Spain Study Abroad

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Posted on September 2, 2014 by Catherine Courchaine

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Spain. It was my first experience traveling outside of the United States, but I can assure you it won't be my last!

Although I devote most of my time to my Aeronautical Engineering degree, I have also been working on a Spanish minor. Languages have always been a passion of mine, and when I came to college I knew I would be continuing the Spanish classes that I had begun in high school. One great opportunity that Purdue offers is the chance to test into an upper level language course. By taking an entrance assessment, I was able to get a head start on my Spanish career at Purdue. After several semesters, I decided to finish the required courses for my major abroad.

                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I chose to study for six weeks in Madrid with about forty other students from Purdue, taking the six credits I needed to complete my minor at a private university in the city of Madrid. The first course was a Spanish Culture and Civilization class that taught about Spain's history, geography, festivals, and traditions. The other course was the Art of El Prado, a course that taught about three Spanish artists whose works were in the Museum of Prado in Madrid. My favorite part of the class was being able to visit the museum every week to see the paintings in person!







                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               While I was in Madrid, I stayed with a host family, who cooked authentic meals and helped me with my speaking and listening skills by speaking completely in Spanish. I loved being able to immerse myself in the culture of Spain while learning about it.













On Fridays, we made several group trips to cities around Spain, including Toledo, Salamanca, Segovia, and Granada. I also made weekend trips with friends to Sevilla and even Paris, France!







The weeks flew by, but I enjoyed every second of my time in Spain. From exploring the beautiful city of Madrid, to giving presentations about regions in Spain, to meeting amazing friends that I am able to catch up with now that we have returned to Purdue, my study abroad experience has been unforgettable.


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