What to Know before You Go: Previous Coggin Exchange Student Perspectives

University of Rey Juan Carlos: ,

Since you are a business student and I am going to assume that you will be taking your classes in English, you will be attending classes at URJC of Vicalvaro, which is 30 minute subway ride from . There are 4 different sections of URJC that are spread out around Madrid. When you arrive, you will meet with Sabrina whose office is located in the building called Geston on the first floor. All your classes should be in this building if you are taking LADE Bilingual. From Sabrina you will have to fill out paper work about your classes with codes for the courses you wish to take. You can find this information online and your advisor here can help you with this. All LADE Bilingual are defined as morning and group A but this information you should check. The location of classes and the times will be displayed in the building across from the Library on the bottom floor.

Classes:

You should know that marks for the class are based on one test but don’t worry you have plenty of time to study just make sure to manage your time wisely. However in some classes you may have multiple tests that will take portions of information out of your final, or those test might be extra points added to your final grade, or there is no final but of course there will be a big project to compensate. If you have classes all from the same year then all your classes will be in the same room and you will be with the same students throughout the term.

Language:

Upon your arrival here you will attend an Intensive course that will help you, and it is also for determining your placement for continuing in studying Spanish in the free course they provide. Coming here a foundation followed by the supportive Spanish classes as well as on your own learning, and constant practice, you will leave Spain understanding and speaking Spanish as if you were a native. But this is a lot work. Just so you know that everyone here speaks Spanish the only time were you will be able to speak or hear English is during classes and with not only other Spanish students and the Eramus students.

Housing:

I live in Vicalvaro and my apartment is a 5 minute walk from the school. But this is because I prefer living close and not having to worry about taking the metro to get to school. I can tell you that living here is a little bit less than in the center ‐ in this I am What to Know before You Go: Previous Coggin Exchange Student Perspectives

referring to buying groceries, clothing, locutorio; however, I am sure that wherever you live you will find places that are inexpensive, places to purchases your basic needs. For my rent I pay 380 euros but again you again probably find cheaper places that can be in this area or not too far away from school. I would suggest that you have a place to live before you arrive. Trust me, it makes things a lot easier. And if you decide to pick something make sure you look at a metro map to see where it located in reference to the school. Remember that Vicalvaro to Sol is roughly 30 minutes.

Below are different organizations for renting that I know of:

• Aluni : aluni.net is the site to see and purchase you housing before you arrive. It should be noted that they only speak Spanish but are learning English. They have a location across the street from the university : Paseo de los Artilleros 29 • ERamus.com: there is given in the info packet from the school • Creg list

For payment of my flat I have to use a Visa Debit card and I don’t if this is standard for every place. You should know that Visa is a widely used and accepted form credit card unlike American express.

Transportation:

Metro

Now the metro here is easy to use and figure out. One trip ticket = 1euro and 10 trips = 7.40 euros, however prices may vary. If you live outside of Vicalvaro it may suit you to get a monthly pass. This pass you can get at the tobacco shop. The price to get the ID card for the metro is 1.50 euros and the cost for the actual ticket = roughly 30 euros . You should get zone A which incorporates the center of Madrid, Sol but the zone really depends on where you will be living. The metro closes at 1:30 am and re‐opens around 6 am. If you stay in the center longer because of shows you can take Buhos which are night time buses that all leave from the Plaza Cibeles. Once in the plaza you can search for the bus number that goes to where you live ‐ it costs the same, one euro.

Photos:

Multiple passport size are needed. To be honest I found a lot easier getting them here because they are really inexpensive. But you can also bring this with you. You can get these types of photos in the metro stations photo both and for 6 photos for 3 euros. You will use these photos for paperwork for Sabrina, library card as well as metro pass if you What to Know before You Go: Previous Coggin Exchange Student Perspectives

decide to get it, as well as for class fichas which are for the professors, Eramus card and just in case you lose your passport.

ESNURJ:

This is a group organization that you can contact so that if you need them to pick you up from the airport but you will need to notify them ahead of time. They also plan activities that you can participate in. Their site is www.esnurjc.es. To contact them directly and to see if someone can pick you up: [email protected]. Now I would do this earlier because in the month of august everyone goes on vacation.

Police station:

This is very important and must be done once you arrive in Spain. The location is Calle general Pardinas, 90. You will get off on metro station Nunez de Balboa. This is a 3‐step process that will take one month to complete. If you have any problems with this or any other issue, speak with Sabrina or you advisors. If they themselves don’t know contact and inform Kate about your situation. This is something that can take some time. And if you don’t do this you can find yourself in a sticky situation.

Basic information:

Travel within Europe ‐ you will find it cheap and inexpensive. Keep your eye open because you can find trip to London for almost nothing.

Streets to be aware of with in Madrid:

1. Calle Luna: prostitution and drugs day or night. This street I would suggest never to walk down it. 2. Calle valverde 3. Calle la cruz 4. Monterra: prostitution. This street is not bad to walk down and you shouldn’t find any real trouble. This is one of the streets that heads to the puerta del sol and there are a lot of police in this area.

These are all close to the center, the first three streets I would stay clear from and monterra is okay but just be careful.

5. : is where the Rastro the open market is located this takes place on Sundays. Here I would just be careful for robbery. What to Know before You Go: Previous Coggin Exchange Student Perspectives

Telephone:

You should get one in order to be in contact with other students. You can do one or two things: first check if your phone has the ability to carry a phone card. If it does, it saves you one thing less to buy. If it doesn’t, don’t worry about it because you can easily enough get a phone here and a card. You would get this at store called the Phone House. The easiest one to find would be if you got off the station for Gran Via. Once you are out of the station you should see a McDonalds right in front of you. Cross the street and you will find the Phone House (hard to miss). You will go inside and ask for a basic phone and a card that can cost you 15 euros (the card can be from Orange, Happy movil, and others). I would suggest Happy movil because most student have this type of card and calls are free between each other so you don’t waste any minutes. The phone can be 20 euros or less. There are a lot of deals, and since you don’t need anything special, you can just ask for the cheapest phone they have. Now the system of this phone is you buy minutes and when they are out you can buy more. This allows you not to have to buy a phone plan. The prices range from 5, 10, to 20, which you can get at the locutorio.

Internet

You have internet access at school and its library. You can also use that of the public library of Vicalvaro which is located behind main street of the university (paseo de artilleros) and behind the Ahorra Mas market, yet it is timed . Also you can go to a locutorio and gain internet access as well as make long distant calls home. The prices for using internet varies from locutorio to locutorio.

‐ Lourdes, 2008/09 academic year