Spain Madrid University Studies Program
Spring 2024

Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a vibrant city with a rich history. You will have the opportunity to explore this amazing city first hand, but it will be in your best interest to do some research before your semester to have a grasp on the basics! Start with the following sites:

• BBC country profile
• CIA world factbook
• Wikipedia

If you would like to brush up on your reading skills, pick up Spanish newspapers and magazines like El País, El Mundo, or ABC, or read them on the Internet. You might even try watching Spanish movies and Spanish news on television.

NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS

• El Mundo
• El Pais

RECOMMENDED FILMS

Movies by Almodóvar

• Hable con ella
• Los abrazos rotos
• Volver
• Mujeres aborde de un ataque de nervios

Movies about the Hapsburg Empire

• Alatriste
• La Conjura del Escorial
• Loca de Amor (Juana la Loca)

Movies on Franquismo

• Trece Rosas
• Los años bárbaros
• El Laberinto del fauno
• La Lengua de las mariposas
• Libertarías
• Los Santos Inocentes

Modern Movies

• Tesis
• Flores de otro mundo

Typical Spanish food includes fresh vegetables, meat, eggs, chicken and fish cooked with olive oil. Breakfast generally consists of a light meal of coffee, bread and jam, or crackers. A substantial meal is eaten at about 2 p.m., usually including a soup, salad, fish or meat, side dish and then fresh fruit. Dinner is eaten around 9 p.m.

If you dine out, keep in mind that service is slower and begins later than you may be accustomed; you’ll need to request the check in a restaurant. Restaurants will not serve dinner before 8:30 p.m. The customary amount for tipping is only 5–10%, and 10% is considered quite good. Tipping is not necessary in cafés and bars.

Living with a Spanish Family

Remember that although you will be a paying guest, it is best not to think of your Spanish home as a hotel. Rather, think of yourself as a guest or boarder. Keep your room neat, make your bed, clean up the bathroom after using it. These may seem like obvious points, but they do mean a great deal to the people with whom you will be living. Get to know your host family. It’s a good idea to offer a modest gift to your host family when you arrive. It helps to break the ice and shows you are truly interested in getting to know them.

FAMILY HOUSING REGULATIONS

Payment of Room and Board

Once you have paid your Boston University program fee, you will have to make no additional payments to the family to stay with them during official program dates. The Boston University office in Madrid will make monthly payments to the families.

Meals

You will receive three meals per day, a small breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you have a class or will not be home for meal time, you have the right to request a bag lunch be substituted for the missed meal. If you don’t plan to eat at home, be sure to tell your host family so that they can make arrangements.

Shower or Bath

You have the right to take one shower or bath per day with hot water.

Telephone

You will be allowed to receive calls at your homestay, but normally the family prefers that you don’t make calls from the home phone. Phone calls are more expensive in Spain than in the US, and consequently most families will restrict use of the phone.

All students will be required to purchase a mobile phone upon arrival in Madrid, which are relatively inexpensive. Most Spaniards use mobile phones that work like pre-paid phone cards (so there are no contracts). There will be a session on cell phones during orientation. Skype and similar programs that provide free/cheap calling over the internet have also been a very popular way to stay in touch.

Internet

All host families have internet. Students can also use the Instituto computer lab or internet cafes for internet connection. Please note that internet connections may not be as fast as those you are accustomed to on your home computer.

Laundry

You are entitled to have two loads (one whites, the other colors) done once a week.

Kitchen Access

You should not expect to have kitchen privileges. You may not use the kitchen, invite friends over to eat, etc., without first receiving permission from the family.

Keys

The family will provide you with your own set of keys for both the front door and the home. Once you finish the program you must return the keys. If you lose the keys, you are responsible for replacing them.

Going Out and Coming Home

You are free to come and go as you would be on the Boston University campus, but we ask you to be respectful of your family. It is very important to let the family know if you are leaving for the weekend or overnight.

Visitors

This is left up to each individual family, and is a subject that should be discussed when you first move in. Some families will want you to ask in advance when you plan to bring guests, while some families may not want you to have guests at all. You are responsible for the conduct of guests or visitors (including family, friends, and relatives), who must also respect and comply with all rules/regulations while in the homestay. Any breach by any such guest or visitor shall be deemed a breach by the student.

Room

The room given to you will be the one that the household has designated for you. You will be responsible for taking care of your own room and keeping your room neat and orderly.

Personal Property Insurance

Each student is encouraged to review his or her family’s personal property insurance coverage. Boston University or any of its officers, agents, or representatives shall not be liable directly or indirectly for loss and/or damage to personal property by fire, theft, or other cause.

Property Damage

You are responsible for the repair or replacement of any household item you damage or destroy. Boston University declines all responsibility. Failure to settle these charges with your host family prior to departure from the program site will result in appropriate charges being assessed to your Boston University student account. It may also result in your inability to register for courses; inability to have grades assigned; transcript holds; and delays in processing financial aid awards for future semesters.

