BBI Global Skype Sessions Q&A 2014

Breaking Barriers Initiative | La Familia

Global Skype Conversations

(Mon 10th—Wed 12th September 2014)

An insight into Student Life at the different NYU Study Away sites


2

“The Breaking Barriers Initiative (BBI), held under the Dean of Students Office at NYU

Shanghai, consists of three different programs: Brothers&Sisters (大&小), La Familia and

the Language Awareness Campaign (LAC). Through these programs, the Breaking

Barriers Initiative aims to increase inter-class interaction, connect all the NYU Global Sites

and facilitate multicultural integration while providing additional support for incoming

students during their first semesters at NYU Shanghai, in the NYU Global Network and in

the city at large.”


3

Index

NYU Sydney Page 4

NYU Buenos Aires Page 6

NYU Washington DC Page 11

NYU Abu Dhabi Page 15

NYU Florence Page 18

NYU London Page 25

NYU Prague Page 29

NYU New York 2

NYU Madrid Page 38


4

NYU Sydney

● William Chiu: Senior from NY Steinhardt

Media, culture and communication major

● Sophomores and juniors

● 30-ish people for this fall

● 120 people in the Spring

● Very expensive, l ike London

● Dorm in Sydney’s Chinatown

● Visa to Sydney will allow you to work

● Minimum wage is $17/hr.

● Jobs/internships encouraged

● What are classes l ike?

● Lots of Australian culture classes

● Program is small right now, but it will expand eventually

● 2-3 field trips each semester

● 3 hour classes

● Surprised with the amount of work, fair amount of reading

● Midterm essay and a final essay

● Some small assignments in between

● Some presentations

● What is the campus like?

○ Like NYU NY

○ One building in the city

○ 25-30 min walk to the dorms


5

● What has your experience been like?

○ Know everyone because the program is small

○ There are a lot of trips sponsored by NYU

● How did you pick Sydney over all the other study away sites?

○ Go where you really want to go

○ Use this as a chance to explore

○ Check your requirements

● Are there any required classes?

○ Global Orientations class: pass/fail, first 3 weeks of classes

● What do you do in your free time?

○ Almost summertime

○ Festivals

○ Beaches

○ 40 GB of internet a month → exceed that and you have to pay

● What has the transition been like going from a big school to a

small campus?

○ Likes it better because it’s so different


6

NYU Buenos Aires

● Geo Kamus: junior from AD

○ Double major: Economics and Political Science

● What do you like about Buenos Aires?

○ Felt unsafe at the beginning

○ Very beautiful

○ Food is amazing

○ Everything is half price compared to NY

○ Night life is awesome

● What do you not l ike?

○ Sometimes it’s unsafe

○ Street harassment: can be part of the culture

○ Inflation: come with dollars

● How is your homestay experience?

○ Assigned a local Argentine family

○ Talk in Spanish

○ Dinner together 6 times a week

○ Very inclusive

○ Homestays are mandatory

● How are the Spanish classes?

○ Most classes are intensive classes

○ 2 hours per day, 4 days a week

○ Spanish has improved a lot

○ More established than in Madrid


7

● What are the implications of coming to Buenos Aires without

knowing any Spanish?

○ After one semester you will be able to hold a conversation in

Spanish

● Is Buenos Aires a dangerous city?

○ Pickpocketing

● Do you like Spain or Buenos Aires better?

○ Travelling is a bit difficult

○ Argentina is huge w/ distinct geographical regions

○ Lots to do here

● Would you recommend Buenos Aires as a first semester or a

later semester?

○ Either

● What is our average day like?

○ More studious studying away

○ Lots of partying/drinking, but still lots of studying

● How does your internship class work?

○ The internship is through NYU

○ Take language placement test, minimum 10 hours per week for

internship

● Can you elaborate more about why travell ing is hard in

Argentina?

○ Can take a bus to travel

○ It’s cheap to travel


8

○ Time consuming

○ Visa process for many countries

● Do you have any classes on Fridays?

○ No

○ Some make up classes for Mondays

● How do you immerse yourself with the people, city, and the

culture?

○ Depends on how much effort you put into it

● BRING DOLLARS

● It ’s cheap

● Is it weird being in the opposite season?

○ Philippines is usually smoggy and rainy so anything other than that

is great

● Does NYU help you get to know Buenos Aires?

