I fell in love with Madrid, its people, my program, and the places I travelled. Past Review
By Deanna B (Business Administration, Management and Operations., University of Hartford) - abroad from 01/03/2013 to 05/25/2013 with
API (Academic Programs International): Madrid - Universidad Nebrija
It was 100% worthwhile, I wish I had stayed for a full year. After 5 months I started feeling very integrated with the country. My Spanish improved immensely, and feel I could have continued improving my language and met even greater people with an extra semester. I gained independence, knowledge of a new language, a new culture, and gained life-long friends. I loved the people in my program, and loved the international students and Spanish people that I met. I miss my host family very much and keep in touch with them.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took a 1 month intensive language program in January that was extremely helpful before starting my semester in February. I then took 4 classes during my semester, 3 in spanish and 1 in English. All the teachers were very nice and helpful, and they place you into the correct level of Spanish. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Quique and Maria were our on-site directors in Madrid. They were AMAZING. Nicest, funniest people. They help you with everything, from restaurant recommendations to helping you get to the hospital when you are sick. Trips with them were so much fun, they enforce rules but are not overbearing. Our group of 50 students all became friends with them and no one had a problem with them- very trustworthy and will stay in touch with them. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed with a host family, but not associated with API. I opted out because a family friend knew someone living in Madrid. However, based on my experience and other experiences of my friends living with a host family, I recommend it. I can't imagine living without my host family. If you are looking to really immerse yourself in the culture, living with a host family is necessary. You can live in an apartment throughout your whole stay abroad and never learn basic traditions and culture of Spanish people. I learned a lot more from my host family than I could have in any other way abroad. I lived with a mother and a father, with a 2-year old daughter. I did not know them before moving in. They treated me like their daughter, and I could go to them for anything. Dinners were my favorite part of the day with them, and I am very grateful I took the risk of living with a family abroad. |
| * Food: |
I love the food in Spain, especially the tapas. The best food I ate was with my host family. I ate a lot of tapas: croquetas, tortilla, patatas bravas in restaurants. Also paella, but the best tapas and paella I had was at home. Seafood is very popular in Spain, I never ate it/liked it at home (I'm from Massachusetts) but liked it in Spain. Also Spain is HUGE on jamon!! (ham) but the ham is better in spain (Jamon serrano) my favorite. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt integrated mainly because of my living arrangements, also, people were very friendly and a lot of Spanish people would ask to get together to hangout, they like to practice their English while you practice your Spanish. You really have to be openminded and step out of your comfort zone. I had the most fun hanging out with Spanish people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I went to the doctor 3 times for feeling sick, each time you wait in the emergency room which can take a while but if you go at the right time (early in the day) it isn't that long. The second you walk in the hospital you say you are with your problem and an English speaking employee comes out and helps you with everything. There are translators for you while you are in the waiting room. I fractured my wrist at the end of my program, They gave me a cast, I got X-rays, and they took care of me. Very professional. |
| * Safety: |
Madrid is very safe. They warn you to be careful when you first get there, and I was very nervous my first few weeks, (being in the metro alone, etc) because of all the warning I got. But as I started to learn where I was, how to use the metro, etc, I realized I was in a very safe environment. Police are always around, but you NEED to be careful with pickpocketing. My friends all got their iPhones, wallets, etc stolen. It is very easy to get pick pocketed.It is easy to tell you are American and we are easily targeted, bring a pocketbook to spain with zippers and one that you can keep in front of you. backpacks have to have zippers. If you are consistently aware of your surrounded and bags you will be okay, which becomes second nature while you are studying there. I did not get pick pocketed luckily. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Madrid is very expensive, however you learn to balance your budget. The metro card is very helpful, without it you would be spending $200+ a week on transportation (metro pass is 35 euro a month unlimited metro and bus). Once you learn where to eat, what clubs to go to, etc, you can manage $150 a week (100 euro a week). |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Ask your program director for restaurant recommendations, when you first get there you will probably find yourself spending too much money on pricey restaurants in touristy areas, but after a month or so you will know of good places to eat for cheap. Clubs (discotecas) are generally expensive, but before 1:30am you can usually get in for free. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
They took us on field trips to cook Spanish meals, flamenco, watch Spanish movies at the theatre, and a bullfight. They constantly put us in situations where we could practice our Spanish. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate Spanish II |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Host family, when Spanish people ask to get together, do it! They are really nice (go with a group of your friends with a group of your friends to a tapas restaurant, some will know Enlgish, others won't). Madrid has interchanges at Nebrija University and at bars, where you go to practice your Spanish and Spanish people go to practice English. Really fun. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | good, cheap restaurants; clubs; also try planning where you want to travel prior to studying abroad. Save a lot of money!!! its worth it!! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Spanish Cinema |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Pilar |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | I really enjoyed this class. No field trips, Pilar is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about cinema. We watched a movie in Spanish with Spanish subtitles in class and would discuss and write a one page review for homework. I really improved with listening to the language (when someone speaks to you directly in Spanish it is a lot easier to understand than in a big group of people, or a TV show). It was a really fun way to lern, and I also learned about different time periods in Spain. We watched movies whose characters lived in the 1920's to present day, and I learned about Spain during the WWII era, Franco era, La Movida (the movement in the 1980's post-Franco era), and more. I recommend taking this class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
European Union |
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| Instructor: | Oscar |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | challenging, no field trips, Oscar is very intelligent (studied at Harvard in the United States), he is also very sarcastic and funny, always has you laughing. Class participation was important, assessed by 2 quizzes, participation, midterm, final, and 8-10 page paper on topic of your choice about European Union. This was my favorite class. I did not know anything on the European Union and I found it very important to know about the politics while living abroad in Europe. I came home and my family was very impressed by how much I learned about Europe while I was abroad, they can't relate to my Spanish grammar classes but felt that my abroad experience was worth it because I really did learn something over there that I would not have been able to at home. Class is filled with other Europeans, Americans, and foreigners. Interesting to get political opinions of people from all around the world. |
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