Clothing and Climate

In general, the clothes you will need in Madrid will be about the same as what you would need in Boston. Fall, winter, and even spring can be cool and wet, with average low temperatures between 40 and 50°F from November to May, so bring plenty of warm clothes. You should note that most Spanish homes are not heated as much as American homes, so you will probably find yourself wearing sweaters both indoors and out during the colder season.

LIBRARIES

The Instituto has a very good lending library; its resources include 75,000 volumes. The library at the Instituto is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; it is not open on Saturday evenings and Sundays. (Hours are subject to change.)

The humanities library at the Autónoma operates similarly to libraries in the US. You will receive a card once you have registered for your classes. You are allowed to take out up to four books for a maximum of 15 days. Library hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Hours are subject to change.)

OTHER FACILITIES

The Círculo Bellas Artes, a private art society, has its own facilities in Madrid and is a good place to study. Membership costs about 50 euros per semester and is an excellent ideafor students (academic-year students especially) to consider.

With a letter of permission from the Director, students can do research at La Biblioteca Nacional. Keep in mind that every “barrio” has a public library. Also, remember that libraries in Spain are not normally open on weekends.

In general, books may be purchased in Spain. Science and Engineering students will receive more information from the program coordinators.

Check out the BU Madrid webpage for more information on excursions.You are expected to participate in all orientation and field trip activities, the costs of which are covered by the program fee and are not refundable. The schedule for these activities varies and is at the discretion of the Director.

Internships—A Learning Experience

Do not expect your internship to be your “dream job” leading to your “dream career.” Your internship is an opportunity to explore a field which you are interested in pursuing as a career. After completing your internship, you may realize that you wish to find further positions in that field, or you may realize that you never want to work in that field again! In either case, your internship will have been a learning experience. When thinking about your internship, flexibility is key.

At the Instituto most of the classes are taught in Spanish. However, there will be a few options in English in topics such as Political Science, Archaeology, History and Art History. The professors at the Instituto come from local Spanish universities.

Personal Appearance

Standards of acceptablcal Spanish universities, have extensive experience working with foreign students learning Spanish as a second language, and are extremely knowledgeable in their field. Class sizes are small, which allows for a lot of individual attention.

At the Autónoma, as is typical in the Spanish university system, professors tend to teach by the lecture method, and student/instructor interaction is not generally encouraged. Class size varies, and the number of classroom hours is three hours per week. All classes at the UAM are conducted entirely in Spanish, except in the science and Engineering programs.

The Spanish educational system is quite different from its US counterpart. The Autónoma does not consider itself a liberalarts institution, where students have requirements fromvarious disciplines. Instead, students follow one area of studyand concentrate solely on this during the entire time they areat the university. However, Boston University students will beable to enroll in courses in various Facultades. During on-siteorientation, students accepted for coursework at theAutónoma will have an informational meeting at the Instituto and will also have the chance to visit the Autónoma campus.

The academic calendar at the UAM is also different from the US. Final exams for the fall semester are usually held in earlyFebruary, for this reason, students studying on the program for the fall only cannot take UAM courses. Likewise, final exams for the spring semester are held in mid-May. Spring students who choose to take UAM courses will have housing provided up until the day after the last final exam and may not request early exam dates.

The system of student evaluation also differs greatly from the U.S. For some courses, students are graded on only one exam or paper given at the end of the semester. There is usually little to no assessment of a student’s progess in a course during the semester, whereas in the US students usually turn in several papers or several exams. Some students thrive in the Spanish system while others do much more poorly than they would at their home campus. It is good to reflect on the kind of learning style that suits you best before making the decision to take courses at the UAM. Your UAM grades will be reflected on your BU transcript and will figure into your GPA.

CURRENCY

Most of the member states of the European Union, including Spain, use a common currency, the euro. The advantage of the common European currency is that you will be able to use the euro in many countries all over Europe (with the exception of the UK, Denmark, and Sweden) without worrying about exchange rates and bank fees. (1 euro= 1.12 USD as of Aug. 2016)

BANKING

Past students have suggested that you add a parent or relative to your US bank account, so that they can pay bills, make deposits, or check balances for you in the US. In the past, semester students have not thought it necessary to open accounts. If you do plan to open an account overseas, check with your bank as to who its foreign correspondents are and ask for a letter of introduction. You will want to wait until you arrive to open an account so you can choose a bank that will be convenient to your homestay and/or internship placements and classes.

Expect more limited banking hours than you are used to at home; banks are only open from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Monday through Friday.

