Different Types of Housing while Studying Abroad

By: Elizabeth Huber

Hi friends!

Today, I want to write about the different types of housing options that I experienced in my time abroad and give you some on insight on each one so you can have a better idea of which one you want. I did not know much about the different housing options before I went abroad, and I wished someone had explained it better to me, so I would like to do that better for you all!

My first open campus block was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The only housing option we had here was a homestay, where we had the opportunity to live with host families. This was truly such a special experience for everyone in the program because we were all so immersed into the culture, country, and language. It was truly so special getting to learn from a local and get to use Spanish every day. I only communicated with my host mom while at home, and it really helped me to progress in my language skills, which was exactly what I wanted to get out of the program. It also created a pathway to meet more locals and see different parts of the city since it allowed me to go places by myself. If you have an option to do a homestay, I would highly recommend it to anyone because it allows you to get such an immersive experience and learn so much.

In the second block, I was in Rome, Italy, and we were in a hotel. The typical housing style for this open campus program is an apartment, but the program was so popular that some of us were put in a hotel since it was a shorter program. It was such a pretty view from where we stayed, and we were only about a ten-minute walk from the Vatican City, which was really cool. It provided a way for us to get to know each other better since we were living nearby. Those who were in apartments also had great experiences and provided a way for students to live like locals in the city.

In the third and final block, I was in Copenhagen, Denmark. In this block, I was put in a student housing complex with a roommate. The place we stayed in was an old army basecamp, but it had been formed into student housing. It was so cool because it was a spacious space for students all over the world to study together here in Copenhagen. There was a little café outside, and we were right across from a really popular park called the King’s Garden. It was such a great location because we were within a 10-minute bike ride to anywhere in the middle of town. Additionally, anywhere was within 30 minutes on foot, so everything was so accessible. This was a great experience because we were able to see so much of the city and feel like a student who had been there all semester. 

Overall, CIEE has some really incredible housing options. My favorite would definitely be the homestay option because of how immersive and special it is, but you can’t go wrong with any of them! I would love to talk more to anyone who is interested about learning more!

Liz