May Term Earth Sciences Study Abroad Programs

Altogether, I had a great time. We got to see so much and I believe the pacing of the program was great, spending the right amount of time at each location. La Fortuna was my favorite! Traveling in a large group brought up trouble with waiting on students, health issues, etc. but I still think they were able to make the most of it. Having a flexible schedule and being open to adjustments definitely helps. Our guide Rodrigo and our bus drivers were the best!

I really enjoyed this experience. My review is based off of a free trip less expenses such as food and transportation, as I received scholarships for this course. I do know that many students paid upwards of $7,000 on this study abroad trip, which I do find to be a bit much. Considering we were staying in $80 / night hotels with non-working lights, mediocre amenities, and bad air conditioning and bedding coupled with the scarcity of included meals, the figure should have been more around $3,000 without airfare cost. I do not understand how the cost was so high for what was received. I also found living in the dorms with random Costa Rican people to be fun, but a bit restrictive. The morning meals were literally eggs, a piece of bread, and really bad coffee. I was also staying in a really small bunk bed which was uncomfortable. Staying in an affordable hotel would have been better. Next time I recommend the school book out Ester’s Place which is closer to the tech campus and run by a lovely lady who has many rooms available in her home hotel. She also had a much better breakfast and the cost was only $65 / night per person. I stayed here my first night flying in on the 12th and wish I could have gone back but due to restrictions I was not allowed. My family of four at the time in 2019 went on an all inclusive cruise to Italy, Spain, and France for under $10,000 with included meals, drinks , stay, etc. So this trip being $7,000 + for just ONE PERSON is a bit crazy. Regardless, the activities were awesome and for me, price was not an issue as stated before. So, my review without price factored was it was amazing. Great tour guide Rodrigo was so knowledgeable and a very nice guy. He took us to authentic places and not just generic touristy places. I enjoyed seeing the stark contrast in sustainability initiatives between exotic resorts, quasi-governmental organizations, and design firms. I truly did get a wonderful experience with understanding how firms work and the metric process used to gather sustainability info, as well as how to tell if a company may be kind of BS-ing the situation with their sustainability initiatives, or holding themselves accountable. I loved the zip line tour and the coffee and cocoa bean tour. The history tours around the towns was cool, but truly was not necessary. I feel we could have just had an informational PDF sent to us instead of touring these relatively boring historical landmarks. Activities are always more fun than learning about history. I think it would have been much more effective to fly into Liberia, tour the beach and Penninsula Papagayo’s HOA office, then make our way back to San Jose and visit firms, then fly out of SJO. The amount of time driving was frustrating. Or, instead, we would just fly into SJO and tour the Caribbean side of things and skip the western side of Costa Rica altogether. This way the time could be allocated more effectively. I also wish the professors would have split us into groups so we could have gotten to know everyone. There were certain folks I never really got to have conversations with because the groups would naturally clique and we never had forced exposure to each other. Overall it was a wonderful trip and, with a few adjustments I know the next one will be awesome as well!

Coming to TTU Costa Rica was an amazing experience and allowed me to try lots of new and unique things. Rodrigo was the absolute best and the entire trip wouldn't have been half as great and smooth without him! Gonna miss him back in the states, thank you so much for an amazing time!

There are not enough works to express how amazing this experience was for me because I ended up meeting my best friends during my last semester of college. We all signed up for different programs through AIFS, but since we lived in the same building, we were able to bond and dive deeper into the beauties of Barcelona together. We were able to travel to different countries and do fun excursions through AIFS like visit a winery, go hiking in Montserrat, take a cooking class and visit the city's landmarks. While we had to adapt to the cultural differences, living with other AIFS students and spending time with everyone in the program was truly a home away from home. These people were my foundation. We were able to be vulnerable with one another and discover not just a whole new culture together but learn things about ourselves that we never realized before. I will always remember when my friends and I wrote letters to one another to read on the flight home from Barcelona and I do not think I will ever cry as hard as I did than when I read those letters. We have gone from being just steps away from each other in our student residence to being separated by thousands of miles. Barcelona will always be our special place, and I am so thankful to AIFS for introducing me to my best friends.

My Canada study visa experience was smooth and well-guided. The team provided clear information, timely support, and professional assistance throughout the process. I’m grateful for their guidance and highly recommend their services.

BrainEdge GoAbroad offers expert study abroad guidance with transparent counseling, scholarship support, and smooth visa processing. Highly professional and reliable service. Highly recommended for anyone looking for reliable, professional, and result-oriented study abroad guidance.

During my time abroad I learned more about the world, myself and what i'm capable of than ever before. This was by far the most rewarding thing I have ever done and not a day goes by where I don't miss it. Ive made the best friends I could ever ask for, had some of the best food in my life, seen the most beautiful architecture and learned so much history about other regions its amazed me. I learned how to navigate new environments all on my own in countries where English was not a first language. Ive grown so much independently and mentally from this and will take it with me in my future success! For anyone that is on the fence about going abroad I strongly encourage that you won't regret it, the worst part about abroad for me was having to leave a place that I quickly called home!

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience studying abroad with API. It was a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, meet people from different backgrounds, and expand my academic and personal horizons. Seville proved to be an ideal location for this experience—rich in history, vibrant in spirit, and full of charm. The city offered an incredible blend of food, attractions, and welcoming locals that made my time there truly memorable. Academically, the courses I took introduced me to subjects I might not have explored otherwise, such as the history of winemaking and Andalusian culture. These topics deepened my appreciation for the region and broadened my global perspective. While my overall experience was overwhelmingly positive, the housing situation presented some challenges. My accommodation was significantly smaller than other available options, and unfortunately, the building was not equipped to handle the unusually high levels of rainfall—reportedly the most Spain has experienced in over 50 years. As a result, the roof began to sag and eventually leaked through the walls and ceilings on multiple floors. The water damage led to warped floorboards and damaged built-ins. When I brought these issues to the attention of the building manager, I was told the unit had dried and no further action would be taken. Since only two weeks remained in the program, I informed API and my program advisors in hopes that the matter would be addressed for future participants. Despite this setback, my study abroad experience was incredibly rewarding, and I would strongly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to pursue international education. It’s an experience that fosters personal growth, cultural understanding, and lifelong memories.

I chose AIFS Abroad because I wanted a program where I felt supported every step of the way, and that’s exactly what I got. I studied in Barcelona, Spain during the Spring semester of 2024. From the moment I applied, the staff made everything so smooth, from helping me with housing to answering all my questions before I left. Once I got there, I felt like I always had someone to turn to, whether it was my AIFS roommate, the staff, or the resources they provided me. That support made adjusting to a new country a lot less overwhelming. Living in Barcelona was incredible. I stayed in a homestay, which immersed me in the culture even more, especially since one of my goals is to become fluent in Spanish. I took classes that connected to my interests and joined excursions that helped me experience the city beyond the classroom. Some of my best memories came from just hanging out with friends I made in the program, whether it was getting lost in the Gothic Quarter, trying tapas together after class, or going on our own weekend trip outside of the country. It felt like we built our own little community abroad. This experience changed me in ways I didn’t expect. It was truly transformative. I became more confident in myself, learned how to adapt in unfamiliar situations, and started seeing new possibilities for my future. Studying abroad with AIFS wasn’t just about traveling; it was about growing. I’d recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone who wants to challenge themselves, travel, and truly immerse themselves in something new.

To preface, I did not attend UPF, but I did attend UAB during the Spring semester. I decided to go with AIFS because of how well their program was organized and the level of support they offer to students. During my time studying abroad in Barcelona, the staff were incredibly supportive and always available to help with anything we needed. The program did a great job of fully immersing us in the local culture, which made the experience even more meaningful. I chose to stay in an apartment, and it exceeded my expectations. It was not only comfortable but also conveniently located near my school and lots of places to explore around the city. Through this program, I was able to connect with people I never would have met otherwise, and I’m genuinely grateful for everything AIFS made possible. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking for a more personal and inclusive study abroad experience.