○ Trip to Uruguay, for example, paid for by NYU

○ NYU organizes some pretty cool programs

● How is Argentinian food?

○ Reputation for being meat and carb heavy

○ Vegetarian food is really good

● What is health insurance like?

○ HTH insurance

○ Go to student life if your sick

○ Hospital

● Strict attendance policy


9

● Compare Buenos Aires, Madrid and AD campuses

○ Learned the most during study abroad semesters

● What is the academic center l ike in Buenos Aires?

○ 3 floors

○ Decent classrooms

○ Good bathrooms :)

○ About 100 students every semester

○ Doesn’t feel too crowded

● Visa process

○ Some people accepted into the program but had to drop out

because of visa issues

● Does NYU help you with the visa process or do yourself do it?

○ NYU is pretty helpful, but be good about deadlines

● What advice do you have for people who are about to study

away?

○ First class at AD felt the same way

○ The most important thing is to have an academic plan before

studying away

○ Prepare for your visa in advance

○ Have a bit of flexibility in your plan

● How would you promote Buenos Aires in a few sentences?

○ “It’s a really awesome place to be in.”

● How competitive was it to get in and get the classes you want?


10

○ There are particular courses that are popular, but they’re generally

not too competitive

● Is there any advice that you’d give to students in their last

semester before studying abroad?

○ Fulfill the prerequisites that you need

○ Have a plan and be flexible

○ Don’t just pick a place with an idea of the experience


11

NYU Washington DC

● Daniel Brown: NYU AD

○ Political science major

○ Taking electives because of the limited classes

● There are many museums that you can easily visit (free)

● Really cool art scene

● Bad side: very government focused (not many funs thing to do)

● Can you tell us more about the internship program?

○ It’s a part of DC life

○ Not compulsory but gives you a lot of free time to explore the city

○ Students go to internships/classes

○ Some are paid internships

■ Non-profits

○ Ex. Classes only Monday / Wednesday - rest of the days has

internship

● What are the bad things in DC, and how do you compare it to

NY?

○ DC can be a bit boring because everyone is so busy

● Living costs?

○ Pretty expensive city, yet cheaper than NY

● What classes are you taking?

○ Politics of Latin America, Sustainable development

● Why Washington and not New York?

○ Because of the internship program


12

● How about the food?

○ There is no dining-hall

○ You have to cook for yourself

○ Southern food

○ African food

● How is the housing?

○ All dorms and classes are in the same building

○ So are all the NYU events

○ Dorms:

■ Really cool

■ You can pin things on the walls

■ Roommates (2/3 per room) + common space + toilet +

kitchen

● How are the rest of the classes?

○ Some are good, some are not as good.

■ American Public Opinion (really recommended)

■ Politics of Latin America and the Internship Class are not as

popular.

● Can you tell us a bit more about Student Life: Health, Safety…?

○ Purchase a membership for the bike share

■ Best way to get around!

○ Health

■ RAs refer you to the hospital

○ Safety


13

■ DC is a really safe / quiet city.

■ It is a very neighborhood set city (divide between rich and

poor areas)

■ Busy during the day and sort of dead at night

■ Travelling to Detroit (other areas) might be more dangerous

● Student Involvement

○ NYU DC organizes a Student Congress to advise on Student Life in

the beginning of the semester

○ No current student RAs

○ RAs are mostly alumni who are doing internships in DC

● How do you feel about studying in DC in the fall semester? Is it

Spring semester better?

○ It’s been good during the fall because of the elections

○ Study at a time when there are big political events going on

○ Do it early so that you know whether this life style suits you

● Would you recommend DC as a study away site?

○ If you want to do an internship, then yes.

○ If you want to experience the US, New York might be better.

○ Buses to New York vary from $2 to $25

○ It is easier to make friends in DC because the building is smaller, as

opposed to NY where the building is very big.

○ If you’re into politics, it’s a good place to go.

○ Recommended as a first site (first semester abroad)


14

■ It is more career focused (you figure out what you want to

do)

○ People obsessed with politics could even take two semesters in DC.

● If you want to do a spring course through the summer, can

you?

○ Definitely possible

● Is it competitive to get in?

○ First year to have a larger number of students (32)

○ Last year (3)

○ Next year 60

● What’s your average day like?

○ It depends.

