IES Abroad Granada

To be completely honest, before leaving for Granada I wasn't sure how I felt about studying abroad. I had heard great things about the program, but I was terrified to leave the comforts of my home college go to a place I'd never been to before. It turned out that parts of studying abroad were scary, like when I got lost in the city walking back from class, or frustrating, when I couldn't think of the right Spanish words to communicate with my host family. But overall studying abroad was an extremely rewarding experience. I was worried before about living and fitting in with my host family, but the people in my host family were some of the nicest and most laid-back people I had ever met.They answered all of my questions and cooked some of the best food I've ever eaten. The teachers at IES were smart, enthusiastic, and fun to talk to about any topic. I felt my Spanish getting better all the time. I loved being able to buy pastries filled with chocolate on the way home from class, or going out to tapas bars and getting wine and food for two euros. I've been back in the United States for about five months, but I still think about and miss Granada all of the time. I hope I can go back some day soon.

I absolutely loved my experience with IES Abroad Granada. My homestay was fantastic--my host mother was kind, welcoming, and made me feel instantly at home. I lived a 20 minute walk from my abroad center, which while at first seemed daunting, became one of my favorite parts of my day as I got to know all the vendors and people on the way to school that I would say hi to in the morning and chat with on the way home. The people in Granada were incredibly kind and helpful and very helpful and patient with my spanish.

Going out to dinner every night was also incredible. I love the "free tapas" culture of Granada -- it made eating out every night very affordable and also forced me to try new foods almost every day, which was fun. I also loved the open and relaxed atmosphere of dinner every night because it meant meeting tons of people all the time.

My only complaint (which I partially resolved) was that I quickly grew bored with the clubbing scene. Granada isn't an enormous town, and so nightlight can get a little stale. I tried to get around this by going to different tapas places and not going to clubs very often, but if you're looking for a wild and constantly changing partying scene, a bigger city might better suit your tastes.

I walked to school every morning from my home stay to the IES center through the busy streets of Granada. I got to see the majestic and beauty that is the Alhambra multiple times and explored the streets in the Albayzín, embracing the Islamic influences and culture. I ate amazing food with my host mom, enjoyed tapas throughout the city, made lasting friendships and learned so much. I could not have pictured a more incredible experience.

My time in Granada was simply amazing. Everything in my environment was brand new, the sights, sounds, and even the smells. It was overwhelming at first, however, refreshing and invigorating too. I stayed with a host family and though speaking only in Spanish was rough off the bat, as the weeks passed I quickly improved. I took a diverse group of classes in Spanish that allowed me to gain understanding of the local culture: Islamic Art, Flamenco, a literature class, and a Spanish language class. In the art class we visited various important sites such as the Great Mosque in Cordoba and a three-part specialized tour through the Alhambra. The program's trip to Morocco stands out as one of the experiences I'm most appreciative of. I spent four days in the country and stayed with a local family. The memories I made there are so vivid because I had never been anywhere remotely like it before. My time in Morocco was just a cherry on top of an amazing semester filled with beauty, wonder, and encounters with the other.

I'm still in awe of all that happened during my time abraod that even now it's hard to process it all. I got to visit five different countries, spend time in sixteen different cities, and meet hundreds of new people. I played futbol with Spaniards and shared some great nights at the discotecas with my intercambio. I'm really glad I did the IES program in Granada.

Granada is truly a great city to study abroad. If you are seeking out a place to learn more outside the classroom than inside, I highly recommend this city. It has a lot of history, culture and wonderful people. There are so many options for exploring and opportunities to participate in local activities.

Studying abroad in Granada was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I could talk about it forever, but here are some of the things about IES Granada that I think set it apart:

IES staff/professors:
The IES staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. The program director, Javier, knows every single student by name and does a wonderful job making everyone feel at home. Everyone who works for IES Granada is dedicated to making the students feel comfortable with classes and the city, and will take extra time to help with personal problems or trip planning. Every professor I had challenged us with interesting and relevant material. I took all of my classes in Spanish, and it was very rewarding to know that I not only understood the language, but also I could also comprehend challenging academic material in Spanish. The Spanish grammar class aimed to teach us practical, local Spanish usage, so it really helped with day-to-day life in Granada. The work wasn't too difficult, but I really felt like I was leaning useful information.

The city:
Granada is a great city for students. There are tons of international students there, so it's easy to feel like you fit in. It's also a perfect size. It's a small enough city that you can walk just about everywhere, but doesn't feel too small. I lived about 30 minutes from IES and walked every day. Walking around and exploring with friends is a great way to discover the lesser-known parts of the city and meet interesting locals. There is also such an incredible history and mixture of cultures in Granada. The city has so much to offer to students.

Trips:
IES field trips were one of my favorite parts of the program. The first trip was to Cabo de Gata, where did a 13-mile hike along the coast of the Mediterranean. We also went to Málaga, Sevilla, Ronda, and Córdoba. The best trip was to Morocco. This is something you just have to do. We stayed with host families in Rabat, talked to University students about Moroccan culture and politics, and cooked lunch at the home of a family that lived in the mountains and spoke to them through a translator. It was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on.

Recommendations:
-Speak Spanish!! Speak to locals in Spanish. Don't try to get them to speak English. It's really the only way to learn.
-Take as many classes in Spanish as you possibly can.
-Take Islamic Art and Architecture--this was by far my favorite class. You get to learn about the history of Granada and go out on weekly visits to architectural sites, including the Alhambra and the cathedral. We had several classes in the Alhambra and got to visit locations closed off to the general public.
-Go out for tapas with friends.
-Make friends with the locals. They can show you a side of Granada you would never get to see otherwise.
-Explore and take advantage of every opportunity given to you.

Overall, my experience in Granada was amazing. I loved everything about the city and made friends that I will keep for life.

One of the difficulties that I faced as a non-native Spanish speaker in Granada was the fact that many of the people in restaurants, cafes, and bars wanted to speak English to my friends and I. A large reason I was in Spain was to truly learn and practice my Spanish, and it was frustrating to be spoken English to. Generally, I would just respond to all their questions in Spanish until they got the hint, or I would request for them to speak Spanish to me, explaining that I was a student.

Granada

In one sentence, IES Granada is fantastic. Here's why you should go:
The City:
Granada is a great size, small enough where I felt like I could navigate well but big enough that there is always something interesting going on. It's walkable, which makes it easy to get together with friends and to explore. And there's so much to see! The Alhambra is fantastic of course, and so are the free flamenco concerts, the Albayzin, the cathedral. Plus the weather is gorgeous and Granada is close to both the ocean and the mountains (I took independent trips to both). And it's easy travel to the rest of Europe and to Africa!

Academics:
The IES teachers are some of the best teachers I've had. There classes are interesting because they're about the city (and because the teachers are excited to be teaching them). The class work was not very hard but I felt like I learned enough to make them worthwhile. The university classes, on the other hand, were a struggle. They are hard to coordinate with the IES schedule, the class I took wasn't very good, and the program ends before exams so it's a hassle trying to make everything work.

General Awesomeness:
The IES "field trips" set the program apart for me. While my friends and I planned trips on our own as well, it was so nice to have a few that were planned for us, and to such cool places! Definitely go on the Morocco trip, it's well worth it.
My host family was fantastic and while I had two friends who didn't enjoy there stay, everyone else I knew on the 150ish person program was very satisfied. The IES meal plan works really well in this setting because you get a delicious lunch from your host family and then get to enjoy the "free" tapas (with the order of a drink) at bars for dinner. It makes nights a great time for bonding and hanging out.