A positive journey abroad in an incredible city July 10, 2023
By A student (Business, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/25/2023 to 05/18/2023 with
IES Abroad: Madrid - IES Abroad in Madrid
Yes, it was worthwhile. The greatest gift I learned abroad was independence, how to live in a city and a larger understanding of cultural differences.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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* Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
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If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I really enjoyed Madrid - the city, the food, the people. I really appreciated the accessibility Madrid provided to a main airport and various train stations so I could travel frequently to other cities. I always felt safe in the city, enjoyed walking around and exploring various areas and loved making Madrid feel like a home for 4 months. |
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) |
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Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | Intermediate |
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? | AP Spanish in High School, 1 semester in college |
How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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 my Spanish was not going to improve so much and I wish the course was taught in a way to help me learn to speak conversational Spanish - to explore, communicate with people in the city - and not to simply to be "spit back" for an exam |
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! |