Generally Binghamton University sends between 35 and 60 students on the summer program; these students come from Binghamton, several other SUNY schools, and a variety of other colleges and universities. The organization that runs the program in Spain, FORSPRO, generally has more than 200 students on the program from many different colleges and universities all over the United States.
Because FORSPRO uses the entire Collegio Mayor Mara during the summer for its own program, you will not be living with, dining with, or taking classes with Spanish students. However, your instructors are primarily Spanish, and the program staff on-site, as well as the residence hall staff, are all Spanish as well, so you have many opportunities to practice your Spanish! Social life in Madrid, as in much of Spain, takes place outside the home in the coffeeshops, tapas bars, squares, and clubs of the city, so if you are interested in meeting young Spaniards, it is relatively easy to do so in these types of settings.
To enhance your knowledge of Madrid, a schedule of activities are programmed in Madrid during free time. These activities do not interfere with classes or other programmed activities. They are led by Spanish graduate students who know Madrid very well, and most students really enjoy these activities. Activities range from attending a bull fight or flamenco performance to riding the cable car up to the Casa de campo. Every participant is welcome to participate, and each individual is responsible for their OWN expenses.
While in Madrid, students are placed in a student residence hall with 3 meals daily except Sunday evening. The residence hall and location of classes is the Colegio Mayor Mara. It is situated in Madrid's Ciudad Universitaria, near the Complutense University of Madrid. Public transportation is close by and the center of the city is about 10 minutes away by subway. Students live in single rooms and the residence hall includes a swimming pool and other amenities. In Málaga, students stay in the small, resort town of Torremolinos. They live in double rooms in a hotel not far from the beach--two meals a day are provided during the Malaga portion of the program. A dorm coordinator in Madrid, and program staff in Málaga are available to provide support, address concerns, and give lots of advice about what to see and do! In Paris, and during the optional excursions, students stay in hotels in double rooms, and breakfast is the only meal provided.
The program organizes a round trip group flight from major cities including New York (John F. Kennedy Airport), Atlanta., Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. There are surcharges for departures other than from JFK Airport. The Binghamton group joins the flight departing from JFK, but students are welcome to use other points of departure if more convenient. If you wish to fly independently and get your own airfare, you will receive a credit of around $975 on the cost of the program.
For more details about the housing, food, excursions, and many other aspects of the program, please see the 2012 Program Handbook.
