Enriching Experience in Southern Spain! January 31, 2023

By A student (Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/30/2022 to 01/30/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Cordoba, Spain

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I feel that I grew a lot as a person, while improving my Spanish. I am now more independent and resilient. I had never been so far outside my comfort zone before, so learning how to navigate daily life in Spain has given me a newfound self-confidence. Furthermore, I had the incredible opportunity to travel more than I ever had in my life.

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$70-80

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
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Beginner
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?	A level-300
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
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?	The administrators were all incredible They planned fun activities for us about once a month We did not have to deal with much paperwork when it came to matriculation and registration
* What could be improved?	It would have been nice to have a representative or some sort of center in Córdoba to support us throughout the experience. Additional help with accessing volunteer or internship positions.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew a bit more about the types of classes that are offered.

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 Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Christian and Islamic Medieval Art
Course Department:	History of Art
Instructor:	Maria Angeles Jordano Barbudo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was very dense; it was clear that the professor knew a lot about the topics. My favorite part of the class was its practicals because we would go on field trips to see local historical treasures.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Music, Identity, and Ideology in Audiovisual Culture
Course Department:	Film
Instructor:	Juan Carlos Galiano Diaz
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The material for this class was not particularly challenging, but I certainly found it interesting. There was the occasional class discussion, but for the most part, the professor was lecturing. He gave us lots of time in class to work on whatever homework we had.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Cognitive Neuroscience
Course Department:	Psychology
Instructor:	Bernardino Fernández Calvo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was challenging. The professor was very knowledgeable and put in additional time to help me with concepts. There was little to none class participation because it was a big lecture (about 80-90 students).
Credit Transfer Issues:	No, but I made sure to clear it ahead of time.