Embracing Madrid - Breathtaking location for your study abroad!
Aug 2, 2024
This was genuinely one of the best decisions I’ve made during my years in university. Madrid in my opinion was one of the best choices in terms of cities to study in while in Spain, and the host university I was in was extremely warm and welcoming. ISA was very helpful in regards to how the program was structured, and it was so comforting to know that the staff was focused entirely on our well-being while we were there. I never felt alone while I was there, even though it was my first time studying abroad. We were given countless opportunities to explore, whether it was through guided excursions, tours, or with the freetime that we had. I would recommend this program to anyone who is contemplating going, because if I were able to I would do it all over again!
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I loved staying in a residencia. There are so many perks to living in this type of housing - form close friendships with fellow ISA students, practice your Spanish with locals living there, as well as a feeling of independence while you are there. It helped me with my independence a lot.
However, I would definitely choose a homestay the next time I study abroad, if given the chance. The level of immersion my classmates and friends were achieving through this living situation made me eager to live in a homestay. I also saw many of them improve immensely their Spanish abilities. For solo travelers, having a family that you could come back to after class looked to be so comforting, especially being in a foreign country.
Pros
My Spanish got so much better
The food was amazing and the seafood and produce were always so fresh
I learned how to use public transport!
Cons
Some culture shocks at the beginning - like with tipping, took me a while to get used to
I became a more adventurous, independent, confident individual after studying abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica with ISA. I had so many opportunities to explore beaches and volcanoes, snorkel and whale watch, and participate in cultural immersion experiences. I got to try and learn how to cook many traditional Latin American dishes, take tropical dance classes, and learn about Costa Rican history. ISA was super supportive in guiding me to begin and move through this journey, and I would not have changed my experience for the world.
What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
My most nerve-racking moment from my time in San Jose was arriving at my homestay at the beginning of my study abroad journey. It had been a very long day of travel, and I hadn't taken a Spanish class in over 3 years. I arrived late to my homestay around 9pm, and got dropped in front of the house by a taxi driver, with no way of turning back. I met my host mom and housemate, and instantly had to converse in Spanish. I was flustered and had a difficult time saying more than a couple words at a time. However, my host mom was extremely patient and supportive and over my 3 months living with her, I regained some of my fluency and a whole lot of confidence, and the nerves from that first moment of speaking the language again were suddenly erased.
WOW! My time abroad was amazing. I would not have changed anything if I could. I loved my school, host family, roommate, and everything about Sevilla. One of my favorite parts about studying abroad was being able to be immersed in a culture without being a tourist. There is something so special about calling a foreign land a home. I was able to learn about life across the world and experience something so unique. I also loved living with a host family. It was in their home that I was able to practice Spanish in a way I have never done before.
I loved studying abroad in London. It's a city full of history, experiences, and views that I can't wait to go back and see! I took classes that were associated with my degree and ones that were not, which was nice because I was able to have a varied educational experience and understand how their education system compared to the one I was used to. ISA hosted excursions to places such as Windsor Castle that were a lot of fun. They also held orientation and pre-arrival information sessions which made the transition much easier. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to study abroad!
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I could go back, I would make this program longer so I could spend more time there! I had a lot of places in the UK and abroad that I wanted to visit, and even though I made many trips and went to a long list of places, I could never run out of ideas or things to do.
Pros
London is a large, global city with variety and a long history
A life-changing experience that everyone should have
ISA made the transition easier, safer, and more fun
Such an amazing experience. I got to go with my best friend and we made so many friends and got to experience the amazing culture in Florence. I think living in an apartment off campus was such a key in feeling fully immersed. We got to cook at home and go out to restaurants. I recommend this! I did the J-term which was about two and a half weeks which was perfect for my schedule. I LOVE to travel however have only been overseas once before this so I was nervous about going a whole semester and this is a great way to ease into a longer trip. I really want to study abroad for longer again!
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have traveled to other cities and gone for a longer time. I traveled to Rome one weekend but wished I planned other travels!
