wonderful trip

I have never traveled by myself before, but from the start, I felt very welcomed by the SPI program heads. I started with the extension and I really loved it. For anyone looking into this program, I highly recommend taking advantage of this. I was able to see more of Madrid and get adjusted to Spanish culture before the other students arrived. The hotels we stayed at were great. They were located in central areas and clean. Unfortunately, I found myself needing a lot of money to operate and have a good time in Madrid, Santander, and everywhere else we traveled. Activities/excursions, some transportation, and some meals needs to be payed for by you. We had many free afternoons to ourselves, and to be honest, we did not know what to do with ourselves. I found myself shopping or sitting in a cafe most of the time. A warning to parents, I went easily through about (with extension) $2000. I could have spent more, but I skipped some of the excursions which you are required to pay for. Besides this, the trip was FANTASTIC! My Spanish is smoother and I find speaking comes much more quickly.