How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
If you're sick of the overcrowded and oftentimes impersonal NYU campus, Madrid is an ideal place for you to go.
Studying abroad in Madrid is a great way to truly become immersed in a new culture. The Spanish lifestyle is completely different than that of New York. One of the most known mottos about Madrid is that people there work to live - not live to work. The Madrileño lifestyle quickly rubs off on anyone spending time in the city. While walking down the beautifully manicured, tree-lined streets, you're bound to pass dozens of outdoor cafés, bars and restaurants filled with people at all times of the day and night. Madrid just exudes a chillness that is unparalleled by any other place I've ever been in my life.
The NYU in Madrid campus is located in the northern section of the city just a block from the Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium - home of the Real Madrid team. The small campus consists of two buildings adjoined to a beautiful outdoor patio where students relax between classes. The atmosphere was a throwback to middle school for me, with only about 120 students in the program.
You'll either live in a homestay or apartment, both of which are arranged by NYU. I chose to live in a homestay in order to force myself to fully immerse in Spanish culture. My host family was great, offering amazing dinners every night and fun conversations in Spanish. My roommate and I had a separate section of a huge apartment, with our own living room, bathroom and even a private elevator. On the same token, however, there were quite a few students with horrible homestay stories.
Make sure you visit the expansive Retiro Park on a regular basis (especially on Sundays), and make a habit of walking around different neighborhoods. Also, try to go out on the town solo and speak Spanish with local Madrileño — something I wish I had done more often.
More than anything, go with an open mind and get ready for the best four months of your life.
