Written by Alex Carlton
Hello! This is Alex Carlton, a rising senior majoring in Global Health and Spanish. This past Spring I was able to study abroad in Madrid, Spain with IES. I absolutely adored Madrid and this program was better than I could have ever imagined. Living with a host family was daunting at first, but it became an incredibly valuable experience. It allowed me to explore new parts of the city and greatly improved my Spanish by talking with family members and professors on the daily.
I met so many new people, made friends from around the US and some from other countries. Madrid was such a welcoming city and there was never a lack of things to do or see. It is quite cheap as well, including travel by plane or train. I was also able to have an internship alongside my courses. It was a fantastic experience for me to see the workings of Spanish offices and the state of the Spanish healthcare, social work, and public health sectors.
I was also selected to be an IES photography correspondent during my time abroad. One of my photos even won the IES “staff pick” for their summer photography contest! For the correspondent position, I labeled and submitted over 300 photos of my time in Madrid, on the campus, at my internship, around town, and on weekend trips to several other countries. My prize winning photo was taken right next to the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel on a street just outside the famous Puerta del Sol, practically the center of Madrid. I really appreciate everyone who supported me and made my time abroad so special and for those who voted for my photo as well!
More moments in Madrid and images:
On my birthday weekend in February I traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, which was a surprisingly quaint city, yet full of things to do. It was very hilly, had excellent food, and taking the train to sites like Belém and Cascais was quick and easy. I 100% will return, but this time in the Summer.
Our program took a day trip to Toledo one weekend in February; a city full of the history of Muslims, Jews, and Christians in Spain. We visited Segovia and Merida/Caceres in Extremadura during the semester as well, which were equally educational, but fun weekend trips.
When my family visited, we toured the Palacio Real de Madrid, something which I likely wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for them. We took a guided tour and saw over 20 rooms, this chapel being the most gorgeous of all. It was great showing my family around Spain and seeing new museums and sites along the way.
I made great friends through IES including many from around the United States. We went to a famous rooftop in Madrid at the Cibeles Palace which made for a super fun night, and I documented some of my travels with a digital camera that I bought during Madrid’s famous week of sales.
My friend Azalea Biteau and I traveled around France during Semana Santa in April, the “spring break” Catholic holiday week in Spain. In the northwestern region of Pays de la Loire we toured the Villandry palace, one of many breathtaking chateaus in the region with hundreds of rooms and chambers inside. It was such a great experience traveling around to smaller towns and exploring the countryside with a local.
My IES-award winning photo was taken on a street leading to the famous Puerta de Sol metro and train station. This is the very center of Madrid and is a hub for tourists, culture, and fun. It was a gorgeous night and I snapped this photo not knowing it would win me a little something later that summer!
This was my favorite sunset spot and the view of the entire city, Parque de Siete Tetas is what locals call it, you can translate that for yourself. I came here probably ten times to have a picnic and watch the sunsets with my friends, and it was where I spent my last evening in Madrid watching the city lights turn on at night.
Opportunities Beyond:
After my program, I applied and was selected to be an IES Ambassador. This means that I will be acting as a representative for the Madrid program for the next year or two, answering questions from prospective students, sharing about my experience on social media, and possibly giving some recommendations and advice to students as well. There are monthly and semesterly projects on which I will be contributing as well as other social and professional events or opportunities!