Madrid Never Sleeps, Literally Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid was very light at first in my experience, but the last few weeks were stressful. (I had 5 finals plus 2 major semester long projects in the span of the last 2.5 weeks). The grading scale was fair and bordering on generous. Spaniards use a grading scale of 0-10 and, in order to receive credit at my home university, I needed a 5 or better which is the equivalent of a C. The teaching method expects students to do alot of work individually in order to succeed in the course. My teachers were willing to help if something was confusing, but don't treat students the same as in the states. One major difference I didn't expect was that students were encouraged to buy photocopies of the textbooks instead of the textbooks themselves. The photocopies were widely available on campus and in Getafe, where Carlos III is located.

On-site administration of your program

The on-site administration was well done, we received a somewhat lengthy orientation full of powerpoints about everyday life in Madrid which was useful. The directors were very friendly and helpful. Our liberal arts program had 20 students and the legal studies group was made up of 6 students so we all got to know each other pretty well. My expectations were definitely met and surpassed.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was really happy with my housing assignment in Madrid. I shared several interests with my hosts and got along really well with them. They also introduced me to their friends which was unexpected, but really made me feel at home. I lived in Malasaña which is right in the center of Madrid and has a vibrant nightlife with tons of bars in the area. I did have to commute via metro and train about 50 mins each way to Carlos III, but I loved my home stay. I did not need to buy any 'settle-in' items.

I was happy with the food in Spain, it consists of mostly bread, sliced variations of meat and of course tapas. If you're looking for a place to eat with friends I highly recommend 100 Montaditos. They have tons of locations and every Wednesday everything on the menu is just 1 euro.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program offered various cultural events in Madrid and trips to towns near and far. Some of the cultural events included meeting local graffiti artists, a bull fight and a tour of Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu. The directors allowed us to vote on 3 of the events in the beginning of the semester which was fair. The program also sponsored trips to nearby Toledo and Segovia which gave a nice perspective of what life in a small Spanish town. Our big trip was to La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands. La Gomera was one of the most memorable moments of the whole semester and an amazing time. The only regret is that it was a 3 day trip and 2 of the days were taken up by traveling to and from La Gomera, but it was still amazing.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The only things you have to watch out for are pick pocketers and crossing the street at the wrong times. 4 people I know were pick pocketed on 4 different occasions so be careful with your stuff! About crossing the street, just be attentive at all times when you're crossing the road at night.

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

I practiced my Spanish with my Spanish hosts and the Spanish and some international students from my university. I did need to use Spanish everyday although getting by on English/broken Spanish is possible.

Select all that apply

• Apartment
• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

• Homestay
• Nightlife
• Location

• Cleanliness of some parts of the city
• Pick pocketing