Spanish summer of my dreams Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My time in Madrid was wonderful, but what everybody needs to know and what I quickly learned is that your experience abroad depends almost entirely on what you make it. The first two weeks of classes went fine. I was placed in an intermediate class "because I had been taught Latin American Spanish and I could brush up on some basics," but I felt that I didn't learn all that much. The classes were geared towards the people that were there long term, since we spent the whole two weeks going over direct and indirect pronouns during the grammar section. I thought that we would be getting more of an intensive overview of Spanish grammar to remember the main points, but the conversation section was great to learn new vocabulary and get used to speaking Spanish again! After the two weeks of classes, I started out at one company that ended up being a horrible fit, but Adelante quickly helped me to find another placement at IFEMA (Feria de Madrid). It's a huge business, and it was an incredible experience to work at such a big company while still a student. I had a few projects to do, but I also had a lot of downtime where I browsed the internet to kill time. Some of this could probably be attributed to the slower summer season and my short time there, but if I were to re-do my summer I would probably choose something more hands on. I did a lot of Spanish writing, but I feel like I did not get to practice my spoken Spanish as much as I would have liked to.

On-site administration of your program

The staff at Academia Eureka was great! They quickly addressed any issues and were very welcoming and helpful throughout the experience. A little bit disorganized, but nothing bad.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Eureka housing right next to Puerta del Sol, so the location was PERFECT. I was first put in an apartment with two girls that were staying in Madrid long term to get their masters, but once I got close with two girls in the Adelante program that lived next door, I ended up asking to move into one of the empty bedrooms and got to do so without a problem. I had to buy a few things for the kitchen that I wished had been there since I couldn't bring them home and I was on a tight budget, but other than that and the lack of air conditioning in the (exceptionally unbearable) summer heat, everything was perfect!

I cooked my own food and mostly shopped at El Corte Inglés located right behind our apartment building.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I found that there weren't too many opportunities to connect with local Spaniards. I made a few Spanish friends, mostly via the internet. Eureka provided some cultural activities during the week, but I preferred to plan my own adventures and did my best to "blend in."

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I ended up going to the doctor at an English speaking clinic nearby, and everything was covered by my school-sponsored travel insurance plan, which I highly recommend purchasing!

Everybody will warn you about nonviolent pickpockets, but thankfully I did not have any bad experiences with them and that's the only thing I ever worried about throughout my trip. Be sure you are aware of your surroundings and keep your bag/wallet close to you at all times, especially in crowded areas. Even at night, I did not feel unsafe walking around alone. (Just stick to areas where other people are, just in case!)

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The costs can really add up, especially if you go out for food and drinks and travel around to other cities.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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