Tufts in Madrid ROCKS! Past Review
By Bronwen R (Peace And Justice Studies, Community Health, Tufts University) - abroad from 01/12/2012 to 06/01/2012 with
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Madrid
This changed my life. The people in Spain are incredible and the staff members of Tufts in Madrid are so friendly and open. I learned so much from the culture, the people, and the program.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Alcalá Tufts University Programs Abroad |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Tufts in Madrid provides amazing resources for students. The program classes are challenging and unique and the professors are very approachable. As for the University of Alcalá classes - the professors are very understanding of American students and are eager to help! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On-side administration for Tufts in Madrid was remarkable. The staff is always available to help students and are really passionate about ensuring a great experience for students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Tufts in Madrid has amazing staff members who will find the best suited house for students. The staff pairs students with host families who are eager to learn from students and they do an amazing job with it as well. |
| * Food: |
Tapas, manchego cheese, croquetas, lentils, fruit, salad, meatballs, etc. It's all in Spain and so delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Tufts in Madrid really pushes students to learn from Spanish people and to interact with youth in Spain. They do an amazing job of providing opportunities for students to fully immerse in the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Tufts in Madrid provides an insurance plan for students while abroad. I went to a medic 8 times during my stay in Madrid and never had a problem with doctors accepting the insurance. Socialized medicine rocks! |
| * Safety: |
Just beware of your purse at all times and make sure you are looking out for your stuff and others. Pay attention! |
| 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) |
Tufts in Madrid provides you with a stipend for food, museum entrances, extracurricular activities, cultural activities, etc. I actually ended up making money most weeks! I used most of my money to travel outside of Madrid but even then Tufts paid for excursions in Spain and all entrances for museums and cultural activities. I spent minimal amounts of money while abroad because Tufts is so generous with their funding. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Nothing |
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 |
5 - they ask you to make a commitment to speaking only in Spanish and I think this is very helpful. I used Spanish a lot and made a huge effort to speak only in Spanish. However, you can definitely get around this and/or not try to speak Spanish if you do not want to. |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 121 - Conversation and Composition |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | That Tufts in Madrid literally pays for everything! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Derecho Eclesiastico del Estado |
| Course Department: | Law |
| Instructor: | Isabel Cano Ruiz |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Amazing professor and such an understanding woman. She made such an impact on my life and I learned a lot. It was not very challenging and the perfect level for a study abroad student. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
