Madrid: my unforgettable experience Past Review

By (Communications and Media Studies, Fordham University) for

IES Abroad: Madrid - IES Abroad in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It made me realize that I would like to continue traveling and that I may consider living in Spain in the future.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Complutense

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was manageable and the grading system in the IES center was reasonable. When dealing with the local universities students have to keep in mind that they need to communicate with their professors from the beginning to make sure they can adapt to the system and calender.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff was very helpful at all times. The only weakness was the limited course options.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I provided my own food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My favorite trip was our trip to Valencia. I also enjoyed Toledo and thought the historical context we learned was very interesting.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

There were meetings and lectures about safety and medical attendance was provided although the cost was not included.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? It's important to try to manage money and search for special deals especially when traveling.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Fluent
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

Spanish was spoken at all times. In the IES center and in class only Spanish was permitted.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • nice people
  • great location
  • helpful and kind staff
* What could be improved?
  • Class options
  • more interaction with local students