Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great semester where you will actually use your Spanish Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/26/2019 to 12/20/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Getafe

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I improved my Spanish a lot. I also got to experience a different culture and I can now better reflect on my own culture back home.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The material itself wasn't very rigorous but the language barrier made it more challenging

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I had stomach issues for the first two weeks since I wasn't used to the food but otherwise it was great

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was a little challenging to talk to Spanish students. They are very much in their own click

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Madrid is very safe and is still pretty good at night

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I think the program was unique in how much they emphasized using the language.

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)

If I really wanted to it would have been very cheap to live off very little. However when all your friends go out to eat and go out to bars on the weekend there is a social pressure to spend.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? grocery stores are pretty cheap in Madrid

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? 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? I took one 300 level class
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? The best way to improve is to live with a host family. That is definitely the best way. I spoke with them all the time in Spanish

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* 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 classes
  • the staff
  • emphasis on Spanish
* What could be improved?
  • shorter orientation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that its a bad idea to ship packages to Spain. Also I wish I had known that its important to really try to get to meet local Spanish students at the beginning of the semester

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:

Advanced Spanish Grammar
Course Department:
Instructor: Beatriz de Valle
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

European Union
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Francisco Seijo
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Sociedad y el medioambiente
Course Department: sociology
Instructor: Mercedes Pardo Buendia
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Historia Contomporanea
Course Department: Sociologia
Instructor: Beatriz de las Heras Herrero
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: