Best experience ever had in NYC with EF -

Really good school -

EF is one of the largest communities in… EF is one of the largest communities in the world but despite that it is very organized pre and post departure allowing children to be better prepared for an unforgettable experience

My six months in Alexandria, Louisiana. My American experience in Louisiana was extraordinary. In January 2023 when I was about to leave Italy heading to the USA, I was very excited and joyful, but on the other hand, I was extremely scared owing to the fact that it was my first time doing this kind of activity. Fortunately, my half-year in Louisiana ended up being full of happiness and gratitude for my host family. To be honest, I heard of negative experiences with some students who have participated in this program with EF, but as far as I am concerned, I cannot say anything but thank you so much to my host family, my American and fellow European friends, and all the people who have contributed to the process of making my six months abroad unforgettable and full of great memories. Organizing my daily life, learning a new language, and being responsible for my actions made me independent and a new person. Living in a new city, speaking a new language, and sharing my days with new people helped me find out new aspects of my personality and all these things played a vital role in my personal growth as a person. It might look like a fairy tale, but it was truly a wonderful and educational journey. I have chosen EF because of its great reputation and I would choose EF again for its many opportunities besides one year/half-year program abroad such as signing up for the Ambassador program or the many Summer camps in several places around the world. I tremendously recommend embracing the idea of participating in an exchange year program as I had a stunning experience with EF and this is a life-long experience in terms of making international friendships and discovering new cultures, food, traditions, and people from another country. I'm Italian, but I like the idea of being a European citizen and not being rash, maybe one day a citizen of the world.

Sexual abuse has ocurred with an EF host Be careful! Sexual abuse has ocurred with an EF host in 2022 with EF Santa Barbara USA. The school and Teachers have been great. But the housing department and school management are amateurs - and definitely not looking out for the students (read: the customers) well-being. Our daughter was sent to a host family, where the couple was divorced but pretending to be married. They only wanted female students. And we quickly discovered why. They were having heated arguments - and the husband was being sexually inappropiate towards the girls living in his house. EF Housing and Management had received several complaints about this from other students who had stayed in that house, but had asked to be moved to a different family. Dispite of this, EF Santa Barbara sent my 18-year Old daughter to stay with this host family together with an 18-year old girl from Japan, who could only communicate through Google translate. The husband took advantage of this, and had been inappropriately affectionate towards the japanese girl. Finally after one week, she had enough and asked EF to get removed from the house. After leaving the house, she managed to explain it all to my daughter. But no one from EF found it necessary to remove my daughter. Only when we, her parents contacted the housing department, did they take action. The excuse from the management is that they lack good families after Covid 19. Our son stayed with a single mother, that served bad and cold food for breakfast and dinner. And she called him “Boy 2” and his roomie “Boy 1”. At Thanksgiving she had her family over for dinner, but did not even invite the boys. So be careful. Don’t expect to get anything but a place to sleep from the host families EF is working with. You can get lucky, though. After all the spectacle we made, our daughter was moved to a new host. A 92-year old lady, who took good care of her. So my advice, spend your money elsewhere.