○ Some days classes spread through the entire day

○ Some days internship

○ Some days nothing (Fridays off)

■ Travel (Boston, New York)

■ Museums

■ Read


15

NYU Abu Dhabi

● Zeeba Rfasheed: from NY

● What do you like and what do you don’t about Abu Dhabi?

○ Students usually request to extend their time in Abu Dhabi.

○ Some students do miss home

○ A lot of interactions with cultures

● What’s your day like?

○ Starts early, 4 classes in the morning

○ In NYU Abu Dhabi classes are intense

○ Students do go out once in a while

○ Usually out of the campus by 7pm

● What’s the l iving cost there?

○ Around 8000 dollars per semester

● How much does a coffee cost in Abu Dhabi?

○ A coffee in Starbucks is similar to the states

○ Meals are expenses even in the dining hall

● Do all students have to get a meal plan?

○ Yes, because there is nowhere else where to get food around

● How is the campus?

○ Kind of isolated

○ You can only buy stuff on campus

● Is there interaction with the city?

○ Buses leave from NYU AD to the city, so that they can enjoy city life


16

● Is there interaction between Study Aways and NYU AD

students?

○ There is place for a lot of interaction with locals and other NYU AD

students

● How is the luxury?

○ It is very luxury

○ All the facilities are stunning

○ The equipment is great

○ Printers everywhere

● Does Abu Dhabi cover the cost of tavell ing to other placesi n

the middle east?

○ Yes, NYU Abu Dhabi covers them for study away students too

● How about sports?

○ The facilities are incredible. There is everything: basketball,

swimming pools, rock climbing, football fields…

● Is there any compulsory course we have to take at NYU AD

being a study away student?

○ Yes, they do ask to take a course about the region.

● What is the thing that you do not l ike about Abu Dhabi?

○ The fact that it is not New York.

○ It misses the spirational New York.

● As a woman, have you ever felt the need to be more

conservative when you go out in the city?


17

○ Not really, Abu Dhabi is very westernized. It is very safe. You can

even wear a dress.


18

NYU Florence

● Claudia Cereceda: from NY

○ Freshman year in Florence

○ 1st semester sophomore year in Florence

○ All of junior year in Florence

○ Peer advisor: student and leadership role

○ Lives in the center of the city

■ 30 minutes from bus stop to campus

○ Global Liberal Studies major; politics, rights, and development

concentration

■ Allows students to study away for a whole year

■ Concentrations

■ Thesis related to concentration during senior year

● Huge part of studying abroad is learning about the country

you’re studying in

○ GET INVOLVED!

● Actual campus

○ American bubble on campus in Florence

● Pros:

○ Community-based campus

○ Student life is fantastic

○ Student life makes sure students are involved

■ Plan trips

● Housing


19

○ Freshmen required to live on campus

○ Off campus housing is fantastic

○ Rent a few apartments

○ Possibility of doing a homestay

■ Level of Italian is much higher

■ Dinners together

■ Possibility of seeing the country/city in a different way

■ Ex: Italian birthday parties/graduations

● Everything is close

● Florence is tiny

● Most people walk everywhere

● Con

○ Transportation is not very reliable

○ Italy has a lot of strikes

○ NO OVERNIGHT GUESTS

■ Italian law and Italian regulations

● Enough classes to take towards your major since you’ve been

there for so long?

○ Yes!

○ Very accommodating

● What is immersion with the culture/people/city l ike?

○ American bubble on campus

○ relies on students


20

○ Students have to make an effort to immerse themselves into the

culture/city

○ People are very helpful

● What do you think of the Italian program?

○ Mandatory Italian language course

○ Didn’t speak Italian at beginning of Freshman year

○ Took intensive elementary/intermediate Italian

● La Pietra dialogues

○ Director constantly tries to help students, very open

○ International conference center

○ Thursdays and Fridays conferences in politics, contemporary art in

Italy

● Do you think the city is expensive? Is it affordable?

○ Affordable, but we are students

○ Student bus pass

○ Lots of activities

○ Much cheaper than NY

● What is the music scene like?

○ Piano in common room

○ Not a lot of street music

○ There is music

○ Karaoke

○ Friday Flyer

● How easy it for you to travel around Italy?


21

○ Florence is centrally located so it’s very easy to travel

○ No classes on Fridays

○ Leave Thursday night come back Sunday

○ Easy to travel to other countries

○ Can use travel agency

■ Bust2Alps: for a student budget

● Stay in hostiles

● Buses

○ Maybe don’t travel every single weekend

○ Take time to travel around Florence

■ Five Territories in English

● Do you recommend Florence early or late in your study away?

