Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Hard at first, but worthwhile and fun Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/07/2019 to 05/24/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Improved my Spanish, gained more independence, great memories

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

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't receive any treatment for health issues while I was abroad

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$80

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? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300 Spanish class
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Living with host family
* What could be improved?
  • Stress around classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the time goes by faster than you think - enjoy every day

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:

Comunicación Avanzada
Course Department:
Instructor: Carmen Carballo Sanchiz
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Carmen was a very kind and well-prepared teacher in our class
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Unión Europea

Course Department:
Instructor: Francisco Seijo
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Our class conversations were engaging and I think this class improved my listening comprehension substantially
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Historia del Mundo Globalizado
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: 2 hour lectures, an individual presentation on a historical document, a presentation on a book, and a long group paper at the end of the semester were main components of this class. José was a very kind professor, but but I'd recommend getting started on assignments early/seeking out his help before assignments begin to stack up
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cuestiones Actuales de la Política Internacional
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Much of the class was about memorization of articles for the final exam, with a group podcast, and two essays as the other assessments. I think the language barrier was difficult to overcome in this class - the articles and class discussions often felt very technical
Credit Transfer Issues: