel experiences I’ve ever had! I was so anxious before I went, but after meeting the staff at the airport and all the other kids, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I made friends very quickly and built great relationships with my counselors. We obviously had a bunch of planned activities, but we also got to have a lot of free time to shop, get food, and just explore the city with our friends. We saw all the sights in both cities while learning about the culture and trying traditional food. This trip is perfect for teens who aren’t super adventurous but still want to travel the world!!