My study abroad experience April 20, 2023

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?

I gained a lot of skills related to being independent because I had to figure out many things on my own in a new country. I had to do this by asking people questions, etc. I had to learn to leave my comfort zone. Also, of course my Spanish improved.

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?	No I would probably choose a smaller program to speak more Spanish.

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?	100 euros give or take, depending on the week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Make lunch yourself when possible.

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?	Fluent
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	400 level Spanish 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?	Try to speak as much as possible and live with a host family. Find people with whom you can speak in Spanish frequently, whether that be friends within the program or local Spanish people.

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 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?	Spanish Grammar class Madrid
* What could be improved?	More resources for connecting with native speakers
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	N/A

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:	Comunicación Intercultural
Course Department:	Traducción e Interpretación
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was adequately challenging, but not overwhelming. There was no final exam, and the assessment consisted of a few medium-length papers throughout the semester.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Multilingüismo y lenguas en contacto
Course Department:	Lenguas Modernas, Cultura, y Comunicación
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was adequately challenging. The assessment consisted of a few papers and a final exam, but the final exam only had a weight of 30% on the final grade. The professor was nice and accomodating to international students.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No