An Unforgettable Semester Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were not as academically rigorous as those I am accustomed to at UT in terms of number of assignments, frequency of tests, etc. However, I feel that I gained a more holistic education in this exchange because the classes placed more emphasis on discussions of current international affairs and practical group project assignments.

On-site administration of your program

The administration was always able to help but you had to be a bit patient in waiting for responses to emails. It was better to go to the office in person.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was fortunate enough to find an apartment with six other girls (none of whom I knew prior to the abroad experience) near campus. After discussing housing with friends who opted to live with a host family, I would definitely recommend living with other students in an apartment.

I love the Spanish cuisine but it is a bit different from what I am accustomed to in the US. Nonetheless, I was able to find nearly all of the groceries I am used to whenever I cooked for myself.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I lived in an apartment with six other girls from all around the world (Holland, France, Canada, US). While I was able to gain a cross-cultural experience by interacting with them and other exchange students from different countries, I did not feel like I was able to integrate into the Spanish society. In large part, this stems from the fact that I only took classes in English.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

While I personally did not have any need to access health services, I knew several people who were easily able to go to the hospital and obtain medicine when they were sick. This process was explained in detail during the program's orientation.

I felt extremely safe during my time here. I walked all over the city by myself during the day and would walk/use public transportation with friends to get around at night. I never felt threatened but I, as well as at least five of my friends, had our phones pick-pocketed.

I absolutely loved living in Madrid. Apart from being an amazing city itself, it is extremely centralized and makes exploring other areas of Europe very easy and relatively affordable.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

If I had stayed in Madrid throughout the course of the semester I would rate finances five stars. All of the grocery stores, restaurants, and local bars are very affordable (weekly groceries could be about 30 euros and a decent meal with a glass of wine could be as low as 6 euros). I rated finances three stars because I traveled a lot during the weekends. While the budget airlines are relatively cheap, they add up, and I struggled with finances in the beginning of the trip when I bought the majority of my flights.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Americans
• International Students

• The easy access to other areas in Europe
• Learning alongside people from all over the world
• The classes I took during my direct exchange

• Having a list of recommendations on which classes to take from previous students

The Outright Urbanite