Challenging, fun, and greatest experience of my life September 19, 2022

By A student (Environmental Policy, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2022 to 05/27/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained substantial independence and trust in myself. Being forced to live alone in a foreign country in another language is the ultimate test of your ability to protect and advocate for yourself, which was a challenge I think I needed to face. Aside form that, I also improved my language skills immensely. My pre-semester and post-semester tests showed marked improvement and people in my life told me often that my skills were improving. Without a doubt it was worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I am so happy I chose this program. My experience in Madrid was tremendous - the language pledge was the most challenging part of my study abroad experience but also forced me to grow the most. I was forced to be independent, trust myself, and advocate for myself in ways I typically don't. I thoroughly enjoyed my classes, the mix of Middlebury and non-Middlebury courses, my host family, and the city of Madrid as a place to live.

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$60
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Budget in advance, have a plan for travel vs non-travel expenses.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Advanced
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?	SPAN 340
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Live with a host family

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
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?	Language pledge Host Family UAM course
* What could be improved?	Empathy from Midd staff Sick day/illness procedures
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	The experience is really what you make of it in terms of local integration - I wish I would've done an internship or found a volunteer program at the start.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	European Union
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Francisco Seijo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was not very challenging - the professor generally discussed what he wanted to that was tangentially related to EU politics. The assignments were a chance to demonstrate original thought, which was useful and allowed me to apply past work.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Sociocultural Change in Spain
Course Department:	Anthropology
Instructor:	Aida Bueno
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was a hard class that was heavily based in reading, but the professor was good at working through the dense material. The term-long research project was an opportunity to better understand Spain and demonstrate our improved language skills via the course material. Because it was a small class, participation was necessary.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Land Planning & Environment
Course Department:	Environmental Science
Instructor:	Dr. Daniel Ferrer Jiménez (Geografia) y Dr. Jesús Redondo Martín (Derecho)
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was by far my hardest course - 50% of the grade was in a group project will 40% was in the final exam. It was based in memorization, required GIS tools, and was overall a massive cultural challenge. That said, it was the most interesting and rewarding part of my experience.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Advanced Spanish Syntax
Course Department:	Spanish
Instructor:	Carmen Carballo Sanchiz
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was not very challenging, but I improved my spanish language skills substantially thanks to this class. Carmen was very prepared, skilled, and used our daily homework to our benefit.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No