Since I was little, I knew I was different. As a latino-american with an immigrant father from Cuba, the hispanic culture would have been thought to be an everyday occurance in my life. Unfortunately, I was a part of thousands of second generation immigrants who were assimilated to American culture so as to not be viewed as an outcast in society. When the opportunity to study abroad presented itself, I remained indecisive for months before I realized it was something I needed to do to best take advantage of life while in college.
Both USAC and Madrid matched my interests and academic needs the best and I can confidently say for the first time in my life, I felt connected and embraced by a city. The city is beautiful with plenty of things to do, everyone I came across was willing to help, and I was able to live freely. To make it simple, Madrid feels like home. Even after finishing the program, I am currently researching ways to return back to Spain while still fulfilling my career goals.
In my opinion, studying abroad is what you make of it, but no matter what, students will return from study abroad a better person. I don’t see any other experience matching what studying abroad has done for me and will continue to do for me in the future. There was not a single day that I didn’t learn anything and I am forever thankful for the city and the USAC program that showed me a place where I belong. One last thing…¡HALA MADRID!

I had an incredible time during my semester abroad! Madrid was the perfect location for me! There are so many things to do in the city, and you are so close to train stations and an airport so you can explore other places as well. I loved living on campus and being super close to my classes. My classes definitely helped my Spanish knowledge grow exponentially, and I completed my Spanish major while abroad. My program supervisors were super helpful and were always there when I needed them! They also let me help make some Instagram content!! Overall my semester abroad was so much fun, and I will be telling my abroad stories forever!

I studied in Spain Fall of 2022 and I had the time of my life. I had a great experience with the USAC program that I went under. They were helpful in all aspects as a student and a resident in a foreign country. My host family was the best people to live with, creating amazing meals, and helping me with language practice. They invited me to family gatherings and helped me adjust to their customs. I could travel during our breaks, and I truly got to use the best of my time there. I would do it all again.

The program was set up in a way where you were able to experience so much of the culture! I explored the rich history of the city through my classes and my free time. I took a class about historical art pieces and we went to The Thyssen and The Prado every week! It was awesome to be guided through these museums by a professor and to learn more than I could have imagined about the art. The classes were small so I learned very effectively and my conversational Spanish skills increased greatly. I left the summer being able to have full conversations in Spanish with locals. The professors really wanted you to learn the language. The staff is very helpful and they want you to have the best experience while abroad. They gave me great recommendations for my travel time during the break and on the weekends.

I had an incredibly educational, immersive, mind broadening and meaningful experience studying abroad this past spring semester and feel fortunate to have had the experience. I developed skills in traveling, self sufficiency and communicating with people from other cultures amongst many other things. The classes offered through USAC were interesting and well organized and they complimented my experience very well. The living arrangements weren't the best but they served their purpose effectively and the location of our apartment was great. As a Spanish major, being fully immersed in a country where the native language spoken is the Spanish was extremely beneficial for my writing, reading and conversing abilities and my overall linguistic skill improved greatly. Madrid was an extremely cool and fun city to live in and there was never a shortage of things to do or see. The friends that I made within my program were wonderful, like-minded people who I hope will be life long friends. Over all the experience was a life changing four months that I will reflect on and cherish for the rest of my life.

Overall I really enjoyed this program. The price point was the first thing that attracted me to this program. It was comparable to tuition back home and it was not as pricey as some of the others I was interested in. The support staff there was wonderful. I never had an issue with them, and whenever I had a problem they were there for me. I loved them so much that when I returned to Madrid for vacation, I made sure to stop by and say hello. It really showed they care for their students when I was able to walk in and they recognized me right away! I got to catch up with them, and even met them for drinks to talk about what we were all up to now. The city of Madrid will always have a special place in my heart, and it was mainly because of the people in my program. Whether it was the staff or participants, they made my experience memorable.

I did enjoy the opportunities that were available to me such as my involvement as a blog writer for two posts for my program, as well as the local I met through USAC’s group activity of bowling. She was super nice in not only helping as my tutor for my academic classes but she reached out to me to explore the city together getting a bite to eat, spontaneously catching an outside art exhibit on our way to going to a museum. There are such a range of artistic and cultural activities to do here from all the museums, the El Rastro Market, the different plazas, restaurants, el cine, the jazz clubs, parks, and the bowling center inside the metro! Even though my Service Learning Course requires a lot of outside hours from class time and a higher grasp of the language it was a nice way to give back and learn how the city responds in their initiatives of social justice and I made a new friend from Argentina. So my program’s go to bar to eat for really cheap and have a big glass of sangria was El Tigre for only 5 euros. It also always seemed like they had rebajas: sales going on in their stores so anyone interested in European Fashion can get some good finds especially in Sol. I really think my Spanish improved from where I started with but definitely should have followed what my entrance exam said to do track 2 Spanish instead of 3 I reallly struggled with my grades until midway I decided to transition to 2. But favorite part overall was learning about myself of taking initiative in learning about a new city being away from home becoming a bit more independent, courageous, and curious about the world around me.

My experience in Madrid, Spain was truly amazing. I miss it still and it’s been almost 3 years. I miss the culture, the metros and my host family. I really got close to them and they not only helped me navigate the huge city but they also helped with school work and treated me like one of their own. I loved traveling the county because everything was so close! It was all so beautiful I have countless memories with new and old friends. While I loved not driving and taking the metro, I didn’t feel safe all the time—mostly because of thieves (pickpocketing). But my host family and teachers did teach us a few tips and tricks to prevent that from happening. Going to Madrid was not only a fun experience in my life but a much needed one. Growing up in a small town I thought this was it, I’m comfortable here that’s it. I didn’t believe I can live on my own let alone in another country. But I did it. Not alone though. I had help from the USAC program that walked me through step by step and I had an amazing teacher in Madrid that made it all worth it. I’m a native Spanish speaker but my classes in Madrid are the hardest A’s I’ve ever worked for. He really made us learn the material and apply it to every day life and not just learn it for the test. I miss my life in Madrid, but I love my memories. I’d love to make more if I got the chance to go overseas again.