80 reviews
4.17 / 5 based on 80 reviews
Useful |
4
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Academic
Course recommendations
Talk to the teachers a lot. If you want to take a weekend trip and are worried about getting work done, they are very nice about giving extensions. Begona is the best teacher for Spanish or French. Valbuena for history, Garcia Serrano is difficult and boring. Llorente for Philosophy. Politics, I forget who I had, Spaniard...man...his English wasn't very good. But he was cool and gave me a good grade even though I failed all Exams because I got an A on my paper. Same thing with psychology.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Don't stress over it. Like I said talk to the teachers. For the most part the teachers there are AWESOME. In comparison to my uni here, they are much more difficult and you learn a lot more...but they are also the most understanding teachers you'll ever meet and they will give you a chance to do well no matter what.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Useful |
4
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Languages
Language of instruction: English
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
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
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.
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Useful |
5
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Overall
I wish I had known...
That Spain has everything and I shouldn't have brought anything with me. Especially clothing. I ended up buying a whole new wardrobe anyways. The clothing there is amazing (in comparison to the US at least)
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In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
GO!!! It is a great university. The people who run it are very helpful...annoying at times, but still they become like family. Its all one big disfunctional family. With a dog named Teide too...He's always laying infront of the door in the Padre Rubio...just push him.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
AMAZING AMAZING experience. The best time of my life. I was there for a year and a half and regret every day that I left. Take advantage of it all. Anyone even considering going...GO...You'll love it. If you need more info email me and I can give you all the important stuff to know!!!
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Useful |
1
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
none
Work opportunities:
I didn't want/need to work
Personal spending habits
SPAIN IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN THE US!!!
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Overall, Nightlife, Travel, Housing, Telephone, Food:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
Banks close at 2 for siesta and do not open again. If you pay your rent in cash, be aware that you can't withdraw more than $350/day so prepare in advance. Do not bring US dollars and do not take out large amounts of cash at once (unless for rent) the exchange rate is ALWAYS changing and its best to just use your check card to get the most up to date rate. Visa is accepted EVERYWHERE. Checks?? No. Just bring a visa check card and you'll be fine. SOme banks don't work though...Caja Madrid Caixa are strange and don't always accept US ATM cards. Deutch Banc and Banco Popular are always the best bets
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Useful |
5
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Housing
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
I only lived in campus housing the 1st semester, as is (was?) policy by the university for all freshmen. Piso Compartidos (shared apartments) can be found around the city for very little money, or you could get your own apartment for the same price, more likely less, than what you pay to live in the dorms. Although the dorms do provide more opportunities to meet people. But SLU Madrid is a small school and its hard not to know everyone anyways.
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Personal comments
The house that we got to live in was pretty nice. Zenaida, the woman who was in charge of looking after was really sweet, although she did get mad at us a lot. The only freaky thing is in the middle of the night one of the guys who works for the university would walk through the house to make sure everything was ok. He was really nice and cool, but footsteps in the middle of the night can be sort of freaky.
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0
Brooke B
FAU, Boca Raton, United States
International Relations, Undergraduate, Independent
Student life
Describe host city:
Students interact with the local community without much university involvement
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Travel, Nightlife: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Monday-2 4 1 at Chesterfields. Tuesday-Casa de Cerveza (Bilbao)all you can drink Wednesday-Bash/Barnon or whatever hip hop club is open Thursday-Cats, close to school Friday-either Velada, Kapital, Cool, or Joy. Saturday-one that you didn't go to on Friday. Sunday-Joy, pretty crazy still. Or any other night Las Huertas and Plaza Santa Ana cerca de Puerta del Sol. There's always a party there. ESPECIALLY around carnivales. For Salsa dancing check out Ramdall cerca de Plaza de Espana. Pacha is also an option but not one of my favorites. For fun craziness, check out the gay scene in Chueca. ALSO, keep track of the Fiestas en cada pueblo cerca de Madrid...like Majaronda and other places. Big carnivals outside the city that you can usually take a bus to. Outside Madrid, Fiestas Grandes in August in San Sebastian (Denostia) So much fun.
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