Middlebury - C.V. Starr Schools Abroad

Spending five months in Paris was one of the most influential experiences I've had---Paris being the first time I have ever lived in a big city really set the bar high. I lived with a host family in the 13th arrondissement where I felt incredibly at home (with the whole city accessible through just a few metro lines) and had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in different cultures. Being able to take courses at a French institution really opened my eyes to a different country's education system, and allowed me to learn a lot while also making local friendships. Middlebury's program itself is really amazing. Having to live, study, and form relationships in a foreign language is not necessarily easy, but Midd provided tools and support needed to ensure our success. The connections that I've built, both to people and to Paris, are immeasurable.

Overall, the Middlebury Russian Intensive Language Program in Astana is well-organized and designed to help students improve their Russian. They provide a variety of different course subjects, including Russian grammar. The professors test our knowledge and give us opportunities to practice the language through various mediums such as: presentations, group work, writing tests, and reading and watching movies (as homework) then discussing them in class. Not only this, but the professors are extremely knowledgeable about their topics. They often encourage questions, and will gladly repeat themselves if need be. Shout out to Professor Yuliya K! I particularly enjoyed the information I learned in this class, and how she uses her substantive knowledge of Russian literature and culture to help us understand texts in ways we would have never thought of before.

I studied at Middlebury School in Jordan in the spring semester of 2025. I had spent the previous summer in Jordan with another great program, but my time at Middlebury was not only the most fun regarding the people involved and my ability to interact with local Jordanians, but also because I came in non-conversational and I left nearly fluent. Not just in that I had a larger vocabulary, but that I was able to speak and think in Arabic directly, without having to translate from English first. The program staff are amazing, the class sizes are great and the content feels relevant. There is the ability to choose which electives you want to take (depending on your level), and even those at a lower level felt that they were using the Arabic that they knew in applicable contexts. Although the language pledge was difficult at first, after a week of commitment to the process, it became easy. In addition to the amazing academic environment, my homestay family was also a key component to my advancement in Arabic. I come from an Arab background and it really felt like I had another Arab jidda (grandma) helping me the whole way. The program also connected us with local students at the University of Jordan who took us around Amman and genuinely became our close friends. One other quick note was that the trips that we took were amazing. Like I mentioned, I had been in Jordan for a couple months before, and the places that we went to with Middlebury were not only some of the crucial must-see spots but also some more niche spots that I felt very privileged to be able to go to that I wouldn't have found/been motivated to go to on my own. I think that the program did a good job of giving us enough out-of-class work to improve our skills without it being so much that we didn't have enough time to explore the city/country. I do think that the program would be best suited for someone who has some prior experience with the language (in fact, I think you have to have studied for at least two years??? dont quote me on that). I had studied Arabic for almost three years at that point, but most others had studied it for two (academic) years before starting. Would 1000/10 recommend this program to anyone wanting to improve their Arabic.

When I signed the language pledge on day one, I made a promise: only Chinese, all day, every day. Every character was a rep, every assignment a set, and I studied my way through coffee shops all over Beijing, rating each one out of five stars. My politics and business courses were taught entirely in Chinese, and my one-on-one research dug into modern dating and why so few young Chinese are having kids — answers I found by interviewing locals myself. The real growth, though, happened outside the classroom. I'd talk to anyone who would say hello — monks, aunties in the park, students in the library, a woman making tea in a Yunnan mountain village. Each conversation was a private lesson worth more than gold. I took the bullet train to Shanghai, biked around West Lake in Hangzhou, got lost in the tea mountains, played pick-up basketball with Tibetan and Uyghur students, and even talked my way into a free tour of Alibaba's headquarters after waiting at the gate for over an hour. Persistence works. By the end, my teachers said my Chinese was the most improved in the program. But the part I'll carry with me isn't a grade or a trip — it's that I loved who I was in China.

I had originally gone to the Middlebury CMRS program because I wanted to prove that I was better than anyone else; however, once I realized that there was more to Oxford than merely intelligence (after a prolonged period not going outside), this quickly fell by the wayside. To be surrounded by bookshelves that had their own horizons, maze-like streets you didn't mind getting lost within, and pubs galore to go have philosophical discussions whilst downing another Guinness, it's all a treat that I hope to take part in again. I grew as a result of the program, as I no longer feel as though I have to prove my worth to anyone. Instead, I only wish to grow as a means to become a better citizen of the world.

Photos

Living in Jordan was one of the most immersive and meaningful academic experiences I have had. From the start, I felt fully supported by the program and quickly adjusted to daily life in Amman. Living with a host family was a highlight, as it gave me constant opportunities to practice Arabic and experience Jordanian culture in an authentic way. The balance between coursework, language learning, and cultural engagement made the experience both challenging and rewarding. Overall, my time in Jordan greatly strengthened my Arabic and gave me a deeper appreciation for the region and its people.

