IES Abroad Madrid

Madrid is the most awesome city ever and I can't say enough in favor of studying abroad there. I was very fortunate to live in a dorm at the Universidad Complutense with Spanish undergrads and international grad students -- all of whom speak Spanish nearly 100% of the time. I highly recommend doing that. Take advantage of the cultural activities that IES offers, particularly the class that meets inside El Museo del Prado, one of the world's best museums. In my experience IES participants were great people but they probably won't take the language pledge too seriously, so that is a drawback you have to work around. The IES staff is wonderful and you'll love each of them dearly. I did not find the IES classes that challenging except for the language class, which was top-notch (I still keep the textbook for reference). Nevertheless the point is more that you're learning in Spanish -- and if you self-direct a bit you'll learn a lot! It's a fascinating time to learn about the EU, the Euro and the European economy -- not to mention Spanish history. But of course the valuable things that you do studying abroad are the exploration that you need time to do (which homework would've taken away from) -- so good on IES for giving us free time. I think one of the other reviews mentioned how great Madrid is in terms of access to the rest of Spain and Europe and I want to second that -- it's definitely the easiest city to travel from on your weekends and vacations. I went to Mallorca, London, Paris and many places in Spanish Iberia, often visiting cities when they had a major fiesta such as Las Fallas, Carnaval or Semana Santa.

Living in a dorm allowed me to take full advantage of Madrid. I saved a huge amount of by time not having to take a subway commute. I took an art history class at the Complutense itself. I played soccer with the students in my dorm. I watched soccer with them too, and ate meals and partied and made friends. It was amazing. I was next to a beautiful park in which I could take runs in the evening past the Manzanares River, Goya's burial place and the Palacio Real. I spoke Spanish way more than most other IES students. I just can't say enough.

My tl;dr advice to a potential studier-abroad: YES, you do know enough Spanish so I don't even want to hear any more insecurity out of you. YES, Madrid is the best place to study in Spain.

The IES Madrid program is an amazing adventure that incorporates a great academic program and a wonderful way to experience the Spanish culture at its best. Being a native Spanish speaker, the programs classes were not extremely challenging, but would include excellent elements such as going to a theater performance or a field trip excursion into the city. It was a great way to get to know the culture and the my surroundings better. In addition, the program offered weekend trips to different parts of Spain, which I would totally recommend if you are interested in getting to know your host country better and have a great time doing it. The bonds you form with many of your fellow study abroad classmates are strong and can last for a lifetime. Friendships you form with your host family and other Spaniards can be hard at first, but are worth the time and effort. To this day I keep in touch with my host family and carry fond memories of staying with them. The meals were delicious and completely different from the Mexican cuisine I was used to at home. The food had less spice, but it never stopped me from cleaning the plate. If you are too go out for meals, the best meals usually were paellas or kebabs. They are usually reasonably priced and are great tasting. Speaking of pricing, having no tax or tip really was a difference from what I was used to here in the U.S., it is kind of a cool thing to not to have to worry about it. The nightlife in Madrid is spectacular and is definitely a way to connect with other Spaniards and have a good time. From bars to clubs, and finishing the night off with churros con chocolate, it makes for an interesting and adventurous night. I would also recommend trying to volunteer at a school and teach English. It is a great way to practice your Spanish with younger children and learn to translate between languages. Furthermore, if you take a course in either dance or music it will give you another perspective on the value of the arts within the culture. I myself took a classical guitar course and performed at the end of the semester. It was great! I even used the guitar to help me teach English at the school where I volunteered. I would day Madrid is the best place to be, since it is at the center of the entire country and is a hub for the arts, fashion, culture, dance, film, and socializing. Also, being at the center it makes it easier for you to travel outside of Spain. I went to Italy for Semana Santa and I had no problems with flying internationally and no layovers. In addition, within the city the metro (subway) is clean and very well connected and can get you from point A to point B without ever opening your wallet for gas. The biggest thing I think is to be open to the experience. Throw away any preconceived notions on what you will accept and enjoy the ride. Trust me you will not regret it. Overall, the program changed my life and made me a strong believer in IES Madrid. I relish the opportunity to return to what I now consider as my second home, and hope that any who choose the Madrid program will also have a positive life altering experience that will open your mind to a new world.

I went to this program solely looking to have a good time. For a summer program abroad, you should not have lofty goals of becoming perfectly fluent or visiting every city in Spain. I took the days as they came and it was a phenomenal experience all around. I stayed in a home stay near the Pacifico station. Your average weekday starts with breakfast like cereal and fruit. Everyone has grammar class early in the morning followed by your elective class either right after grammar or later like 3 pm. During the summer program, they are more relaxed on the academics compared to the semester because they know the students are there to have fun. That being said, you learn useful grammar tips and my elective went to the Prado two days a week. The academics are very manageable. Between classes, you can go home to have the large lunch prepared by your senora. Around 5, I would go out everyday to meet up with the other students in the program. Most times, we would walk around a plaza, grab dinner, and possibly go to a bar or club. Those nights just hanging out with the other people in the program are some of my favorite memories. This program also has two weekend trips which are awesome as well and not restrictive, you go to Valencia for 2 days for example. You can also travel over the weekends if you like. In my opinion, this program doesn't take up too much time which allows you to really take in Madrid and the culture. Also, the city of Madrid is awesome and offers so many different adventures!

I had a great time studying abroad in Madrid with IES. The staff was helpful, caring, and nice. The academics were challenging enough, offered plenty of class options, and still allowed me to experience Madrid life and travel around Europe. My living situation was fantastic, with a host mom and a 14 year old host brother in an apartment about 40 minutes away from the IES center via metro. I was provided for daily by a very loving host mother, who fed me more than enough food for every meal. In addition, the classes were interesting and challenging without requiring too much out of class time on homework (compared to college in the US). I also took a class at the university in Madrid, which IES helped me find, enroll in, and find resources to help me in my class. There were all kinds of other students on the program, and I was able to find people like me who I connected with and could travel all around with. One of the best parts was having 3-day weekends every week, which allowed for a lot of travel and exploration. Also, IES provided some weekend trips which were always fun and filled with activities.