spent a lot of time alone but the city was beautiful enough Past Review
By A student (spanish, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/08/2015 to 06/02/2015 with
CIEE: Madrid - Engineering & Society
i visited many countries, learned a language I love and got a break from my college
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
great program |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
loved on site staff. very helpful and friendly |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
satisfied with living arrangements. |
| * Food: |
meal plan is horrible. only 2 meals a day, but most students are gone most weekends and easter break for about 2 weeks, so we don't get the best deal for our meal plan. it'd be better if our families fed us every time we were home, not just breakfast and dinner. It's really awkward if you're home for lunch and aren't expected to eat because your meal plan only includes breakfast and one other meal. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
not very integrated because I didnt have many opportunities to interact with willing locals. in class, the students are busy taking notes and leave right afterwards, so it's kind of hard to meet students this way. CIEE could have more programs with local students, I enjoyed having local students show us around the city |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
na |
| * Safety: |
madrid is very safe |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
very easily. but I dont drink or go out |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | go to grocery stores to buy food not restaurants |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | how to plan trips better |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