○ Recommend it at all times

○ Pros and cons for both ways

○ Personally choose to go in the beginning

○ instagram account @nyuflorence

○ Fall: olive harvest on estate

○ Spring: less tourists

○ Depends on the other sites your visiting

● How proficient can you get with Italian in one semester of

Italian?

○ Intensive Italian is recommended for one semester

■ Miles ahead of elementary level

■ Make language one of main goals while you’re there


22

● Is there a possibil ity to become an RA?

○ Called peer advisors (don’t take students to the hospital)

○ Can apply junior year

○ Covers housing and a meal plan

○ It is more work/more responsibilities

● What is the selection process for becoming a peer advisor?

○ Get a blog, w/ peer advisor advertisement

○ Send in resume and cover letter

○ Skype interview

○ Choose after that

○ Have 8 peer advisors

■ 2 for freshmen

■ 6 for upperclassmen

○ Student conduct rules will be followed/implemented by you

■ Italian law and Italian regulations

○ Make rounds

○ Some hours in the Office of Student Life

○ Take residents to places

○ If you’ve lived in Italy before studying away, it will help you

○ Of course it’s better to apply if you know the city/live there before

○ Intensive training for a week before everyone gets there

● How intensive are the intensive Italian classes?

○ First, you’re not forced to take it

○ The Italian professors are fantastic


23

○ There are Italian tutors

○ It’s intensive, at time difficult, but elementary Italian could have been

a waste of my time

● Has a language course hindered your abil ity to take other

classes?

○ Full time students take 16-18 credits

○ Site emphasizes LANGUAGE

○ Never felt that it hindered the ability to take other courses

● Are you able to place out of Italian?

○ Placement test at the site when you get there

○ Learning contract: take a class, but it’s in Italian

○ VERY rare for any student to not take an Italian course while you’re

there

● Is there a possibil ity of getting an internship in Florence?

○ Part of GLS program is an internship

○ UNICEF internships

○ Art museum internships

○ LOTS OF ART INTERNSHIPS

● Lots of community service

○ Teach English to local students

● How many students in total are in the Florence program?

○ 102 are freshmen, rest are upperclassmen

○ 310 total students

○ Also have visiting students


24

● Is The Vil la very isolated from the city?

○ Upperclassmen on on-campus housing is very unlikely

○ Freshmen required to live on-campus

○ Upperclassmen would be living in the city

○ The campus can feel isolated, but it is a 57 acre estate

○ Depends on students effort to travel into city if you live on-campus

● Professor are great

● Attendance policy is rather strict, l ike other sites

○ Absence is only excused if you’re sick, religious observance, miss

one class for a school sponsored event if they conflict


25

NYU London

● Chloe Morgan: from NY CAS

○ Sophomore, studying Biochemestry

○ Studying in London for an entire year

○ Taking biology, psychology, organic chemistry

● London offers opportunities for Theatre, Pre-med, psychology

● Dorms?

○ 2 NYU houses (one is a bit further, so need to take a bus)

○ Close to the academic center

○ Dorms are mixes

○ Private baths

● Basic cost of l iving is higher in London than in the US

● You can be good about budget

● When do you recommend studying in London?

○ It depends on what’s going on in London

○ Busier in the spring

○ More students in the spring

● Are events planned?

○ Culture programming: have a certain number of credits to use

○ Ex: Stonehedge (some credits)

○ Something to do every weekend

● What are the internship opportunities?

○ Pretty good internship program

○ Apply for an internship once you get in


26

○ ask what your major is and they give you suggestions

○ internships for every major

○ need a higher level visa to be able to get an internship

○ internship is very competitive

○ none of them are paid

● What about jobs?

○ need a higher level visa to be able to work

● What’s the academic atmosphere l ike?

○ It depends on your major

○ Science kids are really stressed

○ British lectures are a lot less about structure and more about getting

a ton of information

● No classes on Fridays

○ but first 5 weeks of school have a Global Orientations seminar

● People travel to mainland Europe a lot

○ train is very close to the dorms

● Dorms have people from other schools

○ in the middle of central London

○ NYU is on two floors in a 16 floor dorm

○ there’s an elevator

● How are the rooms?

