Madrid: My Home Away From Home Past Review
By Hillary F (Broadcast Journalism, Syracuse University) for
Syracuse University: Madrid - Syracuse University in Madrid
I learned a lot about myself and about the United States' place and impact in the world. Living with a host mom helped me see life through the eyes of someone from a very different culture. The people I met in Madrid and in the other countries I visited helped me realize how powerful the United States is and how the English language is so universal. I give my overall study abroad experience 5 out of 5 stars because I can't imagine my life without the past four months.
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. |
The workload was the amount I expected while studying abroad, which was nice. The professors are all very approachable, knowledgeable, and similar to my professors on campus. My one complaint is not being allowed more than two absences before getting credit reduction. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All the staff were very helpful and accessible with any questions I had. I enjoyed the program size and my expectations were all met or exceeded. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I chose my roommate and we were assigned to our host mom. Our neighborhood is very safe and clean and we are within walking distance of school which is very helpful. Our metro stop is far from most other places in the city we go to, including places we go out at night. I did not need to buy any items to settle in, my host mom had everything for me. At first we had difficulty with our host mom but eventually we warmed up to her and the living situation turned out fine. |
| * Food: |
My host mom cooks delicious meals every night and we always have enough to eat for breakfast and dinner. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
SU Madrid is one of the best programs in the country because of all the extracurricular activities they offer. I utilized as much as I could including the free tour of the Royal Palace, tapas crawl, Hemingway Hike, and bullfight. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety is never an issue in Madrid other than frequent pickpocketing. Students should always be hyper aware of their surroundings and never leave their bag unattended or even an arm's length away from them. I did not have any health issues while abroad. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
More interactions with locals and always speaking in Spanish with your host family. Most people I encountered spoke English enough that I could effectively communicate what I was saying. |
Other Program Information
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* 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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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? | Make the most of your time here by eating out, shopping, relaxing in Retiro, seeing all the sights in Madrid, and travelling on the weekends. Students who have a basis in the Spanish language or want to learn a new language will benefit greatly by studying abroad here. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Ecology of Spain |
| Course Department: | BIO 220 |
| Instructor: | Fernando Montes |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was my favorite class abroad by far because Professor Montes is excellent at commanding attention and giving us valuable insight while also being approachable and feeling like a friend. The field trips that supplemented the class were incredibly fun and informative and I would recommend this class to anyone on the SU Madrid program. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
