Not quite what was expected, but overall still a great experience. Past Review
By A student (Political Science, Economics, Trinity University) - abroad from 09/10/2012 to 12/15/2012 with
IES Abroad: Madrid - IES Abroad in Madrid
A greater appreciation of Spanish culture and how it is different/similar to the culture in the US. The experience was worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The fact that all classes in Spanish was challenging, but all classes were graded very lightly. Workload was about the same as one would expect at a typical US university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff at the IES center in Madrid were exceptionally friendly and organized. However, IES headquarters in Chicago is extremely bureaucratic and unwilling to be flexible. I did not personally experience any of these problems, but several other participants in the program did. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a homestay in a very wealthy area of Madrid, with convenient access to two major Metro stops. Unfortunately, it was about a 40 minute commute on the Metro to the IES center. I lived with a roommate (which was good), and a Spanish señora, her two sons, and her daughter. The señora had just opened a bakery, so it was frequent that 2-3 weeks would pass without me even seeing her. I did enjoy the fact that my roommate and I lived in a separate apartment from the family, although that took away from the whole integration experience. |
| * Food: |
In general, I'm not a big fan of Spanish food. Too many fried foods, and their eating hours are not really suitable for me. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It would have been more had I lived in the same apartment as the family and had the language agreement been enforced. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Madrid is one of the safest cities in the world. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Europe can be expensive if you don't look for cheap things. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 75 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to the grocery store instead of eating at restaurants all the time. |
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 |
The language agreement everyone signed at the beginning of the program was not enforced. All classes were in Spanish. |
| 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? | Advanced Grammar |
| 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? | Talk as much as possible with the locals and encourage your program participants to speak in the language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Your language skills might not improve by as much as you would expect |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