ATMs

Most students rely on a combination of ATM cards and credit cards. Remember to bring both types of cards with you, as your ATM card will be useless it becomes demagnetized, damaged, or lost. With your ATM card from home, you will be able to withdraw funds from your US checking account. Although there will probably be a fee for each transaction at another bank’s ATM machine, you will be charged the bank’s exchange rate in effect on that day, which is typically better than the one used for normal currency exchanges. US banks vary widely in the charges they attach to foreign ATM withdrawals. Shop around before leaving and consider moving your account based on what you learn. Most recently, Bank of America did not charge a transaction fee at Barclays or Deutsche Bank ATMs. Other banks may also have overseas affiliations. You should confirm with your bank.

Note: Money deposited into your US bank account during the normal working day is typically updated on the US bank’s computer at midnight that day, which means you cannot withdraw the money until the Spanish bank’s computers have similarly updated their records at midnight the following night—in other words, there will generally be a delay of two business days before you can access those funds. Details for using ATM cards abroad vary from bank to bank. You should inform your bank that you plan to use your ATM card abroad so that bank officials can allow overseas card transactions. Be persistent in finding out information on service fees and restrictions.

If your ATM Personal Identification Number (PIN) is not four digits long, change it to four digits before you leave the US. Many European machines cannot accept a longer PIN, and many ATM keyboards may not have letters indicated.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are a very good emergency money source. Holders of these cards can get cash on the spot from participating banks. Don’t forget to bring your PIN. VISA and Mastercard are more widely accepted than American Express and Discover.

Cash

The obvious danger of losing your cash or having it stolen does not make this a good option for large sums of money. No student should ever keep large amounts of cash in his/her room or on his/her person.

Cash for Arrival

You should plan to exchange $50–$100 into Euros before you leave so that you will have money to use when you first arrive in Spain. Small denominations are best. You may also want to keep some US currency, especially for your return trip.

Tipping is not required in restaurants or taxis in Spain. It may feel uncomfortable at first and if you have any questions about specific situations, feel free to ask the expert on-site staff!

How much will I spend?

Depending on your standard of living and how much traveling, shopping and dining out you do, expenses (exclusive of tuition, room, and board covered by the program fee) will vary. In the past, students have spent $2,00–$3,500 per semester. Keep in mind that Madrid can be expensive and that your buying power is directly related to the strength of the dollar. (1 euro= 1.12 USD as of Aug. 2016)

Cultural Reimbursement Program

Students will be reimbursed up to 7 euros. (approx. $8.75) per activity for all cultural activities they do while in Spain. These activities include Spanish films, concerts, museum visits, theater, dance, one bullfight, and one soccer game. More information about this program will be given at orientation in Madrid.

While abroad, you should remember that public transportation is the way the great majority of local residents get around their town and country, and so it should be a part of your experience as well. For that reason, and for reasons of safety, we strongly discourage students from renting automobiles or other motorized vehicles while abroad. If your internship, community placement, study adventure or cultural reimbursement activity involves travel, you may not rent a car or other motorized vehicle for that purpose.

Intra-Spain Travel
RENFE (www.renfe.es) is the Spanish equivalent of Amtrak. RENFE offers discounts to students, as well as a pass which gives you an additional discount over a twomonth period. Depending on when you travel, some days are more expensive than others, and the schedule can be irregular. Be sure to obtain a calendar of “white” days and “blue” discount days from the RENFE office. You also may wish to travel by bus. It is less expensive than the train and reaches any city in Spain. You will receive more information about travel in Spain during the orientation upon your arrival in Madrid.

Outside of Madrid
There will be some opportunities for you to travel outside of Madrid during the semester during long weekends, but remember—your travel plans must not conflict with your academic requirements.

Should you require medical assistance, do not hesitate in contacting the on-site staff in Madrid who will be able to help you to find appropriate treatment.

You should be sure to bring copies of prescriptions for any medications you may need and for glasses or contact lenses if you wear them. Since medications tend to be expensive in Europe and because it can be difficult to get the appropriate equivalent medication, we recommend that you bring an adequate supply of whatever medications you may need while abroad. Your insurance company may require a copy of your itinerary to give you a full supply. Any medications you bring should be in the original, properly labeled bottles.

Do not plan to have medications mailed to you, as Spanish customs will not allow packages containing prescription medicines to enter the country.

You should also bring an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, and any preferred brands of over- the-counter drugs.

Emergency Information

All students (who are US citizens) should register at the US Embassy in Spain during the first days of their arrival.

For more information:
http://spanish.madrid.usembassy.gov/

112 Is the emergency telephone number in Spain.
092 Is the telephone number for Local Police in Madrid.
091 Is the telephone number for Spanish National Police.

If you need to report a robbery by phone you can call 902
102 112. We always recommend that you report any robbery.
A list of recommended hospitals and 24-hour pharmacies is
provided on the BU Madrid website: www.bu.edu/madrid.
In case of any emergency, students should always contact
the Boston University Madrid office