Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An eye-opening, confidence-boosting, unforgettable time August 17, 2023

By (Architecture, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/16/2023 to 05/19/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a good sense of self. It was incredibly worthwhile. I gained a sense of adventure.

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.

* 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 love Spain so much. The Middlebury School lets you have so much freedom and sets you up for success.

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)

Spain is relatively cheap compared to all other countries in Europe which is awesome. Madrid not so much, yet there are still plenty of cheap options for food and whatnot. The metro is also so cheap!!!! So much cheaper than other European cities too. Grocery shopping was incredibly cheap. Going out can get expensive though.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $110
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Shop at the cheap grocery stores. You will save so much money.

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? a 300 course at Middlebury
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 utilize the Midd admin's programs they put out to connect you with locals. Say yes to literally every opportunity.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Freedom
  • Exposure
  • Support
* What could be improved?
  • Academics
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That you should say yes to every invite and opportunity given to you

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Blogging en España
Course Department: n/a
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: I did not feel like the actual material was challenging. We just read the news every day and talked about what was going on currently in Spain and would occasionally compare it to the United States. The course was only graded on our grammar capabilities to which the instructor was very strict about. I think my grammar improved, but the course felt a tad all over the place.
Credit Transfer Issues: No. I loved taking all of my classes at the Sede Prim because it was a Middlebury School where credit transfer was no issue.
Course Name/Rating:

Negocios
Course Department: n/a
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This course was difficult because our instructor did not do the best job at explaining topics. We moved quickly through vocab that was confusing for most of the class. It was kept interesting though with real-world examples. I liked how we analyzed companies such as Freixenet and El Corte Ingles. However, the course was vocab-based with sometimes little explanation as to what certain terms meant.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issue. Taken at Sede Prim
Course Name/Rating:

Art of the 20th Century
Course Department: n/a
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This course was very interesting. Lecture heavy, but that is to be expected with a survey art course. I loved how one time a week we went to a museum in Madrid. The change of location, and seeing pieces first-hand was amazing. The professor is incredibly knowledgeable as well. The exams mostly felt fair although the final had questions based off of things very briefly mentioned in class. Was unclear what would be on the exam/seemed we needed almost to record every word she said.
Credit Transfer Issues: None. Taken at Sede Prim.
Course Name/Rating:

Comunicación Avanzada
Course Department: n/a
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The professor made sure we understood a topic before we moved past it which I enjoyed. Varied between lecture and partner/group work. I enjoyed the class and thought she was an enthusiastic instructor.
Credit Transfer Issues: None. Taken at Sede Prim.