○ depends on if you get a standard double, extended double, or a

single

○ double rooms are usually for singles


27

○ room size depends on which dorm building you’re in

○ NYU room are technically bigger, but double usually feel small

● What do you dislike about NYU London?

○ Personally thinks everything is really great

● Cafeteria?

○ no cafeteria

○ groceries

○ cooking

○ every dorm has a kitchen

○ one of the dorms doesn’t have an oven

● Many people want to study away to learn a new language, so

why London?

○ there is a common language barrier

○ still English, but it’s very different

● Global Orientations seminar?

○ lecture Monday nights

○ seminar on Fridays

○ first 5 weeks only

○ mandatory essay or project

● Is London safe?

○ yes

○ not many people are out at night

○ kind of an early city

○ Tube closes at midnight


28

○ buses run 24 hours, but no trains after midnight

○ not a lot of people are out past 10pm, except for maybe Saturdays

● How much are taxis?

○ expensive from the airport (about 90 pounds)

● Heathrow is the closest airport to the dorms

○ the trip from the airport to the dorms may be more expensive than

the plane ticket

● How large are class sizes?

○ varies

○ largest class is typically 21 students

○ no bigger than 21 students

● 100 freshmen

● about 400 total

● lots of students from Abu Dhabi

● What is the difference between NY and London?

○ older buildings in London

○ can take a breather in London

○ smaller classes in London

○ slower-paced in London

● Professors?

○ most professors have been teaching since NYU London started

○ good for information about research


29

NYU Prague

● Angela Ortega Pastor: from AD

○ loves Prague

○ cheap :)

○ chose Prague because of the classes because of AD

○ from Spain so coming to Eastern Europe is a very different

experience

● Avishee: from NY

○ business major at Stern

○ sophomore

○ loves Prague

○ chose Prague because they had the Stern classes she needed to

take

○ stuff is cheap

○ be able to experience things

○ currency exchange is great

● Yena Oh: from NY

○ chose Prague because wouldn’t go on her own

○ people into Western Europe, not Eastern Europe

● What are some of the benefits in Prague that aren’t available

in NY

○ housing is much better than NY

○ lots of space

○ free printing in the dorms


30

○ travel opportunities are amazing

■ ex: trips to Vienna

○ professors are great, very knowledgeable

○ largest class size is typically 10 people

● How cheap is it to go from Prague to other countries?

○ very very cheap

○ Spain is a bit more expensive (about $300)

○ Eastern Europe is a lot cheaper

○ can stay in hostels

● Are there business classes?

○ three business classes this semester

○ they must cap it to two Stern classes

● What do you know about the music program?

○ one of the dorms is specifically for music people

■ practice rooms

○ smaller this semester

○ go to concerts

○ fits the music scene in Prague

○ classes are very small so there is personalize attention

○ the program is very well developed

● What do you know about the Humanities courses?

○ lots of politics courses that are more European based

● What are the languages spoken in Prague?

○ Czech


31

○ Russian

○ German

○ Polish

○ survival Czech during orientation week

○ most of the young people speak English

○ there are cultural differences

● What is the biggest difference between Eastern Europe and

Western Europe?

○ only 25 years since becoming Prague became an independent

country

○ liberal

○ religion is not a big part of Prague

○ less inviting of tourists which can be a big hard at the beginning

● Is it worth it to get the Europe pass?

○ inter-rail Europe pass

○ depends on which places you want to see

○ international trains are really expensive

○ if you’re not an international citizen, it’s about $250

○ compare costs before getting a pass


32

NYU New York

● Luis Morales-Navarro: from AD

○ junior

○ in NY for 2 semesters

○ currently in his 2nd semester

○ film major

○ minor in public policy

○ studied in NY for a J-term

○ chose NY b/c of the academics

■ different from NY

○ has a 20 hour internship w/ a film documentary company

■ no credit, unpaid

● How is it going from AD to NY?

○ depends on what you do in NY

○ about 36,000 people at NYU NY

○ classes are big or small depending on the courses you take

○ SH to NY city-wise is probably not too bad

○ it’s nice to be in a place where not everyone knows you

○ have a lot of freedom

○ will be away from your friends

○ make new friends

○ TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

○ can get lost, so if you can, Google Maps!

○ NY is very different from AD


33

○ you need to make an effort to be a part of the community

● Can we take classes in Tisch and Stern?