I like to think pieces of my heart are sprinkled throughout Sevilla. A little with my host family, my professors at school, the sweet lady I’d see at church, my API coordinators. There’s a bit of me on the rooftop of my host home apartment complex, along the river where we’d picnic, at the bike rack where our group met, in the beautiful plaza, in the heart of downtown with my friends. The night before I left for my semester in Spain, our kitchen table was covered with my suitcases, carry-on bags, passport, snacks, books, and a printed copy of the layout of the airport where my layover would be. I was as prepared as possible; this was my first time flying solo, and it was to a foreign country to live with a new family who didn’t speak English and hopefully to make a few friends from a group of strangers I would be meeting. What I experienced was more than anything I could have ever hoped for or anticipated. The following four months brought innumerable incredible memories and experiences, but it also brought plenty of challenges and opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone, even right from the beginning. But I can guarantee that every minute of it was worth it, I wouldn’t change a single moment of it, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without that experience. There isn’t enough time in the world to recount every incredible experience, but so many of those memories are due to the amazing preparation and planning that went into our excursion trips through API. We experienced weekends in Granada, Cádiz, Ronda, and Lisbon. We stayed in castles, toured marketplaces, and even attended a flamenco show tucked away in a cave in the hills. With each trip was a new opportunity to encounter new people, practice the language, and just be in awe of the vast world that I felt like I was seeing for the first time. I practiced Spanish daily at home with my host mom, laughing together at each of our mispronunciations as she learned a few English words from me too. I said good morning to the woman at the grocery store I passed every morning on my way to the metro stop before school. I exchanged a new vocab word with the security guard I became friends with on the university’s campus before heading into class. Every little piece of my day became extraordinary even in the simplest ways; whether it was attending a fútbol match with seats right next to the pitch, or paying for groceries for the first time on my own, each little moment held an important value in my experience of living life in my new home. It’s hard to believe there was a time in my life before living with daily memories of Spain. Whether it’s in seeing the framed pictures in my room, going to Spanish classes, or talking to friends from my Spain program, not a day passes by without a memory crossing with it. It’s shifted over time in a natural progression. I vividly remember the first few weeks after coming back- a confusing mix of heartbreak, frustration, sadness, uncertainty, everything a human could feel at once. I remember thinking many times during my semester abroad that I figured I felt just about every emotion humanly possible throughout those months. A lot of the time, I couldn’t even figure out how to put into words all of the emotions I was feeling. The most reassuring part was having friends experiencing similar feelings who I could talk to about it as it all happened. No one had all the answers, but we were all in it together, and we continue to carry our inseparable bond from that semester. I’ve found solace in conversations and reminiscing with friends, putting together videos of life abroad, rereading journals or vlogs of moments as they happened, looking through photos, listening to music, talking to other people, keeping in touch with my host family, and continuing to write and process everything. It’s been over a year since moving to Spain, and I’m still trying to reflect and unpack it all. And truthfully, I don’t think I’ll ever fully comprehend everything from that semester. I know I’ll be recognizing and realizing lessons I’ve learned from my time abroad for months and years to come, both life lessons and just ways of understanding myself better. I’m forever grateful for all the people I encountered who made my time abroad exactly as it needed to be. I’m grateful for every ‘yes’ that led to the opportunity to study abroad, and for every ‘yes’ of all the people I came to know and love.

We had a fantastic time and learned so much. The teaching and service were excellent. We are coming back again. We had a life changing experience! During this trip we me so many wonderful people. The city is lovely and the country is full of wonderful animals and natural vistas. Doug and Di

During my time in Seville, Spain I learned a lot about a new culture, country, and myself. The university courses were incredibly interesting and informative and were all taught in Spanish. These courses along with my living with a Spanish family and interacting with the people in the Seville community made me a better Spanish speaker and really allowed me to grow as a person. I was living with a wonderful host family and roommate while also navigating living in a city on my own for the first time as an adult. The API staff on site in Seville were very interactive and supportive and made all of the many excursions even more interesting. Seville is an incredible city with a perfect mixture of beautiful history and modern city life. We were also able to explore other areas of Spain as well with API including Barecelona, Granada, Cadiz and so many others. I met so many new people and had so many new and fun experiences with them. I learned so much about myself and my passions while abroad in Spain and I have definitely become a different and more mature version of myself after returning from this experience. I grew a lot as a person and it is all thanks to this incredible immersive experience I had with API Abroad in Seville, Spain.

