AIFS Abroad in Granada, Spain: Semester

I studied in Granada, Spain in the Fall of 2015. I know saying "it was amazing" is very vague but honestly, it was the most amazing time of my life. I made some of the best friends, I lived in the middle of the city and my host mom helped to make my experience great. What can I say? I don't have many complaints! Everything went smoothly with AIFS. They are very organized and are always ready to help, but they still give you the space to be independent.
By day, I got a latte and a tostada in the local cafe, I went to school, and enjoyed siestas. By night, I went out and enjoyed tapas or went to the discoteca with my friends! Granada is awesome in regards to nightlife because when you go out to get tapas, you pay for your drink and the tapas come free. Granada is also the home to thousands of young college students during the school year because the University of Granada is there. So, Granada is young, lively and cost effective. You can't beat it. One of my favorite things about Granada was it's Moorish neighborhoods and background. Granada has a rich history and I encourage you to explore the Alhambra, the white washed Carmen neighborhood and go get tea in the Albayzin.
Before studying abroad, I was a Hospitality major. After my experience, I became an International Studies major. Studying abroad literally changed my life. I'm so glad I picked the AIFS Granada program.

What can I say that someone else hasn't told you. Granada holds a special place in my heart. It didn't take long for this place to make me fall in love with it. The views, the people, the food. Everything made the experience one thousand times better. The AIFS staff in Granada also made the experience one of a kind. The work hard to have us fit in and they would answer any question we had for them. They were also very patient with us and they guided us when we needed it. Granada is amazing 24/7. Being here was a great opportunity to meet other people from different parts of the US and all over the world as well. Being able to travel during the weekends was also a great experience. We were able to have fun but at the same time we knew that we were there to learn. Going to school was also a different experience that opened my eyes because I learned so much.
Over all coming to Granada was one of the best decisions ever!

One of the activities the resident directors planned was a team photo scavenger hunt. They gave us clues leading us to different parts of Granada, and we had to take a picture of us at the different locations. I, and two of my friends, got some native college girls to help us out, and we ended up winning 75 euros. We saw many unique and out-of-the-way areas of Granada. This was just one way our wonderful resident directors helped involve us in the culture.

I was very nervous about knowing little to no Spanish and living in Spain. The abroad directors helped with ANYTHING you needed. They really were fantastic. Being integrated in the culture in Granada really allowed me to feel at ease and I left with more knowledge than expected. Granada really is a beautiful city and there were so many new things I would find every day. Mae West was like nothing else, a fun gem where you would find locals and foreigners. The Alhambra was amazing from any view. So glad I chose Granda over a huge city like Barcelona or Madrid.

Sam and I had stayed until the very end of the fair. The lights were shutting off and the shuttles were making their last runs. We hopped on the bus that would take us in the direction of our home, then fell into a relaxed conversation. 20 minutes later we hear the bus driver telling everybody to get off. We had arrived at the last stop. This stop happened to be unfamiliar to us both and even worse, the street we were on was beyond the edge of the paper map we cared. So here we were, lost in a foreign city with no cell phone service and little Spanish-speaking skills. We roamed for 30 minutes before we came upon a crowded bar, and at that point we were desperate enough to ask (in broken Spanish) how to get home. 4 men and 1 woman smoked their cigarettes and eagerly offered advice, all telling us at once to take different routes. One man and the woman insisted on giving us a ride. I was hesitant, hearing my moms warnings in the back of my mind, but finally Sam and I decided to take their offer. Ten minutes later, to our relief, we arrived in front of my apartment. The lesson I learned? Trust intuition when making judgements and always carry an elaborate map.

While in Madrid for the weekend with the program, our tour guide told us of a tradition where local farmers push a herd of 2,000 sheep through the center of Madrid to their winter pastures. Our program director had us vote, and we left the hotel a bit earlier the next morning to catch the start of the procession before our bike tour. It was just an example of the random cultural experiences you're bound to find while studying abroad and I loved every second of it!

I loved Granada. I could walk anywhere I needed to go but always found something new to explore. There's something for everyone...shops, beaches, hiking, and nightlife. The program staff is the most helpful duo you can find. I felt at home.

My primary goal studying abroad was to get as much practice with Spanish as possible, since I am a Spanish major. I also wanted to get to know the city and country and take other opportunities to travel. AIFS was great because the placed me in an incredible home stay that was the highlight of my experience abroad. The family was incredibly welcoming and I felt at home with them very quickly. They included me in their family events and outings and made sure I was happy and comfortable. The program directors in Granada, Edu and Noelia, were also amazing. They were supportive and helpful and did everything they could to improve our experience abroad and adjust to our new lives there. I also loved the excursions with AIFS. I got to see so many cities in Spain and I am not sure I would have seen so many if I didn't have the excursions to make traveling so easy. The trips had a good balance of education and sightseeing and downtime to do what we wanted. I left my semester abroad with a greater confidence in my speaking ability. While abroad, I also discovered the career path I am pursuing now as I prepare for graduation in 6 months. Studying abroad gave me direction that I did not have before.