Muki chose to study in Spain

My name is Muki, I'm 16 years old and I'm from Austria. I am right now spending 5 months in Spain in a smaller city near Madrid called Rivas Vaciamadrid.

I've been here for almost 2 months now and it's been absolutely great. I had almost no expectations going into this but all the ones I had were exceeded. I think it was the best decision to step out of my comfort zone and decide to live in a foreign country and family where I know absolutely no one and nothing. I am already sure that I will always remember these 5 months as a great time, if not the best.

Why Spain?

I love the summer and all the things you can do when it's warm, so it sounded great to me to live in a country where it stays warm and sunny way longer than it does in mine. This was probably one of the main reasons why I chose to go to Spain.

Friends and school

From the first day in Spain with the welcome camp, until now, every day has been great. I met new friends pretty quickly, both other exchange students who live in my city and locals, especially from my school. School, my classmates, and teachers are all nice.

The host family

My family is really nice, and I love spending time with my 3 host siblings and dog. I have a nice room and my family cares about me. I live here as if I were part of their family.

Spanish language

My Spanish has improved a lot! I understand more and more every day. By now, after only two months, I understand a lot and can communicate pretty well.

Free time

In the afternoons, I mostly go to the gym or meet with my friends to hang out or play football. On the weekends, we love to go to Madrid, which is around 40 minutes away by metro. We explore the city, shop, and have fun. This is probably my favorite thing to do, and I always look forward to it. Me and my friends absolutely love Madrid and everything you can see and do there.

My recommendation

I can only recommend going on an exchange, and STS has been great. Everything has been well and comfortably organized. I have nothing to complain about! If you decide to go on an exchange year yourself, my advice is to expect as little as possible before you start and let yourself be surprised by the things you experience. Then you can't be disappointed!

Find out more

• Read more student stories from Spain
• Read more about a high school exchange in Spain
• See all our high school exchange destinations