Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A fun, interesting, and ! February 28, 2024

By (Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/21/2023 to 12/21/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Getafe

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about myself and was able to travel and learn a lot about other cultures as well. It was totally worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt like I was well supported and the rigor was appropriate. At times it was hard to find support in the Getafe classes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration at the Middlebury School in Spain was great. They were all very kind and supportive.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host family. It was one of my favorite times of the day to be able to come home and chat with my host mom at dinner.

* 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:

Madrid felt very safe even as a 21 year-old girl.

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

I loved Madrid as a city and would love to return.

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? It depended on travel, but without travel about 100.

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

We were required to speak Spanish at all times.

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? Span 0300
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? The best way for me was to use it and not be afraid to make mistakes.

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?
  • I thought the support we got was great (tutor, office hours, etc.)
  • I really liked where the school was located in the city
* What could be improved?
  • I think a school overnight trip at the start of the semester could be added
  • There could be a bit more instruction about class selection and what someone is allowed to take.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that everything would take a little longer than expected (I learned this quite quickly) because you are learning a whole new culture, school, and living situation.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

European Union
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Seijo
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This was a challenging course because of the 2 assignments. Otherwise the class was quite enjoyable and I learned a lot about Spanish culture. This was a good conversational class.
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Syntax
Course Department: Spanish
Instructor: Beatriz DeValle
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: I really enjoyed this course and learned a lot. My Spanish improved greatly and the way the class was formatted worked well for me.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Sociedad de la información y de las nuevas tecnologías
Course Department: Sociology
Instructor: VICENTE DIAZ GANDASEGUI
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class was very interesting and well structured. There was a group project which forced me to integrate into the class and meet some of the other students. There were 2 exams and a bunch of smaller papers. The professor was really nice and understanding.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Historia del Feminismo
Course Department: Business and Administration
Instructor: Manuela Mohedano
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class was really interesting. We had a presentation and an exam. The professor spoke very clearly and was very engaging. This was a half credit class.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Los Viajes Científicos
Course Department: Journalism
Instructor: Rafael Uña Ruano
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class was good it was a lot of lecture with no slides, but it was easy to understand. We had a group essay and an exam. The professor spoke very clearly and was engaging. This was a half credit class.
Credit Transfer Issues: No