I was lucky enough to take my graduate studies in Spain for free, thanks to a scholarship from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development. Spain was not a common destination for education, which is probably the reason why I frequently get asked about my experience there. I often answer in bits or in an unsatisfying summary. This will be the first time I will try to condense everything in a few paragraphs.
Before I continue, I would like to say that I wanted to study in Spain since I was 19 years of age and I finally went when I was 25 years old in 2006. When you finally get the thing that you have been wanting for a long time, there is a strange melancholy that sets in. Sure, I was feeling exhilarated in the months leading up to it but when I finally was coursing through the master studies, it was funny that pensiveness hit me in the first month I was in Madrid. My friend had the same emotional reaction when he finally got to Italy on full scholarship for his PhD studies, so I guess it was not so weird for me to have this feeling.
Middle September 2006, I arrived at the Madrid airport just in time to rush to my first class. The first lecture was an introduction to finance, which covered concepts on future and net present value. I was half attentive because of the jetlag, a new climate and new foreign faces.
I remember that the favorite topic of some of my classmates, the Europeans and Americans, was derivatives and we had around three subjects on it. Though the knowledge became handy for me later on when I was asked to value special stock options for employees, I just coursed through the classes since I did not see common usage for it back home.
I particularly enjoyed valuation topics and econometric classes. I also appreciated that we could print materials for free and each classroom has its own printer.
Other peculiarities I noticed in Madrid outside the university were: Groceries, public transportation, and most utility bills were cheaper in Madrid than in Manila; hunting as a sport is almost equivalent to golf.
Recounting my Madrid experience would be incomplete without mentioning the friends I made. Most of my classmates came from Latin and South America, and from other European countries. A special camaraderie happens when you put together a bunch of twenty-somethings who would come together outside class for monthly parties that usually ended in early morning inebriation.
I apologize if I have nothing to say about the Museo del Prado and other cultural places. For most part I really did just study and was not able to take advantage of the tourism opportunities. What I can say though is that I preferred the bus over the underground metro since it was such a delight to appreciate the architecture and sights of the city.
To those who wish to study in Spain and apply for the scholarship of the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional y Desarollo, please follow this link:
https://www.aecid.es/ES/becas-y-lectorados/convocatorias-maec-aecid
I would advise that you must be armed with at least an intermediate level of Spanish to understand the information.
Myris Santos’s professional experience spans from being an analyst in the manufacturing, energy and banking sectors. She obtained a Master in Financial Analysis from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid through scholarship of the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional y Desarollo.