Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Freakin' Awesome Experience Past Review

By (Colorado State University) - abroad from 01/16/2018 to 06/02/2018 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Madrid, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I had a stellar time abroad in Madrid this past semester, and a large part of that was thanks to CEA. The on-site staff team were incredible (Thanks Silvia, Alvaro, and Emilia!) and they did a great job at making the transition to Madrid as smooth as possible. Throughout the semester, the staff were readily available to answer any questions and were quick to resolve any issues that arose. Additionally, the excursions and trips made up some of my best memories, and helped to enrich my experience abroad. My parents were grateful for all the planning that the CEA team did before I left, giving them some peace of mind as I headed across the Atlantic. I highly recommend this program!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The onsite staff are excellent!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My housing this past semester was adequate, but not excellent. I lived with 7 other Americans (also studying with CEA) in a four bedroom apartment with one living room and a small kitchen. The tight quarters certainly made things more challenging, and it was impossible for more than two people to cook at one time. Also, the location was conveniently located roughly 4 km north of the center of the city, but this meant that I had an hour long commute to school, located 15 km south of the city center, which was frustrating. However, CEA made up for some of these shortcomings with a weekly cleaning service and through the quick to fulfillment of any maintenance requests I made.

* Food:

Food was not provided for me, as I stayed in CEA housing, not a homestay.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CEA Excursions helped with the cultural immersion, however, living with 7 other Americans made it difficult to feel fully engaged with the Spanish lifestyle.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat out less, cook for yourself as much as you can.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The On-site Staff were phoenomenal
* What could be improved?
  • See Housing Section for thorough comments
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? As I had a goal to become as fluent in Spanish as possible, I would have been better suited for a homestay, where I would have been forced to use Spanish on a more frequent basis.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.