Great program, great city! Past Review
By Natalie Sullivan (The College of Wooster) - abroad from 09/05/2016 to 12/15/2016 with
IES Abroad: Madrid - Language & Area Studies
The biggest takeaways from my experience in Madrid were independence and learning the language. Living in a big city, with a host family was amazing and helped me gain this independence. My Spanish improved so much, which is so important to me.
Personal Information
| 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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have an experience when I needed to use my healthcare, but my program made sure that we knew what to do in the case that we did need healthcare. |
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| 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) |
Living in a big city can be tough on a student's budget. I struggled at first with this in Madrid, because there were so many great restaurants and things to do that required money. Eventually, I learned more about the city and learned where the best prices were and how to work around the money. For example, almost all museums in Madrid have an hour or two each day of free admissions for students. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look at student blogs to find the best things to do on a budget! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | A college 300 level course |
| 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? | Learning vocab and grammar quizzes can be helpful, but I find that the best use of your time with regards to picking up a new language is reading in it. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew to not plan so many trips ahead of time. I planned trips with friends also in Europe before I even got to Europe. However, I met such great friends in Madrid that I wish I could have traveled more with. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