○ been able to take classes in Stern

○ they have non-Stern classes

○ same professors at Stern

○ grading is rigorous

● Are classes capped? Stern?

○ can only take a max of 20 credits (overloading)

○ some classes are 3 credits, some are 6 credits

● NYUSH students can only take 2 classes that fulfi l l your major

requirements

● How are the internship opportunities? How competitive it is?

○ if you’re not an American citizen, it’s harder to get internships

because they are limited

○ there are unpaid internships

○ Wasserman Center

● Is NY a safe city?

○ more dangerous than AD

○ safer than SH (in his opinion)

● What is the housing application like?

○ still an NYU student

○ exact same process as NYU NY students

○ limited housing

○ some people living in hotels now because of the limited housing


34

○ pricing depends on which dorm you go into

● Was there any culture shock from AD to NY?

○ not for him

○ went to high school in Hong Kong

○ can be a bit overwhelming for us

○ people are not very friendly

○ it’s very easy to feel at home in NY

○ NY campus students are very welcoming

○ student activities through NYU to get to know people and be

involved

○ volunteering

● How do you participate in sports?

○ renovating the sports center

○ other facilities for sports while the sports center is under

construction

○ two gyms for NYU students (Gramercy and Palladium)

○ Palladium has sports classes

○ sports teams

○ gym is free (included in tuition)

○ intramurals/varsity sometimes has to pay because of coaches

● Have you have negative thoughts about AD and SH students

because of the money?

○ lots of clarification going on right now

○ mixed feelings


35

● Do you have any advice for facil itating NY upon arrival?

○ make the most of the city

○ museums, non-NYU conferences

○ don’t do a J-term abroad before going to NY in the spring

■ adaptation is difficult

● Do you think you’re more independent because you’re in NY?

○ more independent

○ food is all on you’re own

○ how you get to class

○ figure out a lot of things by yourself

○ ask people for help if you need it! They will help you!

○ RA’s on your floor

○ public safety

○ SH administrators in NY

○ student health center is probably one of the best health centers in

the US

○ may get lonely because the city/school is so big

● What/how are the dining options?

○ meal plans (ex: 75 meal plan so only 75 meals per semester)

○ Hayden? dining hall: right in front of Washington Square

○ all-you-can eat is pretty good in his opinion

○ Kimmel

○ variety in food


36

○ special dietary needs are accounted for (halal, kosher, gluten-free,

vegetarian, vegan)

● Frats and sororities?

○ seem to be pretty open

● Is cooking yourself easy?

○ depends on how well you cook :)

○ depends on where you live

○ Trader Joes!!!

● everything is really expensive compared to SH

● drinking age is 21! ! ! ! !

● What do you not l ike about being in NY?

○ too many tourists

○ they’re everywhere

○ Times Square (too overwhelming, gross, too many lights)

○ Greenwich Village is a very nice area for NYU

● Do you get a lot of chances to travel?

○ Boston

○ been home several times

○ travelling is expensive

● Are the courses easier or harder?

○ depends on what you’re taking

○ some people say courses are easier in NY

○ don’t take too many Stern/production/engineering courses on one

semester!


37

○ NYU Poly is far

● Minors?

○ you can get minors that are only offered at NYU NY

● Can study away students take classes in Tisch or Stern?

○ not sure about the Stern requirements

○ assigned into a non-stern class (classmates not a part of Stern,

instead from other schools/campuses)

■ will be graded in the same way as Stern students

■ grade depends on what other classmates get

● What’s the average number of students in one class?

○ Varies

○ Sometimes 200 students

○ Sometimes 20 students

○ Can be less than 10 students

○ Depends on the major, school, and class

■ Stern, Tisch, Steinhart, Wagner might be the same as SH

● Can you take classes at different schools?

○ Depends on schedule

○ Make sure you can get to your classes on time

○ NYU Poly to the Square can be rough

○ About 30 minutes from Manahattan to Brooklyn

○ Can be at NYU Poly for two days a week and then at the Square for

two days a week


38

NYU Madrid

● Beckie Hamroff: from NY

● Do a lot of people come to Madrid without Spanish experience?

A lot of people come to Madrid and stay in homestays so learn the

language, and they meet several times a week to study and practice

● Are those students in the immersive language program taking

regular classes?

That program is 6 credits so they take classes on top of that.

● What are the dorms like? Connected to campus?

