Advice From and For Students

Earlier this summer I asked past global navigators for some advice for current students and Program Leaders alike. These are some of the things that they shared with me:

• Take advantage of the metro! Familiarize yourself with it early, and it will be a huge help later on ALSO walk different places because that’s another great way to learn the city.
• Find people you feel comfortable talking with.
• Find different cultural events/ spots/ stuff to do for a mix of reading and listening in Spanish.
• Find friends who will stick to the language pledge! When you’re gossiping, do it in Spanish because you will learn SO MUCH good and diverse vocabulary.
• Be willing and able to circumnavigate.
• Be present with your host family: that is where you will practice the most Spanish conversationally.
• Invest in a good pair of shoes for walking (make sure they’re comfy and not just cute).
• Always have a bottle of water on you.
• Enjoy the time you have because it flies by! Try to make different connections with different people in the program and madrileños alike—accept invitations from other students! If a group is going to check out a new neighborhood or festival, join in. That way you can experience Madrid and form close relationships at the same time.
• Soak it all up and look like a tourist and take photos and also put your phone down and just enjoy.
• The last week goes by the fastest so try to get things you really want to get done done the next to the last week.
• Go with the flow.
• By all means, don’t stress about the work, try your best but remember that the whole point of studying abroad in the first place is to learn.
• Try to get assignments done early.
• DO NOT lose the Abono Joven, and keep it for the future in case you come back because you can use it in the future.