Elisabetta – Universidad Carlos III de Madrid – Spain
Semester 2, 2023
Bachelor of Social Work
Let’s start with a piece of advice… If you’re unsure whether or not going on exchange, I’d say: DO IT! In my opinion, there is nothing more wholesome and fulfilling than living abroad for a semester or two. It will definitely make a positive change in your life, you will get to know yourself more, and you will make some wonderful and meaningful memories and friendships that will stay with you forever!
Life in Madrid
I have travelled a lot and lived in different countries; however, I can safely say that Madrid is probably in my top three favourite cities to live in. Here are some reasons why:
- Firstly, it’s easy and cheap to travel to and from Madrid. You can easily get to any other city or town in Spain within few hours with the high-speed trains, or you can choose to fly to another country for the weekend (if you’re lucky you might even find a 30 euro return-ticket). I managed to go on a few trips to other places in Spain and flew to Morocco for a weekend; within a couple of hours trip I found myself in a place where the food, the landscape, the language (or dialect) and the culture are completely different. How amazing is that?
- Spanish people are warm and kind.
- The food is to die for.
- This city never sleeps. There is always (and I cannot stress this enough: ALWAYS!) something exciting to do in Madrid; always people going out (whether it’s a Saturday or a Monday night); always concerts, shows, parades, events and so on. You will NEVER get bored, I promise.
University life
Uni life is a bit different in Spain. It might seem overwhelming at first: a lot of homework to do and the exams are structured differently from QUT. I recommend getting on top of your study from the start, be organised, show up for classes and you will be fine!
I have done all my four subjects in Spanish because I already knew the language quite well; however, if you decide to do some subjects in Spanish and don’t speak the language, I strongly recommend doing a language course on the side. Plus, it’ll be a bonus point on your resume when you go back to Australia.
Accommodation
I have decided not to stay in a student accommodation and found a room in a 2-bedroom house through private rental. I felt very lucky as my flatmate was amazing! Whatever accommodation you choose, beware of scams and avoid paying anything until you’re certain that the house actually exists. The four seasons are well defined in Spain: winter is quite cold and summer boiling hot, so, you might want to consider looking for a room with aircon and/or a heater
Tips
Here’s a list of tips I’d give you if you decide to do your exchange in Madrid:
- Travel as much as you can: Spain is full of little gems that are not very far.
- Find out in advance your best options to pay for things e.g. Wise travel money card.
- Try new things and new hobbies e.g. learn a new language, take dance classes (or whatever you’re into- uni usually offers discounted courses and activities)
- Get the most of your Student Card- check what discounts you can get e.g. cinema, museums, etc.
- Be open-minded: things are different, go with the flow!
- Semesters are different: semester 1 in Australia is semester 2 in Spain; keep that in mind when you choose your units.
- Everyone is different but I always like to travel relatively light (1 big suitcase and a small bag)- ensure that you pack warm clothes if you are there during winter.
- If you don’t know Spanish, you might feel a bit overwhelmed at the beginning. It’s totally normal, but it will get better as you learn the language. Don’t be shy and learn some basic phrases before you go.
- Transport is very easy in Madrid. Get the abono (bus, metro, train pass) that best suits your needs- I did the 30 days one that I renewed monthly which gave me full access to all ways of transportation.
- I felt super safe in Madrid; pickpocketing is not common, but it could happen. Overall, take the same precautions you would in Australia.
- If you experience a culture shock at the beginning, it’s all part of the experience. Enjoy as much as you can: this is your once in a lifetime experience J
- WARNING: you might want to move there after your exchange, keep that in mind.
Find out how you can apply for exchange via the QUT Student Exchange website