Two different types of housing: homestay (staying with families with a

roommate or alone) - some homestays pay the family so the family

provides food

Another option is apartment housing where you live with roommates. NYU

will find the apartment for you but it will be random throughout the city so

you can be anywhere

● Madrid campus will be expanded?

Yes, but not spoken about much. They need to move to a bigger space to

accommodate higher demand. The new campus will be closer to the

center of the city. Currently they are about a 40-minute bus ride from the

center

● Transportation to the rest of Europe?

People travel every weekend. Plane tickets are very cheap. Trains are also

very easy to use and are about the same price as planes.

● Is a Madrid safe for non-Spanish speakers?


39

They do often speak English, but though it’s not much, its enough to

communicate. There are no big issues with safety, but pick pocketing can

be a big problem.

● Cost of l iving compared to NY?

Pretty similar. an average lunch is approx. 5-10 euros, dinner is often more

expensive. Housing is much cheaper than in NY.

● Tapas?

Tapas is great but often pretty cheap. 3-10 euros a plate. Wine is also very

cheap (1 euro a bottle)

● What do you like the least about Madrid?

Not a lot of diversity. Most of the immigrants are from Spanish speaking

country so coming from new york its a big shock to see such a lack of

diversity. Favorite part is how open people are to include you and how

much they want to integrate you. People are out very late every night and

things happen later.

● Any problems that happened when you got there? Things to be

prepared for?

Spanish level is the only thing that can really cause problems, as the more

Spanish you speak the faster you’ll integrate. But that isn’t a huge barrier

and definitely shouldn’t stop you from coming.

The city isn’t as grand as some other European city, but its really great.

● Does the average person speak English?


40

Most people over the age of 20 can speak English but they’re extremely

comfortable speaking it, but they’re friendly and will help you if you need

it.

● Does NY Madrid organize trips and such for the students?

There is an orientation week where they give you basic knowledge and

you attend some events. During the semester there is one weekend trip

you go on (ex. south of Spain, west of Spain, or Portugal were the options

this semester). There are some day trips to little cities around Spain. They

also update you on events going on in the city. There is also a program

where they set you up with a student from university of Madrid so you can

meet with them to do a language exchange.

● Why Madrid and not Buenos Aires?

I am more interested in history of Europe than America and the travel

options in Madrid are much better. Her roommate in Buenos Aires has only

gone on one trip whereas she has gone on several.

Most people choose between these because of class options.

● What do you mean that Madrid doesn’t look like Paris or other

big European city?

It doesn’t have that grandness that other European cities have. There is an

evolution of building repairs and such, but they haven’t gone into the

powerful buildings. There is only one part of the city that has the big grand

marble structures. It gives it a lot more character and diversity in

architecture, which she likes.

● How are the classes compared to NY?


41

Its more focused on practical. There is a lot less per night however but she

has 3-12 page papers due in the next month or so. It’s different work but it

isn’t harder or easier.

● Would someone without a Spanish background be taking

classes in Spanish?

You have to be in the advanced Spanish level to take Spanish classes.

There are a lot of classes that are taught and practiced in English but are

based on Spanish culture or history etc.

● After a sense of Spanish does it really improve?

The intensive classes let you finish two levels in one semester which is a

fast passed course that really teaches you a lot of Spanish and helps you

acclimate yourself to Madrid a lot easier

The practical knowledge that you learn while you’re in Madrid makes it a

lot easier to learn because you hear it all the time and it becomes easier to

become accustomed to.

● How many people speak Spanish already when they get there?

It’s about 50/50.

● How many NYU kids are there and are there more programs

around?

About 80 students in fall, and 120 in the spring, but it’s not only NY kids as

some other universities are partnered like Duke, Tufts, etc.

You can ask to take classes at the Spanish university if your Spanish is

good enough.


42

● NY bubble. Do you find that it ’s mostly just people from the

program that you’re with?

People usually stay within the NY bubble because those are the people

you see all day in classes and stuff and you end up being with them.

It really depends on what you make of the experience.

Convenience wise, people stay within NY network.

● Is it better in the spring or the fall?

I don’t think it matters. There are more class options in spring because

there are more people. It really depends on what works best with your

four-year schedule.

Spring semester is good because you can stay and travel in the summer,

but some people do that in fall to because they can travel in January

(there is a really long break in January).

BBI Global Skype Sessions Q&A 2014

Documents

Transcript of BBI Global Skype Sessions Q&A 2014