Go study in Madrid! Past Review
By A student (PSYCHOLOGY., Trinity University) - abroad from 09/01/2013 to 12/21/2013 with
Saint Louis University Campus in Madrid / SLU-Madrid
I learned a lot about Spanish culture both their similarities and differences with us. I also was able to make a lot of friends that I will keep in touch with both from Spain and the U.S. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought the courses were harder than I expected because many people say that study abroad classes are easier, but I ended up really enjoying all of them especially my psychology and art history courses. However it also depends on what classes you decide to take. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
If you had a question for the university, someone was always there to help and give you an answer. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host mom who was amazing and really sweet. She helped us practice our Spanish and if we had questions about Spain she would always help us. |
| * Food: |
My host mom cooked amazing food. She gave us breakfast in the morning which was either cereal or toast, and then a big dinner. There is a cafeteria at school which had some good options, but many people bought food at the grocery store for lunch as well to save money. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
If you want to be integrated with the local culture there are many opportunities to do that including volunteer, language exchanges, and visiting local restaurants and bars. If you want to only spend time with English speaking students it is easy to do that too because about half of the students are study abroad. There are also full time students from the U.S., Spain, and other countries around the world. I think Madrid is a great city to practice Spanish and learn about the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
They provide insurance and information. |
| * Safety: |
The campus is safe and in a nice neighborhood. Madrid is a big city, so you always have to be conscious just like any other city. However walking around I always felt safe even at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Madrid has a lot to offer, and some of it can be very expensive, and some of it is free. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 80 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
All of the classes except for Spanish classes are taught in English. I did not take a Spanish class, but everyone that I knew who took one said that it really helped with their Spanish skills. If you want to talk with faculty, administration, or other students in Spanish you definitely can, but since it is an English program you do not need to know any Spanish. |
| 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? | Intermediate Spanish I |
| 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? | My Spanish improved slightly, but I could of spoke Spanish a lot more. I would suggest really trying to speak Spanish with your host family and try to go to Spanish bars so you can talk with Spanish people and not just other Americans. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | Just be excited because you will have a lot of fun in Madrid and Spain! |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
