Liberating, Challenging, Want to Return to Spain Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/05/2016 to 12/16/2016 with
UC3M / Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned how much I love Spain and how I feel connected with the lifestyle in Madrid.
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 pretty easy classes so there was not a lot of work. Also, they were bigger classes than what I was used to, so I did not participate a lot. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were usually very helpful with anything we needed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved loved loved my host family. I would definitely recommend my host to anyone! |
| * Food: |
Plenty of options in Madrid. None in Getafe |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Wish I had gone out alone more to meet more Spanish students. I met a fair number of international students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Just be aware of your surroundings. Madrid is pretty safe and I only felt a bit nervous walking home very late at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I really wanted to explore the culture and take a break from rigorous academics. This program provided me with that opportunity |
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) |
I went out a fair amount, but had saved money from before in order to splurge a bit in Spain. I think it is worth it to explore the city |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably around $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would say splurge on food a bit, but try not to spend much money on alcohol, because it can add up quickly |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 level course |
| 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? | Have a host family. |
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? | A good or bad host family can make or break your experience. Make sure you trust your landlord (I had friends who had awful landlords who were very unhelpful) |
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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Sociedad y Medioambiente |
| Course Department: | Sociology |
| Instructor: | Mercedes Pardo |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | She was very friendly, but it was one of the easiest classes ever. She loves foreign students |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | It isn't about Spain, so there is no credit for minors and majors |
