I have had a good experience in Madrid so far. CIEE provides a good foundation for preparing for your departure such as VISA and appointment help, as well as in-country support and help. Madrid is an incredible city with many things to do however moving abroad in any capacity is going to have its downsides such as the language barrier and a feeling of isolation, however, CIEE does provide good social support as there are so many other American teaching assistants in Madrid to connect with. I am only about 1.5 months into my program and although I have dealt with the challenges of moving to a new country with a different language it can only go up from here and I have CIEE to turn to with any questions.

CIEE provided me all of the necessary steps to successfully move internationally. Additionally, whenever I needed more assistance than what I could find on their extensive Canvas course, I always got an email response to my question in less than 24-48 hours. Even more, the group of people who are selected to participate in this program are like minded. As a result of this, I have made incredible friends who share my values and beliefs. The Community of Madrid bilingual program with which we work through CIEE allows us time and energy to pursue travel opportunities, explore new areas, and try new activities and hobbies. Finally, I participated in the immersion program which gave me the opportunity to live with a host family for a month and take Spanish language classes where I learned so much about Spanish culture, customs, and of course, the language!

My experience has been nothing short of amazing. CIEE has done an incredible job getting me to where I needed and provided help in every step. Even something so small as directions to the desk at the airport on the first day of getting to Madrid. I´m so lucky that I chose to work in Madrid through CIEE because there is 24 hour support and many ways to meet people through the program. A few of my closest friends I´ve made here were in my orientation group. Speaking of orientation, CIEE did an amazing job breaking down the most beneficial points to know, while not keeping us there for hours at a time (the jetlag was real!), and they understood that.

CIEE was a great choice for me when choosing to teach abroad. It was something I wanted to do for a few years. After researching several other teach abroad programs, CIEE offered the best value for my money. Once accepted into the program the hand-holding began with detailed steps and timelines. Believe me this is what you want when moving overseas. Take the time to read and re-read everything CIEE sends your way. It is super helpful and eased a lot of nerves when it came to the process. Once in country, expect the same helpfulness and knowledge.

Before deciding to teach abroad, I didn’t know the amount of tedious work that goes into the VISA process, getting Insurance, job guarantee, and more. If It weren’t for the amazing support from CIEE every single step of the way, I would not of even made It here. They break down every single step, and make It so easy. It was and continues to be so comforting to know that they are there to answer every question. Their unwavering support didn’t stop once we arrived either. Orientation was so informative and helpful. They made what could be a daunting and overwhelming experience feel simple and exciting. I cannot recommend CIEE enough.

CIEE Teach Abroad was a great opportunity to see a new part of the world. It’s a nice break between graduating and finding a career. I enjoyed living in Madrid, Spain for the culture, the people, the food and seeing a bunch of brand new things. My job placement (secundaria) was an easy commute from where I lived and in a nice enough neighborhood (San Blas). I loved working with the students at my school but the faculty that I also worked with kinda sucked and made my time at the school a bit hard.

The overall experience was what I had anticipated. Definitely coming in with an open mind is important. The only thing that I would say is that if you go through any racist experiences or microaggressions (esp. if you're a POC coming into this program), you're school may not take it too seriously. The language immersion program was especially great because I was able to advance my Spanish skills a lot.

Long story short: do your research before you come to Spain. Be aware of any cultural differences and be mentally prepared to handle any situation (whether it is good or bad) that may arise. Also, save money before you come because you'll definitely need the extra funds, especially if you plan on traveling to other countries.

I was an English Language Assistant (aka Auxiliar de Conversación) through CIEE for the 22/23 school year in Madrid. Although CIEE was more expensive than other options, their support was definitely worth the price. They gave us real time updates on visa requirements for each consulate before leaving for Spain, and really helped us get our paperwork settled on arrival. Also, the CIEE orientation introduced me to many friends who I got to spend the whole year traveling with. I expect many of them will be my friends for life :)