By Grace Eberts (Editor in Chief)
Are you thinking about going abroad during your time at GW? While many students expect to go abroad during their time in college, it can be hard to know if it is the right decision for you. Whether this is because of finances, academic credit, or just the fear of relocating to the other side of the world, it can be a difficult decision to make amidst dozens of program options offered at GW.
This semester, The GW Local will be teaming up with a junior at GW, Genevieve Mumma– our very own GW study abroad correspondent– as she spends the semester studying abroad in Madrid. Gen is double majoring in Political Science and Peace Studies and is from Oahu, Hawaii. She studied Spanish in highschool and has been continuing her Spanish proficiency with classes at GW since her freshman year.
The GW Madrid program, offered through the Office of Study Abroad here at GW, is designed to immerse students in the culture of Madrid while they study at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM). Prior to applying to this program, students must have completed four semesters of Spanish as well as maintained a minimum GPA of 2.0.
GW arranges for students to live in a homestay with a family in Madrid while they complete their studies and plans a series of weekend excursions for students to partake in to enhance their experience abroad. This allows students to be fully immersed as residents of Madrid, experiencing life alongside local Spanish families. Students have the opportunity to absorb the customs, cuisines, and living styles of the family they are staying with. According to the Office of Study Abroad, students “usually comment that the homestay component is the most meaningful and rewarding aspect of the GW Madrid program.“
The benefit of choosing to study abroad through GW is that your courses are guaranteed to transfer because they are taught according to GW syllabi. For students who maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and have placed into Spanish 2005 or higher, you even have the option to enroll directly at UAM and complete your semester alongside students from Madrid.
Gen arrived in Madrid on September 1st and has been enjoying the adjustment to life abroad. She said that being in Madrid has been “putting my Spanish skills to the test” because of the immersive experience of living with a host family. However, Gen says that her host mom has been patient and understanding— and even thinks that her Spanish is great!
Gen has already experienced a shift in her everyday routine, noting that “Spaniards prioritize living your actual life and enjoying things like meals and the time you spend outside of work and school.” This shift has helped Gen feel more present as she soaks up all of the experiences in her new home.
One key difference that Gen has already noted is in her eating schedule. Unlike in the US, Gen says that she has been starting the day with a very small breakfast followed by a large lunch around 2 P.M. Then, in the mid afternoon, she enjoys an afternoon snack, more commonly known as a “merienda,” to tide her over to a later dinner between 9:30 to 11:00 PM. When asked about her host mom’s cooking, Gen said she has been enjoying the food at her homestay so much that “out of all of the restaurants [she] has been to, [her] favorite meals have been the ones that Paz (my host mom) makes.” She has also been enjoying lots of fresh fish, which she remarked that Spain is known for, as it is surrounded by 3,400 kilometers of coastline. On one of Gen’s first days in Madrid, Paz made a paella for the family with shrimp and other types of fish.
As she is getting to know the city, Gen’s favorite activity has been visiting the museums in Madrid. Specifically, she said that she has enjoyed seeing paintings by Picasso, Goya, Velazquez, and Dali. One evening, she visited the Temple of Debod in the Parque de la Montana to watch the sunset over the city. From the top of the hill, you can catch a view of the sunset reflecting on the royal palace and sinking behind the Guadarrama mountains.
In her first two weeks in Madrid, Gen has already gone on a day-trip to San Lorenzo de el Escorial, a town just outside of the city. The program visited the historical residence where the King of Spain, King Phillip II, used to live. She also visited the Monastery of El Escorial, the royal pantheon, and the palace, which highlighted the Golden Age of Spain spanning between roughly 1580 to 1680. Other highlights of the day included visiting King Phillip II’s library and a local museum!
Before leaving to go abroad, Gen worked with a friend who is spending the semester in Barcelona to plan some weekend trips, outside of the ones offered through the GW Madrid program. Her next trip is going to be Ibizia, so be sure to read Gen’s next check-in to hear about her itinerary.
Gen is only a few weeks into her semester in Madrid, but we are already looking forward to hearing about all of her adventures this Fall. Stay tuned for more!
