Unforgettable semester in Madrid! February 17, 2024
By A student (Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/22/2023 to 12/21/2023 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid
I greatly improved my skills in Spanish. I became more confident and independent. I grew as a person both socially and academically.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The best academic coordinators/ directors/ principals/ presidents I have ever had!! They were incredibly kind, knowledgable, attentive and welcoming. They truly cared to get to know us as people and students. They wanted to see us succeed personally and academically. I am incredibly grateful that I had the chance to meet them. I truly feel like I have a family in Madrid waiting for me when I return someday. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my homestay. My family was so kind, attentive, and welcoming. My program did a great job coordinating the homestays and finding families that would fit our needs. |
* Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
My program did a great job outlining the healthcare options that were available to us. When I needed to receive care, my program directors were responsive and very helpful in assisting me to find appropriate care. |
* Safety: |
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If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
I knew I wanted to go abroad so I saved a lot in advance so that I could take advantage of the opportunity to live in Europe for a semester. I traveled a lot on the weekends so my expenses were likely higher than those of other students in my program. If I didn't travel, I think it would have been fairly easy to live on a smaller student budget. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~400 |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save in advance!!!! Save so that you can take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way while you are abroad. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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* What could be improved? |
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* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Culture shock is real! Expect to experience it but don't be scared of it! You will adjust quickly and love Madrid! |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Advanced Spanish Communication |
Course Department: | Spanish |
Instructor: | Carmen Caballo |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | Incredibly useful course! Carmen was engaging, knowledgable and fun to learn from! She not only taught us Spanish grammar but also shared cultural tips and advice for living and speaking Spanish in Spain. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | None |
Course Name/Rating: |
Marketing |
Course Department: | Economics, business or law |
Instructor: | Alicia Barroso |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | Very challenging. Lots of group work with native Spaniards. Caring professor. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | It is important to reach out to the business department from Middlebury far advance of taking this course to ensure you can receive credit. I had difficultly at first. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Management of Work Teams and Meetings |
Course Department: | Economics, Business, & Law |
Instructor: | Carmen Rodriguez |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | Fun! Applicable to real world scenarios you will see post graduation in the corporate world. Lots of collaboration and group work. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | It is important to reach out to the business department from Middlebury far advance of taking this course to ensure you can receive credit. I had difficultly at first. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Leading your team. Leadership, motivation and decision making |
Course Department: | Economics, Business, & Law |
Instructor: | Elisabeth Neckenig |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | So much fun and very applicable to the real world. Worked through a lot of scenarios that will be helpful and applicable to the corporate world after graduation. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | It is important to reach out to the business department from Middlebury far advance of taking this course to ensure you can receive credit. I had difficultly at first. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Spain and the European Union |
Course Department: | Political Science |
Instructor: | Francisco Seijo |
Instruction Language: | Spanish |
Comments: | The teacher was knowledgable and shared many interesting stories with us. The course itself was a little dry and boring on the day to day. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | None |