I can’t put this semester into one paragraph—I think I have been pushed and challenged this semester into a lot of discomfort and confusion. I have been so humbled by my own ignorance and presuppositions. At the same time, I have never felt at home so quickly somewhere. Over the semester, I have come to love the things that made me so uncomfortable—chatting the taxi, bargaining at the market, meeting a stranger on the street and even eating water fufu. From an academic perspective, I have learned so much since being in Cameroon about different cultures and regions, about agriculture and the economy, about colonization and the corruption today that is still rooted in colonial oppression. I learned about a war in the western regions of Cameroon that I’d never heard about before and I got to visit political prisoners every week to learn even more about it. I got to sing in the car with my professor and I danced every week with my host mom at church. I ate so much food this semester, there were some days when I thought I’d never be hungry again. I met people from all around the world, and even a girl from my own small town in Ohio. Cameroon has made my world a little smaller, but it has made my vision of culture, language and relationship so much bigger.

Photos

Living in another country for 5 months will almost inevitably change your worldview. To me, the culture in Argentina feels much more balanced and centered around what is important. People really prioritize relationships and spending time with friends and family. Also, the baseline level of kindness, warmth, and welcoming here is equivalent to someone especially extroverted and caring in the US. Healthcare and education are free, which I already knew, but really changes the day to day interactions of being in the University (the attitude around studying, the diversity of students who have access to the classes, etc). I am excited to try to take back and maintain a little bit of this priority shift that I feel I have gained for the better while being here and how I interact with the people in my life.

I had an amazing time studying abroad with Middlebury in Paris. I decided to live with a host family, and my host mother was sweet, accomodating, and helped me improve my French a lot. I lived in Paris's 13th arrondisement, in Chinatown, and the experience of living in a part of the city I might have not thought to visit if I wasn't living there was super interesting. I loved finding hidden gems around my neighborhood and the city as a whole.Taking classes at Middlebury with the other American students was a helpful anchor to my experience as I navigated a lot of new experiences -- taking classes in my second language at a local university, traveling solo for the first time, and more.

The Middlebury in Jordan staff is extremely caring, thoughtful, and their attention to detail is remarkable. I felt very looked out for, especially when we had to relocate due to conflict in the middle of the semester. In general, the program pushes you to learn the most you can and it truly helps you integrate into Jordanian culture. I will forever be grateful for the friends, mentors, and family I gained throughout my semester. I also gained invaluable knowledge on the region as a whole and linguistic skills -- knowledge that I never learned in my schooling in the U.S.

I really enjoyed this program! I got to explore Kazakhstan, take interesting classes, and learn independence all while being fully immersed in the Russian Language. Going into this program, I already had an intermediate understanding of the Russian language, but I wanted to learn more about the Russian-speaking world. I found that Kazakhstan — typically unexplored by the average American study-abroad student —and, in particular, the program with Middlebury, were well-suited to my academic and personal goals. I got to work intimately with Kazakh students, learn about a previously unexplored culture, all while eating good food, celebrating important Kazakh holidays, and viewing breathtaking architecture (attached). For Russian-speaking students interested in furthering their academic career and being fully immersed, consider the program in Astana!

Photos

My study abroad in Cordoba helped me grow, pushed my boundaries, and highlighted the parts of my life that I deeply value. I was able to view the world through different perspectives and challenge my ideas of what normal was. Finding new ways in which I fit into communities that looked different from the ones I grew up around helped me find different parts of myself. The global variety of people I was able to meet, talk with, and form deep relationships with, helped me understand myself in brand new ways. Additionally, Spain has so many different places with their own distinct cultures, histories, and communities. Being able to explore the different parts of Spain enriched my study abroad beyond my experiences in Cordoba. Studying abroad completely transformed how I will approach new people and situations in the future and fueled my desire to learn more about the cultures, languages, and people that form the world.

I studied in Santiago with Middlebury in Chile, where I was fully immersed in urban Chilean culture while fostering lasting relationships within my program and having the freedom to explore interests, academic and professional alike. The curriculum was the best kind of challenging that pushed me to develop my personal agency, and my Spanish skills absolutely skyrocketed over the course of the semester. I absolutely loved the city of Santiago and its culture; the friendships I made with my cultural mentor, my host family, and the other Midd students were so special. Chile is truly such a welcoming and beautiful country, and I will be forever grateful for the way I was able to fully appreciate it and allow it to shape me and my worldview through immersion.

