Madrid: A Summer in the City Past Review
By Kevin R (Aerospace Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin) for
IES Abroad: Madrid - IES Abroad in Madrid
Yes. I've always wanted to stay for an extended period of time in a foreign country so it was perfect for that. It has given me a perspective outside the U.S. that everyone should have. It hasn't changed my future plans.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad Complutense de Madrid |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was very light and the grading was lenient, probably due to the teachers trying to teach a little to the lowest common denominator since it was taught in Spanish. The classes were a regular lecture style and easy to get through. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The office was available for most of the day and everyone working was eager to help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location was great. It was in the middle of the city and very conveniently located. The host was very welcoming and cooked a very complete meal everyday. |
| * Food: |
The food was great and a change from what I am used to. I felt it was much healthier than what I eat in the U.S. Try a bunch of different places to eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The trip to Valencia was extremely fun and a very cool way to spend a weekend. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe walking around the city. The food and culture there helped contribue to a healthier lifestyle than in my hometown. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
To improve, speak with the students that attend the home university and try to make friends or at least chat with the local population. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Try to go to see everything you might have any desire to go see. Don't worry too much about the classes because they aren't that hard. Take advantage of that to explore the city and meet people. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Madrid the City |
| Course Department: | HS 303 |
| Instructor: | Juana Anadon |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | It was an interesting class, especially since we went to several of the historic sites in Madrid rather than just talk about them. The class was not too difficult but still required some effort. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | The credit has not been transferred yet. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
LT388 |
| Course Department: | Cultural Myths and Spanish Literature |
| Instructor: | Javier Huerta |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The class covered landmark works of literature across several eras of history. The teacher was knowledgeable and the supplemented the material with film often. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | The credit has not been transferred yet. |