I had a great experience with Siena Italian Studies. The program had wonderful teachers and I was incredibly immersed in Italian language and culture. Our host family was welcoming, friendly, and supportive. Siena remains one of my favorite places in Italy. I can’t wait to visit again!

Studying in Siena through SIS was the single best decision I’ve ever made for myself. Living with a host family allowed me to truly immerse myself in the culture and - more importantly - make connections that will last a lifetime. My language skills skyrocketed, and I learned so much about history, chemistry, and more. I envy anybody who gets to go.

I feel I truly grew so much as a person from my time abroad. I became more independent, confident, and made relationships to last a life time. Aside from learning a new language, I learned countless life experiences that I will use for the rest of my life.

I decided I wanted to travel abroad 2 years before actually making it happen. I knew I wanted to travel far away from the States, where I could go on walks in the city and the beach. After doing some research on many abroad programs AIFS seemed like the best option for what I was looking for. AIFS programs had lots of activities included, reasonable program prices depending on locations, and scholarship opportunities for funding. Upon acceptance to my program, the AIFS staff was great at keeping communication with me through the application process. The staff abroad was also very caring and helpful making sure all students were accommodated well and safe. My experience with AIFS in Barcelona, Spain was an unforgettable experience. Housing was great, activities were fun, the UAB campus was close in distance from my apartment, and other students from the program were also great! I chose the "flight package" for my departure option because I had never been out of the country on my own so I thought it would be better if they arranged my flight and pick-up/drop off to the airport in Barcelona to be more at ease. I am glad I did that because it saved me so much time and stress. Amy from AIFS was super sweet when I met her at my pick-up spot. If you are thinking about studying abroad with AIFS, I would definitely recommend! 10/10 experience. I was only there for six weeks in summer, but I wish my time there would've been longer.

As a biochemistry graduate student with a keen interest in sustainability, I find The GREEN PROGRAM in Iceland 2024 to be an exemplary initiative that aligns well with both scientific innovation and environmental stewardship. One of the program’s strengths is its emphasis on innovation. Iceland is at the forefront of geothermal technology, and participants have the chance to explore this field in-depth. The opportunity to interact with professionals working on the cutting edge of geothermal energy and sustainability can provide valuable insights into the biochemical aspects of environmental systems, such as the role of microorganisms in geothermal ecosystems. The hands-on fieldwork in Iceland is particularly valuable. Experiencing the practical application of sustainable technologies in a real-world setting allows participants to see the direct impact of these innovations on the environment. For a biochemistry student, this means observing how sustainable practices influence local biogeochemical cycles and microbial communities. Networking with experts in the field and collaborating with like-minded peers can be incredibly beneficial. The program offers a platform for interdisciplinary exchange, which is crucial for understanding the multifaceted nature of sustainability challenges. Engaging with professionals from various backgrounds can enhance one’s ability to approach problems from multiple scientific perspectives. Overall, The GREEN PROGRAM in Iceland 2024 is a commendable initiative for anyone interested in the practical applications of sustainability and renewable energy. For a biochemistry graduate student, it offers a valuable opportunity to explore the biochemical implications of environmental sustainability while gaining hands-on experience with innovative technologies. The program’s focus on practical, real-world solutions to environmental challenges makes it a significant and rewarding endeavor.

I chose Barcelona, Spain as my study abroad location because I wanted to travel to Europe and learn more Spanish! After exploring my school's study-abroad partners, I chose AIFS at UAB because it had the best course equivalency for my school back in the United States. I am so happy I chose this program, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. I made some great friends through this program from all over the world! During my four months there, I learned so much about Spain's rich culture and grew to be a more mindful and independent person. I've carried my new worldly view back into my life in the United States, and I can't wait to see where I go next.

I had so much fun, it was a bit nerve wrecking not knowing anyone but it was such a wonderful experience. I ended up getting to know so many new people from around the U.S. and we still keep in touch now. I hope to have another opportunity like this again.