Madrid: The People, the Passion, the Soul Past Review
By Megan R (Business Administration-Management, Trinity University) for
Syracuse University: Madrid - Syracuse University in Madrid
Changed my life. There are beautiful people all over this planet with incredible originality and uniqueness, and I plan on seeing as much of that beauty now that I've studied abroad. I also realized how much the US impacts the entire world, and how little we really understand about all the other countries and peoples we influence so much. There's a sense of responsibility as global leaders I feel like, and it's important to be well-rounded and aware.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload could easily be done during the week, leaving plenty of time for travel on weekends. Not a joke, I really did learn in my classes, but not overwhelming either. I'd say it was just about right for study abroad. Easier than Trinity, but not as easy as many international schools. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I liked the size of the program, a little over a hundred. But I found the administration a bit disorganized, and paperwork took a while. However, they were very knowledgeable and placed me in an incredible host family. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely felt like family. I really didn't want to do the whole host family thing, but it was the greatest part of my experience. Because of them, I didn't get homesick. They cooked, cleaned, talked, spent time, and even at times cried with me. We are still in contact. My family was very close to school and nightlife, in the heart of the city. It was a very safe and beautiful flat with my own rooom, and I had a roommate from the school which was great. No items were needed to settle in. |
| * Food: |
Having a host family who cooks for you is really great, you get local tastes and don't have to invest the time in making good meals. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
TONS of trips, excursions, incredible voyages, tons of weekly activities. Too many to list, but cultural, language, food, sports, travel, academic, nature, etc. This program shines in the social aspect. And BULLFIGHTING!!!! :) |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Madrid is safe, but some people had problems really late at night when really drunk. Pickpockets are real common, but other than that there's not a lot of crime. Go out with people you trust and always have a guy present. I got strep abroad, and the nurse was a bit clueless but sent me to a doctor and I was better in no time. They have great medical contacts that are bilingual. Nothing real out of ordinary in this regard. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 food per week (only lunch) prob around $100 overall per week (I went out and sightseed and such)And traveling cost about $350 per trip including airfair, lodging, entertainment, etc |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eurovision was really fun, but I def spent a lot of $. Come to Europe w/ at least a little cash to get you by. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
A decent number of people spoke a little English, but the host family was a great way to practice Spanish. I honestly could have gotten by without having to use Spanish, because the International Institute where you take classes is mostly English and you meet mostly Americans there. I had to go out of my way and try to meet people to practice Spanish with, but it's doable and it's easy to get lazy and use English frequently. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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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? | A student who doesn't have a lot of previous international experience would be good for this, as it is very supportive. I absolutely loved it and think it's the best program for an overall experience. |
