A challenging yet rewarding experience that has changed my view of the world. Past Review
By Kathryn Surprenant (University of Connecticut) - abroad from 01/21/2019 to 06/11/2019 with
CEU San Pablo University: Madrid - Business & Internships Semester
I loved living in Madrid. It was an amazing experience to get to learn and appreciate another culture. I think leaving the comforts of my home and university pushed me out of my comfort zone constantly. It was very challenging but you learn a lot about yourself throughout the process. It was definitely worthwhile, I can't imagine not having this time in Madrid. My time here has made a big impact on me as a person and the way I view life at home and cultures around the world.
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. |
The professors were amazing! The best part of our experience in Madrid by far. They were all very invested in us, our education, and our experience in Spain. The classes were customized to fit our needs and the professors were always willing to help if there was a Spanish word we did not understand. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
UConn was super helpful with the process of applying for a visa and making sure I had everything I needed before leaving for Spain. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The rooms were clean and everyone was friendly, but the food was not good and they had a lot of rules/restrictions. |
| * Food: |
The food from the colegio mayor cafeteria was bad. We had the same meals over and over again and never knew exactly what we were eating. The food outside of the colegio mayor was amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I liked living in a colegio mayor because that was the only way we really got to meet Spanish students. All of our classes were either just Americans or Erasmus students. It was fun to talk with locals and learn about the culture through them and their lives. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have an experience with healthcare while I was here. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe the entire time I was in Madrid. I would often walk home from friends' apartments late at night without worrying. I did have friends who got their phones or wallets stolen, but other than that it felt like a very safe place to live. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would 1000% choose to come back to Madrid. I would not choose to complete the internship again because I felt like I lost out on a lot of other experiences and did not gain a lot from the internship aspect. I also wish I had a program that allowed me to meet more Spanish students, not just study abroad students. |
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 a pretty cheap city overall. I think living here long term would be even cheaper, but because of our limited time we invested our money in experiences while we were here. The main expenses were eating out, night life, and monthly expenses like metro and phone bills. I think Madrid is a easy place to live with a low budget, but the more money you have the easier it will be to experience all the city has to offer. |
| 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? | If you plan on traveling, do your research. Often times trains and buses seem like the cheaper option, but flights may actually be less expensive. Hostels can be cheap, but splitting an Airbnb with friends will often be similar pricing and much more comfortable. As for your home city, just be cautious of what your're spending. Money on eating out and drinks can add up very quickly, but there are ways to have these experiences for cheap. |
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 |
My Spanish has improved a ton since arriving to Spain, but I honestly thought I'd be speaking more. Classes were a lot of listening and when we're not at class or work we are spending time with other Americans speaking English. Some of the most rewarding experiences have been going out and speaking Spanish with locals at restaurants or events. |
| 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? | Three undergraduate Spanish classes at my university. |
| 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? | Get out of your comfort zone. You'll improve naturally but if you really want to master a language you need to put conscious effort into practicing. Speaking with locals can be intimidating, but it is the best way to improve. Everyone I've spoken with in Spanish is always very nice, helpful, and appreciative of the effort to speak their language. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | I wish I knew that the time would go by very fast, so to make the most of every day while friends are around and there are opportunities to experience the city. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
