I don’t think it’s possible to put into words all the emotions I have felt and the things I have seen since I arrived in Spain. It has been a profound, valuable, and simply fun experience that I will never forget. I chose the Madrid OCS program because I am extremely passionate about Spanish language, culture, and history and wanted to improve my abilities in Spanish. I believe I am a completely different person now than I was before the start of this OCS because of the classes I have taken that have broadened my view of Spain and the world as well as all the relationships I have formed with my peers and family here in Madrid. For this, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid.
Going from Carleton and Northfield to Madrid, a huge city, and studying at a large university is an incredible and shocking experience, but one that is extremely valuable. It may seem daunting, but it has been simple to get the hang of living in a big city. I love to take the metro everywhere because of how convenient and well-maintained it is—especially in comparison to public transportation in the US. I live in the neighborhood Chamberí, which I absolutely adore. The location is perfect to arrive easily to class every day, museums like the Thyssen (which has been my favorite!), restaurants, and parks. The area is beautiful and full of interesting restaurants, stores, and people commuting to work and school. The architecture is wonderful and so different from anything I have ever seen in the US.
I am so grateful that my first experience out of the US was through Carleton’s OCS program for many reasons. Having the structure of the Carleton schedule but a good amount of time to explore and try new things on our own has been amazing and perfect for me. I love being able to organize smaller things freely and to take my time to see things that I want to see, such as parks and cafes, without feeling the stress of major planning. We have taken several weekend trips as a group around Spain, including País Vasco, Galicia, and Castilla, all of which were wonderfully planned for us in a way that allowed us to get a deep learning experience without having to worry about schedules or searching for activities. This was perfect for the other students and me to get the most out of the trip, focusing solely on traveling and learning.
Going abroad in general is already such a wonderful experience, but I believe that my study abroad has been even more profound and enriching with immersion in the Spanish language. Speaking in Spanish all the time has given me a deeper understanding of the culture and of myself. Putting myself in situations with native speakers is uncomfortable and scary but also highly rewarding. It is both humbling and empowering. It requires you to problem-solve and admit that you aren’t always right and don’t always know everything, yet there is no feeling like that of getting it right and being capable of communicating in Spanish. I would have regretted it deeply had I not signed up for this program; not only has my Spanish improved drastically, but I have formed friendships and learned things that I would have never known about myself and Spain outside of this OCS.
