IES Madrid

People will tell you that when you go abroad something changes in you. I never really felt this until I went on to Spain. Coming from a small southern town to a bustling city environment was a huge change for me. Especially when my host mother spoke not one word of English. To be honest, the first night I was not so sure that I would do well. But as the days passed, I soon met new people through my program, started to learn more spanish, and began seeing this big city as my second home. It was a big change from the southern hospitality I was used to but I also discovered that most people in Madrid are just as friendly as my neighbors at home. This study abroad experience pushed me academically, as I learned more Spanish in one summer than in the 19 years prior. I made friends I will not forgot. But most importantly, I learned more in one summer about growing up than I have in my whole life. I would highly recommend IES because the staff was excellent, my host mom was so sweet, and the people that were accepted in this program were awesome. IES did an amazing job of helping us get our bearings and giving us opportunities to go on trips and see Spain, but also the freedom to ultimately decide what we wanted to do. I hope that you will find your other home in Spain like I did!