The city of Madrid and being in Spain was my favorite part. Spain has so much to offer and every town is unique in it's own way and has so much life and energy. Madrid is a great place to study abroad as it is cheaper compared to most large cities but has everything a large city can offer. The people in Madrid and in Spain are very friendly and always seemed willing to help and be patient with my broken Spanish.

My favorite aspect of studying abroad was getting to live and socialize with people from all around the world. I was so happy to have gone to Madrid, It is such a vast and passionate city. Spain also has the best soccer to watch in the world. I was so happy to watch my favorite team, Real Madrid, play on a regular basis. I went to several matches and it was amazing. Hala Madrid!

My favorite part of this program was the way in which Comillas connected all of the study abroad students. From the first orientation and throughout the year, they offered opportunities for foreign students to get to know the city, take trips together, and go to language exchanges in which students from around the city gather and learn languages from eachother in local bars.

My favorite part of the program was its location. Madrid is an incredibly exciting and diverse city. You are guaranteed to see people from all over the world, hear many different languages, and find just about every type of food just by walking through the streets. Madrid has an amazing nightlife, so there are always things to do and opportunities to meet new people.

The experience. Having been to Spain before, it was fantastic to emerge myself in the culture for such an extended period of time. Getting to know and live with people from so any different countries and backgrounds was eye opening and made me want to stay for as long as I could.

Being able to live in Madrid, practice my Spanish and experience the culture was the most rewarding experience for me. Also being able to travel and meet so many new people was incredible.

Traveling. I was so empowered by my ability to navigate large European cities with no troubles. I feel as though my traveling helped me grow immensely as a person.

I found connecting with students from Germany, The Netherlands, The U.K., Turkey, France, Australia and of course Spain really rewarding and comforting knowing we're all students with similar interests and goals as well as struggles.

One aspect of this program I found most rewarding was the opportunity to travel to other parts of Spain on the weekends. Flights to many parts of Europe from Madrid are very affordable, and I think it's very beneficial for students to take advantage of this. Additionally, there are many local tourist companies that host different organized excursions every weekend. There are pros and cons for both individual and organized trips, but these organized trips are a perfect way to meet people from other schools and visit places you want to see for one price.

The most rewarding part of the program was the cultural experience. Staying with a host family was a great part of that experience. I was able to practice my Spanish, and discuss different views and ideas with them. Another part of the cultural experience I gained was from exploring the city; going to muesems, parks, clubs and bars, or just walking down the streets. I was also able to explore some smaller historic cities close to the Madrid area. It was very rewarding to me to learn about the history, language, and culture of a new place.

It seems like a lot of people encourage home stays which is great but in my opinion if I had to do it over again I would not do one. It's not that I didn't like it it is more than I would have liked to live in an apartment/flat with other roommates and not have to live by someone else's schedule and rules. Also, I couldn't pick my location or family, so it can be hit or miss. My family was excellent but the location could've been better. That could be an advantage of choosing your own flat, you may land a better location closer to the school, downtown, etc.

I learned that this is an experience you can't quite some up to someone that asks, "how was you study abroad?" It was an experience that was so unique to me and the people I shared it with. I also learned to be flexible and open. I originally had an apartment and it was terrible. I was about to suck it up and just get through it, but then I met these Portuguese guys that showed us where they lived. They had an open flat below them and the next day my roommate from KU and I moved across Madrid. It was the best decision I made because we met our group of friends through this move. Being flexible and able to make decisions on the fly helped me more than I can convey.

Take the initiative to take what you learn in each class and apply it to what suits you. Abroad you have many opportunities to learn about culture, history, and language. Take those chances to take what you learn in the classroom and apply it in real life. Whether that be traveling to a city your teacher recommended, practicing your foreign language skills in day to day life, or diving into the culture and history of your host country; take the opportunity before you are abroad and during your time abroad to think about what you hope to get out of this experience, and how you hope to live that experience out.

I learned that although travelling is an incredibly rewarding experience, staying in Madrid on the weekends is also a great idea. There is an unlimited amount of neighborhoods to explore, museums to visit, and places to eat in Madrid and the smaller towns that surround it. I stayed in Madrid for about half of my weekends abroad, and doing this helped me become more familiar with the city and eventually led to me falling in love it.

Take advantage of the opportunity to relax. The school work was minimal, as I believe it should be. You will gain more of a lasting experience not in the classroom, but in the streets. Go on trips, make new friends, talk to people you never would have talked to. But also appreciate the city you are in. I was fortunate enough to be able to go on five trips in five consecutive weeks, and I found that by the end of it, I missed my host country. I spend the last few weeks of my remaining time soaking in as much as I could before I left. I found that studying abroad was much like going to KU as a freshman. That first semester was so important to me in gaining new experiences and friends, that it was refreshing to do it all over again years later in a different country.

Study abroad is affordable! That being said, it is definitely expensive but, by saving up money, applying for scholarships, and thinking how I spent money, I was able to have a great time and stay within my budget, even with an extra plane ticket home. There are many places that offer free or discounted experiences for students. Do your research and plan for anything that might happen. It doesn't hurt to overpack. The metro card was my wisest purchase while in Madrid. Talk to anyone and everyone if you are trying to practice your Spanish, most people are nice there. Be careful, stick with a friend or group of friends if traveling or going out at night. Though tempting, don't spend all your money on alcohol, there are many wonderful things to do in Madrid besides that. Save up and plan for at least one big trip to another country or another part of Spain.