Our daughters attended the CIA French…
Our daughters attended the CIA French language summer program, and while the language instruction itself was very good, the overall experience was significantly let down by the accommodation and activities programme. Despite being marketed as a “first-class” experience with “luxury residences,” the accommodation provided during the first week was far below what was promised. The girls were placed in a basement-level room with poor ventilation, no proper daylight, and high humidity, which led to their clothes smelling of mildew. It took several days and persistent follow-up before any meaningful action was taken. Even then, only after one week were they moved to a more suitable room. Adding to the disappointment, the counselors were largely unprofessional and untrained, often resorting to rude or dismissive behavior. Rather than fostering a supportive environment, they frequently raised their voices and seemed ill-equipped to manage teenagers respectfully. The atmosphere felt more chaotic than organized or welcoming. While we appreciated the quality of the language courses and some of the lunch options, the activities programme felt underwhelming and poorly coordinated. It lacked the enriching, structured experience we expected based on the school’s promotional materials. We raised these concerns with the school during and after the program. Unfortunately, the response was largely defensive, and no reimbursement was offered despite clear failures to deliver the advertised standard. In summary: great teachers and language classes, but disappointing accommodation, lack of proper supervision, and poor value for the premium price.