Madrid: Never Go Hungry Again Past Review
By Sheri A (Journalism and RTF, The University of Texas at Austin) for
IES Abroad: Madrid Summer - Language & Cultural Studies
It was extremely worthwhile. I now have the confidence to live in a country with an unfamiliar language and culture. It's the most rewarding experience I've had in my life. The cliches are true.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES staff was amazingly helpful and friendly. They were easy to approach and always available. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host mother who didn't speak a word of English. She provided me with everything from meals to bedding to resources for getting around Madrid. The neighborhood was very safe and close to a major shopping mall and Gran Via. The walk to school took 40 minutes, but I could have easily taken the metro if I desired. She treated me like her daughter. We still keep in touch. I couldn't have asked for a better host mother. |
| * Food: |
Be prepared for a lot of olive oil. |
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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
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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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Withdraw cash from ATMs as few times as possible. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 1 semester of upper-division Spanish grammar |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Host mother, teachers, IES staff, basically everyone who wasn't a fellow student |
Other Program Information
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* 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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Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Advanced Grammar and Usage I |
| Course Department: | SP 331 |
| Instructor: | Ana Martin |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The course was manageable. None of the grammar material was new, which was great since I needed the review. It was fast-paced, and we'd often spend one class day on what we'd normally spend a couple of weeks on in a normal American semester. Still, Ana Martin was hilarious and kept the class interesting. She taught us everyday Spanish and about the culture of Madrid. She was extremely knowledgable and always prepared for class. She encouraged participation from every student, and because of her lovability, we were all very happy to participate. She made us feel comfortable to speak Spanish, no matter what mistakes we would make. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Spanish Society, Political Culture, and Film |
| Course Department: | FS 324 |
| Instructor: | Jose Noriega |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The course is set up like this: class is twice a week, and you watch a movie in Spanish every class day. After a 10-15 minute break after the movie, you discuss the main themes and how the plot relates to Spain's history and society. Noriega was patient with every student. Luckily, almost every movie had subtitles (in Spanish), which helped a lot with comprehension of the stories. The most challenging part of the course was distinguishing between the movies by the time you reach the end of the course. The teacher was well prepared and very, very knowledgable about the movies and Spanish history. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