My time in Sevilla, Spain was such a wonderful experience especially as my very first time abroad. I originally applied due to interest in the history course offered, but the sheer fun I had with my classmates as well as the relationship fostered with the staff in my time there was very heartwarming. I felt incredibly safe due to the gated housing. I had access to a lot of banks/ATMs, grocery stores, restaurants, and a lot of close by local attractions like the Alcazar and the Plaza de España. And coupled with the sheer atmosphere of being in such a beautiful country was the fact that the class was just as interesting. The professor really went out of his way to educate us and I'll forever be grateful for that.
Definitely go for it! It's okay to be nervous and scared at first, but I PROMISE you'll soon come to relax and love it so much that you'll promise yourself you'd come back!
If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I'd definitely let myself wander outside more. When I was there, I did go out often, but I'd be too nervous to go without a friend. It's good to be safe, but I find myself thinking that I should have went out more on morning or afternoon walks just to really soak the view in for myself.
Pros
Beautiful weather (winter)
Everywhere you look is just gorgeous!
Pretty decent prices (groceries especially)
Cons
hard to communicate without Spanish (obvious, but make sure you know some)
pickpockets are common so be careful
stores tend to be closed during the holidays so be aware
Studying in Malaga was truly an unforgettable experience. In the 'Summer 1' program I met extraordinary people and visited the most beautiful places in Spain. Malaga is a beautiful city. The city center offers amazing food, shopping, social life, and more. Additionally, outside the city center, the rest of Malaga is beautiful. Near UMA, El Palo beach was the best. My professor was amazing! Overall, I think this program was 100% worth it in every aspect, and I HIGHLY recommend taking up this opportunity if it's possible.
I went to Colombia to experience a culture and language different from the one I had grown up with in East Tennessee. From the coast with the oldest surviving city in South America to the south with the largest rainforest in the world, you can experience one of the most diverse cultures in the Latin world and come to love the people and way of life in Colombia. I also can't forget my favorite city, and home for nearly 5 months, Medellín. There you will find a city with the kindest people, diverse activities, perfect weather, and the greatest salsa dancers in the world. I got exactly what I wanted. You will truly get to see and experience a different culture, language, and people than anywhere else you can travel. Along with this, I gained a greater understanding of business on an international level that I would not have found elsewhere. If you want a unique experience different from the rest, you will surely find it here. I hope you will soon find yourself, as I did, in my second home. ¡Amo Colombia!
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
One of the biggest pieces of advice I would give is to be open to try, do, and learn new things. Most likely many of the things you will do and experience will be different. I also would say learning or knowing some Spanish ahead of time would help a lot.
Pros
Very different culturally
Learning Spanish
A lot to do
Cons
It parts it can be dangerous (same as any big city)
There are parts of the country you most likely cannot go
Very little english speakers outside university (better if you know or learn Spanish)
My experience was unique because I had never been to Europe before studying abroad. This was my first time for everything in Europe, and I think that’s really special. I had never been so far from home before, and it definitely made me very independent and develop new helpful problem solving skills. I ended up having so much fun in my classes abroad, and with my new friends that I am now inspired to help others through the study abroad process. I also didn’t know a single person studying abroad and that was a little nerve racking for me because I didn’t know what any one in my program was like or even who my roommates were. However, I think that my program did an amazing job at pairing me up with girls that are like me, to make living with strangers a lot smoother. A note I would leave for someone studying abroad in Florence for the semester is to say yes to everything, and do as much as you can. The semester goes by so so fast it almost feels like a dream when you come back, so you have to make the most of your time and enjoy every moment.
What was your funniest moment?
The funniest moment I remember was when my friends and I had a family dinner at one of our apartments, and we were all laughing about something, per usual. Amidst the laughter and fun, my one friend loves to take photos and she ended up taking a really silly photo of me eating. And of course, she showed everyone and we all hysterically laughed.
Pros
amazing food
found cool friends / travel buddies
interesting and fun classes
Cons
waited about 5 hours after landing to be driven to the apartment
I went abroad on a four week intensive program in Barcelona with ISA, and it was wonderful. Regarding ISA, they are organized and very personable. Using their site and portal was also so simple. The process seemed to be as easy as possible. On the trip they had three ALL inclusive trips provided and they were all so much fun. I met so many new friends and professors through this program. The courses were also challenging but fun; you could tell the teachers were into their content. The experiences I had were endless, and I would 100% recommend this trip to any college student looking to improve their Spanish drastically.
