Spain: Madrid - Spanish Language, Art, and Spanish & European Studies

I could not have been happier with my experience in Madrid! The city is so rich in history and vibrant in culture. The program directors Sara and Gabriela created a welcoming experience far before my program started. I felt prepared and safe to adventure and immerse myself in my surroundings. The downtown co-living residence option was amazing (street I lived on featured in the picture)! I was able to meet international students who gave me great suggestions on where to eat, where to go, and most importantly where to shop for groceries! The metro system was so easy to navigate-- especially with a central location like I had, but I absolutely loved how walkable the city was. The city is LGBTQ+ friendly and if you are looking for community stop by Chueca! My selected course delved into the LQBTQ+ history of Spain and drew comparisons to the history in the U.S., which was taught by my amazing professor Eloy! He made the material engaing and interactive by taking us to local queer archives and NGOS. Truly I could not have asked for more. Don't think twice about studying abroad in Madrid!

Everyone says studying abroad will change your life, but you’ll never understand it until you do it yourself. Nothing will ever compare to challenging yourself to push beyond your personal boundaries. To me it was very hard to leave home. I was crying leaving my home state, but also crying leaving Spain. It was sad to see such a great experience come to an end, but I’ve made friends and memories that will last forever. Thank you USAC for the best experience ever! I can’t imagine not going through USAC. They were the best help with everything.

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad in college, I have been studying the Spanish language for the majority of my life. My experience with USAC was terrific; the faculty and USAC advisors are people that I will never forget, they were so helpful, and their positivity always made my day better. I was able to immerse myself in another culture and language in a city where I felt safe. I made forever friends, this was an experience I will never forget. The only thing I would have done differently is stay longer. I wish I had more time to experience Madrid and travel on the weekends. There was so much to do in the city I felt like there was so much more to see in Madrid and around Spain.

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.