Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great experience February 02, 2023

By (Spanish, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/24/2022 to 01/16/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained language skills and gained the experience of adapting to a new culture. I also formed great interpersonal relationships there.

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

Staff of the Middlebury School in Spain were wonderful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Stayed with a lovely host family.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Did not have health issues to be addressed, so cannot comment on that. Program includes medical insurance, although preventative care is not covered on that plan.

* Safety:

Very safe, only common issue is pickpocketing.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I wanted to study abroad particularly for the language component, and Middlebury programs are great for that.

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)

Budget depends a lot on travel of individual students as well as housing situation (Residencia much more expensive than living on own in an apartment, host family somewhere in the middle of those two)

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 400 level Spanish seminar
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Stick to the language pledge. Live with a host family. Language exchange partner and/or classes at a Spanish university.

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
  • International Students
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 focus
  • host family
  • great staff
* What could be improved?
  • class consistency
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The friends you make right away don't need to be your best friends throughout the entire program, it takes time!

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:

Sociocultural Changes in Spain
Course Department: Sede Prim
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Interesting class with a very relevant topic. Sometimes the discussions were poorly facilitated, but I learned a lot.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues for me
Course Name/Rating:

Arte en los Museos: El Museo del Prado
Course Department: Sede Prim
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Very cool opportunity to learn more about the museum of El Prado and the art there, as well as its historical context.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues for me
Course Name/Rating:

Sintaxis Superior
Course Department: Sede Prim
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Very helpful for improving my language skills. Fast-paced, which could be a challenge sometimes but it meant that I learned the most I could in the time I was there. Frequent homework exercises, but they did not take a lot of time, so the overall workload was very reasonable.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues for me
Course Name/Rating:

Limnology
Course Department: UAM
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Challenging but very interesting. Included both labwork and fieldwork. Paloma was a very effective instructor, and she was very understanding and supportive for international students.
Credit Transfer Issues: Had to apply for pre-approval for major credit, but no issues in that process