In my junior year, I had the opportunity to spend my fall semester studying in Tokyo with Middlebury College. Since I tested into the J5 level Japanese language class, I had the opportunity to take two classes with local students taught entirely in Japanese, challenging myself to not only comprehend lectures at a high language level but also communicate with my peers at a college level. Even though the campus was an hour away from Tokyo's center, the convenient public transportation made it very easy to go out into the city with friends. We even made outside of the prefecture to Saitama, Osaka, Tottori and more on breaks and weekends, exploring Japan while we could. I found that, through this program, we had a lot of space to immerse ourselves in Japan's vibrant and diverse culture and become a part of the city ourselves. Additionally, the program put an emphasis on sustainable development, which taught me how to be more environmentally aware and live sustainably. This instilled positive habits into my lifestyle, which I find myself still enforcing today even though I have returned to my home country. Overall, Middlebury's program gave me an amazing space to advance my Japanese language skills while exploring Tokyo as a city.

Kaohsiung is an artsy, digestible city, one that is filled with history and was a joy to explore every day. The teachers, director, Taiwanese peers and roommates, and other study abroad students laid the framework for the program, while Taiwan's vibrant culture and natural environment filled in the rest of my experience. Under the language pledge, I was able to make progress in my conversational and formal Mandarin skills. I took classes that challenged me intellectually, but were still a lot of fun, learning the most in my one-on-one tutorial, where I got to delve deep into a topic of my choice. I chose modern Chinese and Taiwanese literature as part of my preliminary research for my senior thesis, and learned more in one semester than I could ever have on my own. Aside from academics, I also spent plenty of time exploring Kaohsiung, the rest of Taiwan, and was even able to utilize some weekends and breaks in traveling internationally within Asia. Despite living in the city, we also spent a substantial amount of time interacting with nature. Our school campus was surrounded by both mountain and beach, and Taiwan as a whole has no shortage of natural scenery to take in. Sprawling rice fields, Formosan monkey colonies gathered on trees, fog descending on the mountain in the early morning: these images of Taiwan have been truly unforgettable. The highlight of my time in Taiwan was of course the food. I ate a variety of Taiwanese dishes (even stinky tofu!), had a wide variety of desserts (108 cups of bubble tea...), and laughed with friends over meals every day. If I had the chance to study in Taiwan again, I would take it in a heartbeat. Studying abroad with Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad in Kaohsiung was one of the best decisions I have made in my life!

This past school year I took both semesters to study abroad in Jordan with Middlebury. While I had heard incredible things about both the program and Jordan itself, my expectations were far surpassed. This is the best work team I could imagine and supportive through everything from health issues, daily transitions, language challenges, regional conflict. I couldn’t be more grateful. I have never seen a team work so well together and create such an incredible program through attention to detail, love of students, and passion for language immersion. My arabic has exponentially improved and I was given endless opportunities to interact with daily local life creating lifelong friendships, connections, and job/volunteer experiences.

Photos

Living in Paris was an expansive experience. It challenged me in a lot of ways, and helped me grow because of it. Paris is such a beautiful city, with spectacles and beautiful architecture and people and a moving, dynamic current. There's always something to do, someone to see. It’s city to get lost in and find yourself again. It’s a city designed for people, for connection, for community. If I could, I'd do it all over again. The Middlebury Program is a great way to immerse yourself. With a host family, and a balance of local and program-led classes, and a lot of independence, you are sure to find yourself getting to know a great city. I found the language support really helpful, and I was able to meet a bunch of people, either local or through the program or through different study abroad schools. I’m really grateful for the opportunity it gave me.

My time at Middlebury CMRS was really rewarding. Adjusting to a new academic environment and system was definitely intimidating at first, but I grew to really appreciate the change, especially because of how much it pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Until coming to this program, I didn't realize how quickly I could read and write, and that helped me overcome intellectual/academic perfectionism. The tutorial system was definitely difficult and lots of work, but it felt really good to be taken so intellectually seriously by Oxford tutors, and the system also allowed me to create strong relationships with each of my tutors. By the end, I felt very proud of myself for taking on such a difficult course/workload and realizing that I could still keep up and do well. It built my intellectual confidence and also allowed me to meet some really wonderful people and create some really cool experiences and memories.

Overall my experience at CET Janterm and Middlebury in Beijing was very rewarding, albeit academically stressful. The CET program offered the biggest improvements to my Chinese I have ever had in such a short time. However, I was not nearly as physically and mentally healthy as I am normally. The Middlebury in Beijing program was similar but less extreme as it was spaced out over several months. The cultural activities organized by the program were wonderful and allowed me a very full experience in China, from going to various museums, the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Great Wall etc. Also, the study trip to Hangzhou was a major highlight. Also, it was not the experience of everyone, but in my experience I had a great roommate pairing and great interactions with the local students, they helped us to adjust and integrate into their communities.

I was very pleased to see that Middlebury in Beijing was incredibly helpful in making sure that I had the opportunity to study the things I was interested in. My topics were not particularly beginner friendly, most of them had a lot to do with Classical Chinese, however the professors at MiB went above and beyond to create a learning environment that supported my interests at my pace and language level. I will always be grateful for the knowledge and experiences I had during this program!