My name is Grace, I’m a senior public relations major at Suffolk, and I studied abroad at Suffolk’s Madrid campus in Spring 2022! I absolutely loved my time abroad and I encourage anyone to do it, so I hope that by sharing my experiences with you I can get you excited for your own journey!
One of the things that makes studying abroad such an enriching experience is the fact that you’re staying there for an extended period of time. It’s not just a vacation, where you stay somewhere for a week and then go home. You’re moving across the world and living in a completely different culture for a few months – or maybe even a year or more!
One of the biggest takeaways that students talk about after they return home from studying abroad is how living in another country and experiencing a new culture really moved them and changed them. You have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself and get as much out of it as you want.
I can attest to this after studying abroad in Madrid at Suffolk Madrid’s campus. I felt as though I really got to experience Spanish culture. I took Spanish classes during middle school and high school, but much of what I learned never stuck with me because as soon as class was over, I was back to speaking in English. While I was in Spain, my language skills improved quickly, because once I left my Spanish class, I was still surrounded by Spanish anywhere I went.
Although I learned a lot of Spanish, I certainly wasn’t fluent, but everyone I met was extremely friendly and happy to help out, whether that meant speaking slowly with me so I could understand better or switching to English when necessary (such as at the pharmacy, where many of the words were above my level of understanding and it was more important to be accurate).
Living in the residence hall, you’re with a mix of students from around the world, including Spanish students who are studying away from home. The residence hall staff is Spanish too, so there’s plenty of opportunity to keep practicing your skills. The cafeteria serves traditional Spanish dishes, and everyone orders their food in Spanish.
The Suffolk Madrid staff always tries to immerse students in the culture too. They’re happy to give recommendations of local spots to try out. They frequently hold events, such as Spanish cooking classes or churro outings, for students to attend. Plus, a welcome trip and weekend excursion is included in your tuition and program fee – so you get to travel to two different cities in Spain during your time abroad, all expenses included.
Going abroad and getting to live in a new place allows you to completely immerse yourself in a different culture. It’s an amazing experience, and not only is it a ton of fun, but it also helps you grow as a person and discover yourself!