Author Archives: Mayeline

One of my favorite things about this program is that we get refunded for any travel in Spain, cultural activities, and extracurricular activities. This allows low-income students like me to really live a study abroad experience with fewer setbacks. More specifically it allowed me to have one of the most beautiful weekends of my lifeContinue reading “Day #42 – Sitges, Barcelona, and Gaudí”

Every student in our program is required to take an advanced Spanish language course. This includes students like me, who are already fluent in Spanish. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and completed my education until the first half of 7th grade there. After doing so I moved to New York whereContinue reading “Day #35 – Spanish for Spanish Speakers?”

Hand selecting a host family for each of 75 students is probably as hard as it sounds. I think this becomes especially hard when trying to place students with different needs who are already putting themselves through a gratifying but tumultuous change in their lives. I, for example, wanted to be in a family withContinue reading “Day #28 – Desserts & Games: My perfect host family!”

Sometimes I feel it’s necessary to run away from the city. Don’t get me wrong I love city life and love even more NYC where i’m from. The accessibility to public transportation and skyscrapers are home to me. In Madrid it’s similar to that city ambiance. However, this Saturday we decided to get away fromContinue reading “Day #21 – A Hike In Cercedilla”

Today I want to introduce one of my favorite classes at the program center: Sketchbook: Walking in the City. Sketchbook is an on-site studio art course, based on drawing, designed for both art majors and non-art majors (like me). Personally, I just know how to draw stick figures. Since that’s the extent of my skills,Continue reading “Day #14 – Madrid Through my Sketchbook”