Gap Year Abroad Blog

For about a year before leaving for Toulouse, I studied Hebrew and Judaism mostly through Zoom with a private tutor and another student close to my age. In our last... keep reading

In the months leading up to my departure for Toulouse, my mom and friends told me that speaking French everyday with my host family would be the best way to... keep reading

Based on an interview of Mia Merk, CIEE Gap student in Fall 2020 (September 28-December 19) in Toulouse, France As early as her Junior year of High School, Mia had... keep reading

AND…Life must go on! Since the beginning of November, France has been under lockdown again. This means, for CIEE staff and student, that the program keeps going on…line. GYA students... keep reading

Occitanie region includes some of the most remarkable site in France. Carcassonne is one of them and is an absolute must-see when visiting the south-west of France. From Toulouse, it... keep reading

Our Gap students arrived in Toulouse on September 28, almost four weeks ago already! And yet, they continue asking themselves: is this real? It always takes time to fully grasp... keep reading

The unwashed espresso cup sits next to the machine for hours. It goes through three transitions, I've noticed: white, then off-white and then finally, brown. This cup sits untouched from... keep reading

"Where's your favorite place to be?", Francis asked. [Three weeks Later] There's something fascinating about looking outside the window during long train rides. It's the thrill of expectation about a... keep reading

I prayed for the Sun and the Sun came. It came every single morning. It comes at 7:30 am, it's golden hue waking the city from its slumber. In the... keep reading

There is something alluring about Parisian outdoor cafes. It's larger than the faint aromas of warmly-baked gâteaux or steamy mugs of chocolat chaud that reduce me into jitters each time... keep reading

A couple of weekends ago we had one our first program excursions to Sète! Here is a little video recap of what the weekend was like.

We’ve been lucky enough to see a good amount of Southern France. Everything from the Mediterranean coasts of Sete, the college towns of Montpellier, a little bit north into the... keep reading

Visiting the D-Day beaches has been on my radar ever since I got to France. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to participate in the afternoon tour of three different WW2... keep reading

I have been living in Paris for almost two months now, and I have seen many museums, cathedrals, and more that are all fantastically captivating as well as beautiful. However... keep reading

I remember when last Fall as a Senior the opportunity of taking a Gap Year knocked on my door. At first, I didn't even consider it as an option because... keep reading