An essential and fun way to learn and explore another part of the world! July 29, 2022

By A student (Spanish, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/13/2022 to 06/03/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

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

My skills as a conversationalist in Spanish greatly improved, along with my general confidence in speaking the language. My internship was also, though tiring at times, super fun and beneficial to the advancement of my other major (Education Studies).

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 I was really happy with the program, and I am very happy I chose to have an internship. However, due to the amount of work I needed to so for my internship, I didn't have a lot of free time to socialize.

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)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Buy a lunchbox and bring your own lunch with you most days.

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?	Advanced
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?	0336
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Connect with students from your host country.

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?	Internship Living with a host family Classes
* What could be improved?	Support for students Meeting requirements with other program members
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Make sure to prioritize self-care and time to have fun, even when it seems like there is no time to spare. Make time for yourself and your health!

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 Linguist You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Spanish Language & The Media
Course Department:	Journalism
Instructor:	Rafael Martín Martínez
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was a challenging course as a stronger knowledge of Spanish history would have made it easier to better understand several of the linguistic phenomena discussed throughout the course. Despite this, however, the course was certainly manageable and very interesting as a lover of linguistic analysis. The discussion professor did a very good job with creating a safe and comfortable learning environment in which I felt comfortable participating. We were assessed based on our final exam grade and four short (2+ page) papers that we wrote as the semester progressed.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no issues with transferring credits, and since this class was a linguistics class I was even able to receive credit toward my Spanish major despite it being a journalism course.

Course Name/Rating:	Analysis of Social Problems I: Inequity & Exclusion
Course Department:	Sociology
Instructor:	Paloma Bru Martín
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This course was not too challenging, but very interesting. It was light on coursework and the professor was very understanding and welcoming to all questions. Our assessments included weekly classwork assignments, 1 project, and our final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no issues when transferring the credit, however, this course will not provide credit toward the Spanish major.