Local language was: Different than language of instruction.

Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.

Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish

How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
You need to go outside the university to speak Spanish, or you can opt to take a lot of courses in Spanish. Its easy to make friends outside the university though, so just go out to some local bars and meet some local spaniards. Metro stop Universidad...I think was the name I can't remember...anyways there's a bar over by the spanish universities and i can't recall the name...but if you just go to where all the spanish dorms are you end up there...CAMPUS that's the name. Big hang out for local Spanish students...SLU students never go there, but I did and its cool. The bartended makes this incredible lemon drink. Also, around September they'll be doing the freshman initiation ceremonies at their dorms and the upper classman make the freshman do stupid things. If you go to local parks during this time of year you'll see it. But be careful in that area while walking around dorms and high rise apartment buildings...people dump buckets of bleach out their windows onto the freshman below.