Study Abroad Programs in Turkey

This program gave me an opportunity that I wouldn’t have been able to do by myself. I had learned a lot about being the best Speech Language Pathologist should look like and continue that with my career moving forward. I would encourage anyone is capable of going on a journey to see it from a different perspective.

I really enjoyed my internship at the hotel, especially working at the front desk. It was a great opportunity to improve my communication and customer service skills while interacting with guests from different countries. The best part of my experience was my amazing team. My colleagues were always friendly, supportive, and willing to help. They made me feel welcome from the first day and created a positive working atmosphere. This internship gave me valuable professional experience and unforgettable memories. I would highly recommend it to other students who want to build a career in the hospitality industry. I am very grateful to the Academy of Tourism and Business in Antalya for giving me this valuable opportunity and supporting me throughout my internship.

Being given the opportunity to co-lead this trip to Greece and go with my family was a truly unbelievable experience. I'm so thankful for Bethel University and the Global Studies Program, along with the ACIS partnership that made this possible. As a PreK-12 school principal, I had always seen the flyers in the hall about these trips and made the announcements about meetings. I never considered going on a trip myself until my son (Luke) had a DE Sociology class this year with Mrs. Stacie Freeman. Being that we have never traveled outside the country before, I was hesitant and nervous when he came home excited about this opportunity. As a family, we decided this opportunity was too good to pass up and initially viewed it as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We now know that we want more adventures like this! Around a week before departure we learned that the cruise portion and the visit to Turkey was canceled due to Middle East conflict. Our initial reaction was disappointment; however, Mrs. Stacie and ACIS worked quickly and efficiently to alter plans and secure stellar replacement activities. Now that the trip is over, I cannot imagine the trip being any better and there is zero regret about missing the cruise. We traveled many miles across the scenic landscape and experienced all of the following: Athens---Acropolis, Parthenon, Plaka District and wonderful opportunities to roam the streets. Corinth--- Canal, Epidaurus and the Theater of Epidaurus Mycenae---Pottery making Olympia---Olympic Stadium and ancient Greek artifacts Kalambaka---Majestic Meteora rocks and monasteries Delphi---The famed site of the Oracle of Delphi, Temple of Apollo and the archaeological Museum Santorini---A day flight to experience multiple sites, headlined by the beautiful coastal views and shops in Oia Along the way, we were constantly learning about the Greek culture and history through this immersive experience. Our tour guides, Penelope and Victor, gave us countless learning experiences at stops, between stops, during meals etc. The food stops along the way were rooted in Greek tradition and gave us a sense of the flavor from all over this region. I've looked at the map of our travels several times since beginning our journey home and cannot believe we covered as much ground as we did in a week. This experience was much better than the original cruise plan and gave us the most authentic Greek cultural and historical experience possible. Finally, this trip opened my eyes to international travel. I am no longer intimidated to visit a foreign country and experience the richness found within countries and cultures that are different from ours. Perhaps the best part of the entire experience was the friendships forged along the way. As a group we became very close in a short amount of time through this shared experience. We laughed (a lot), sprung to life with each new stop and gained valuable information on how we can make ourselves and our communities better. It was a pleasure to watch kids from different schools interact and seem like old friends in a very short amount of time. I learned more in one week from this trip than a year could teach me in a class. Programs like this are invaluable assets to Bethel University and the surrounding communities. I look forward to helping spread the message on why future students and community members should attend trips like this. This trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

Everything went as planned with great food, accommodations, transportation, and planning. I highly recommend traveling with Bethel University Global Studies, which includes college credit and everything is included in the one price.

I was super nervous to travel because not only was I alone, but it was also my first time out of the country. I was starting to dread going because I thought it was going to end up being super stressful and overbearing. Once I got to the airport and I met up with my group everyone was super friendly and I knew then that it would be a good trip. The process of getting into the program and taking the class (as an auditor) was super easy and everything I had to do was clear to me. This trip is something I won’t forget and I’m so grateful for all of the support and effort put into making it really happen!

There truly are no words to fully describe how incredible this experience has been. I am so very thankful to have been able to tag along with Mrs. Stacie and the others to beautiful Greece. The scenery was breathtaking. The food, culture, people, and accommodations provided such an unique experience. I learned so many things about the Greek culture that I would have never known otherwise. This was the trip of a lifetime.

I cannot say enough about our trip to Greece with Bethel University Global Studies!!!!! We had the best tour guides, so knowledgeable and kind!!!! All of our accommodations were wonderful! Stacie was phenomenal!! She kept us in the know from start to finish and I knew I have nothing to worry about traveling with her!!!! And GREECE😍…it was so much more than I expected!!! Every single place we visited exceeded my expectations!!! Do not hesitate to travel with BUGS, you will not be disappointed!!!

This was definitely the most amazing trip I have ever been on. I've always wanted to travel across the globe and Greece is the perfect place to do it. I 100% recommend this trip wanting to travel abroad.

This Global Studies trip through Bethel University to Greece was the most amazing adventure! My son received a partial scholarship from GCAC and earned 3 hours of college credit from Bethel for being enrolled in this course with Mrs. Stacie Freeman. Mrs. Stacie is a caring, kind, capable professional who challenges students to problem-solve, to be curious about the world around them, to appreciate diversity, and to expand their horizons. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in this amazing adventure with her and the other travelers. The bonds and friendships, not to mention the memories, will be cherished for a lifetime. The course in which my son was enrolled in conjunction with this trip was challenging in that it encouraged him to deep-dive into open-ended research questions related to the history and culture of Greece before the trip so that he was prepared for what he would experience upon arrival. Upon returning, he will write a reflective essay about his experiences in Greece. In my opinion, the partnership with ACIS in this endeavor was very successful. Our tour manager and historical guide were both extremely well-prepared. After seeing the structure of the trip firsthand and the safety measures taken by Mrs. Stacie and ACIS on this trip, we would feel perfectly comfortable allowing our son to travel abroad with them again. What an amazing adventure, and what an amazing opportunity to showcase Bethel University!!🤩

This trip showed me a new part of the world. I learned there are many more cultural differences between the US and other countries. I had the most amazing time and would definitely travel with Bethel University Global Studies again!

This trip taught me so many valuable lessons on independence, courage, and self awareness. I learned how to do things on my own and not depend on my family all the time and to try new things!! Leaving the country was a great experience and i would 100% do it again with Bethel!

I had a lovely time. The adults (our teacher Mrs Staci, our guides Victor and Pinelopi, and our driver Flavio) were knowledgeable, supportive, and ensured a memorable experience. We were exposed to beautiful ancient and modern greek culture, did informative and fun experiences (such as pottery and olive oil tasting), and we enjoyed delicious local cuisine. In addition, I met wonderful travelers and forged lifelong friendships. This has been a great introduction to travel and study abroad, and I feel ready and excited to pursue further travel programs in my future life, education, and career.

This global studies trip to Greece really changed my perspective on life in general. Traveling to a foreign country was outside my comfort zone, but I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained, the people I have met, and the experiences I have now lived. My favorite part of the entire trip was our day in Meteora. We visited ancient monasteries nestled in the beautiful mountains. This experience was, in my opinion, the greatest. Seeing the jaw-dropping views while learning about ancient Catholic culture in Greece was incredible. This trip was truly life-changing for me. I am planning to travel out of the country more often now to broaden my horizons further. Also, we had the privilege of having an amazing tour guide, Victorus. Our group leader, Pinelopi was outstanding. Our bus driver, Flavio was incredible as well. The people on this trip made the entire experience worth while!

I had a great time learning and experiencing different cultures and meeting new people. The hands on work with individuals was very educational! Overall had an amazing time! One thing I would change is the order of activities. I felt that everything in Bulgaria worked out great and moved smoothly into the next activities. For Greece, I think having Athens first and then going to santorini would have been more relaxing. In Athens we did so much on our feet and had only one break the whole day, instead of doing Santorini first, it would be more relaxing if we could do the walking and touring in Athens and then have time to just hang out and sleep like we did in Santorini!

I loved every second of therapy abroad! It was such an fun and incredible experience that I will cherish forever! Every moment being spent abroad was so eye opening and life changing and being able to learn from other cultures and experience different perspectives was incredible

This trip was nothing short of amazing. This was an experience of a lifetime with amazing people who share similar passions to change the world one step at a time! I learned so much while being in an environment that fostered so many great things. I will never forget or be able to thank Therapy Abroad enough for this amazing opportunity!

Therapy Abroad provided exceptional coordination and support for Illinois State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders during our recent faculty-led, short-term study abroad program in Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. Their expertise in planning and logistics ensured a seamless and enriching experience for both faculty and students, allowing us to focus on meaningful cross-cultural learning and professional engagement. From the outset, Therapy Abroad demonstrated an impressive level of collaboration, working closely with our faculty to design an itinerary that balanced academic rigor with hands-on experiences. Their attention to detail in scheduling site visits, arranging accommodations, and facilitating in-country transportation made navigating multiple international locations effortless. Throughout the trip, their team remained flexible and responsive, adapting to unforeseen circumstances with professionalism and efficiency. A defining feature of this program was the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including individuals with disabilities, local government officials such as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and esteemed academic institutions like Metropolitan College in Athens and Üsküdar University in Istanbul. Therapy Abroad’s well-established partnerships in these countries provided us with invaluable opportunities to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and broaden our global perspectives on speech-language pathology and disability advocacy. Beyond logistics, Therapy Abroad prioritized cultural humility, ensuring our group was well-prepared to navigate linguistic and cultural differences with respect and sensitivity. Through pre-departure training and on-the-ground guidance, they fostered an environment where students could engage thoughtfully with local communities, developing both their clinical and intercultural competencies. The emphasis on linguistic diversity was particularly commendable, as students gained firsthand experience working with multilingual populations and learning about the intersection of language, identity, and communication disorders in different cultural contexts. Overall, Therapy Abroad exceeded our expectations in every aspect of this study abroad program. Their commitment to excellence, cultural competency, and student-centered learning made this an unforgettable and transformative experience. We highly recommend Therapy Abroad to any institution seeking a well-organized, impactful, and enriching global learning opportunity.

Our team, David, Emo, and Stoycho made this trip the outstanding experience that it was. Clearly the beautiful countries of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey provided the cultural experience, but the team provided context and support throughout the trip. They were kind and gracious every moment of every day.

I loved this trip so much!!! This was a wonderful opportunity to get to know my peers and professors better while also getting to know myself better. I hope this programs continues on for time to come so other students can experience the joy of traveling the world and learning from others.

I’ve loved every moment of this trip. While being able to spend this time with my peers from school and tour historical and cultural sites with breathtaking views, we also got to visit speech therapy clinics at colleges which was so awesome to experience. We also had THE BEST tour guides EVER- Stoycho, Emo, and David. This will be a trip I’ll never forget ❤️❤️❤️