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Spain: Madrid and the Mediterranean - Main Page

Real Madrid battles it out in the soccer stadium in Madrid.

For thousands of years, the Mediterranean has served as a fertile basin of ideas and history. This still-thriving modern area has profoundly influenced Western civilization through the first democratic government, the development of coinage and a market economy, early theatre, the beginning of classical sculpture and architecture, and philosophers who articulated ideas on human reason. Covering topics such as history, philosophy, mythology, literature, politics, and the arts, the Mediterranean Semester gives students an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the major forces that shaped the area. Although the semester is based in Madrid, you travel extensively throughout the Mediterranean to sites in Turkey, Italy, and Greece.

With its rich blend of influences from the Mediterranean, Europe, and North Africa, Spain represents a variety of cultures. Together these cultures have formed a contemporary society that is rapidly emerging as a force in the European community while strengthening its ties with the Americas. At the center of this dynamic country lies the capital city of Madrid. With its lovely architecture dating back to the 16th century, world famous art museums, and handsome parks, Madrid is a welcoming environment in which you live and improve your Spanish. Stroll through the lovely Retiro Park on a Sunday morning and enjoy the jugglers and mimes. Treat yourself to "tapas" while taking in the exquisite design of the old Plaza Mayor. View the paintings of Goya, Velasquez, and El Greco at the Prado Museum.

Meet the Spain Program Director

After years of study and teaching in the United States, Dr. MariCarmen Caballero returned to her native Spain to lead AU's abroad programs in Madrid in 1996. Dr. Caballero earned her doctorate at the City University of New York with her research in the "Theory and Praxis of the Classical discourse applied to the Renaissance narrative." Dr. Caballero taught for several years at SUNY before joining AU. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Caballero worked in journalism, as a radio announcer, news reporter and anchor for the Spanish media in New York, a city that she considers magical.

Dr. Caballero says that to work in international education all of these years has been a fabulous experience since she has been able to see, over and over, how the memories of what the students lived and shared together does not only have a profound and lasting effect on them and are cherished for years to come.