Sojourns Abroad has chosen its site cities for both similarities and differences. Each city is steeped in history and tradition yet alive with culture—a richly layered past combined with contemporary visual and performing arts, an individual political heartbeat, and a long history of writers who have touched the city's pulse. A participant may select a site for purposes of specific language-learning, for the country or city itself, for size, or for a sense that this is where a sojourner could discover the strongest sense of belonging. The program's structure is much the same in each locale, so the decision may be based on where one can become most enjoyably and quickly a familiar resident.