Study Abroad in Granada, Spain

From the moment I landed in Granada I felt something special. Granada is a magical city full of culture and history. Listening to the music from Sacramonte to La Alhambra it is a must see city in Spain.

Oh Granada.... I miss it so much! This experience changed my life without a doubt and it is very hard to decide where to begin. My overall experience was fantastic - I improved my Spanish, made amazing friends and explored Europe. I'm going to focus on three things that I wish had been different: My living situation, prior knowledge about my school's attendance, and cultural immersion. My host family was very caring and we lived in a large apartment complex like most people in Granada, however I was not expecting the lack of communication/involvement from my host family. I think that in Spain many host families are older ladies who need money and so they are not hosting for the cultural experience so much as they are for cash. I found this disappointing - although I could have pushed to do more with them. Secondly, one of the major reasons I went to Spain was to travel through Europe - I even bought a EU rail pass prior to leaving... Don't do that.... After arriving in Granada I learned that my school had a rule forcing you to attend at least 80% of your classes or else you can't take the Final test (a couple of my classes were graded with only 2 tests - each 50% of your final grade). The rail pass was a huge waste of money, was time consuming, and very restricting. USE RYAN AIR! Flying is much faster and more flexible so it should be able to fit into your limited amount of time to travel. Lastly, I was disappointed that the centro de lenguas modernas was its own little island of international students and I had virtually no interaction with Spanish students. If you plan to make Spanish friends, seek how to get involved on the main campus at the beginning of your trip! Overall, I had a great time. The people are wonderful, the city is beautiful, and you will experience a type of freedom you didn't know existed... Now i'm feeling really nostalgic. You will love it!

I chose to study abroad in Granada because I wanted to improve my Spanish, and I had learned that Granada has a unique culture and a rich history. I am glad I chose to study through ISA. They set me up with a wonderful homestay, just a short walk away from everywhere I wanted to go. My host mom made the most delicious meals for us.

All of my classes were taught in Spanish, and through then I learned a lot about Spanish history and culture. The only downside to my classes is that most of my classmates were Americans. I did join a theater club, and made friends from all over the world that way.

My favorite part of the experience was traveling a lot. ISA set up several excursions to cities throughout Spain, and we also had time to travel on our own.

To describe my experience in Granada, Spain through ISA, I would need a year. Or two. In reality, January 22nd – May 23rd were the best months of my life and I would not trade it for the world. Before coming to Spain, I tried to not have any expectations because I wanted to have an open mind about everything. And that is exactly what I did. Stepping off the bus in Granada was the best feeling ever. I was not aware of all the friends I was going to make, the trips I was going to take, and the experiences I was going to have. When I reflect on everything that has happened, I smile.

The things about Granada that were most valuable to me were my host family, the trips I took, the memories I made, and the ISA staff. I cannot describe the love I had for my family. They truly are a second family. My host dad asked me to help him download Skype for his phone so we could communicate after I left Spain (and we still text every single day). How thankful I am to have lived with these wonderful people. Besides my family, I am so blessed to have traveled to Italy, Ireland, France, and Portugal. I had never traveled outside of the United States and now I can proudly say that I have been to five other countries. These trips have been some of the best memories of my life.

Each day in Granada was unique. Whether I was walking to school, eating gelato at Los Italianos with friends, shopping in the Albayzin, or tanning at Garcia Lorca park, I made the most out of my time in Spain. Even though I am thinking about returning to Spain to teach, I don’t know the next time I will be around that many Spanish people. One Spanish woman who was very special to me is my "intercambio" Virginia who I have already blogged about. I met with Virginia every Monday for three hours and spoke Spanish to her while she spoke English to me. These three hours a week significantly improved my Spanish. Virginia is one of the sweetest and smartest women I know and I am so glad I met her.

Of course, there were hard days here too where I missed my family and friends, but that's where the ISA support and staff felt like home. I would choose to study abroad with ISA countless times because of the extremely friendly and helpful staff that is available 24/7.

I will never feel like I am home again because part of my heart will always be in Granada. That is the price I pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.

I decided to study abroad in Granada by the recommendation of a friend who had gone with ISA two years ago. It was a spur of the moment decision for me, but it was the best choice I have made in college, bar none. As a homebody, I never pictured myself enjoying an abroad experience, but my time in Granada completely flipped my world. I spoke no Spanish going into the program, but the on-site staff, other students with ISA, and the incredibly friendly locals were beyond supportive and happy to help as I was learning the language.
Of all the cities that I visited in Spain (including fan-favorite Madrid), Granada proved to be the ultimate destination in my opinion. The city is large enough to provide endless attractions and entertainment, while maintaining a very warm, welcoming environment rarely found in areas with such large populations. Never once did I feel overwhelmed by the locals, the size of the city, or the tourist population. Granada provided an authentic Spanish experience, free from obnoxious tourist attractions, where I could soak up the culture and lifestyle of the average citizen. The city was remarkably clean and had the classic Spanish essence of cobblestone streets and breathtaking architecture. At nights, the streets were lit in a very romantic way that provided just enough light to see the plants hanging from endless rows of balconies leading to fountain upon fountain within plaza squares. Pictures of the cityscape will be etched in my mind forever. Atop the city, overlooking the land, is the historic Alhambra. As Spain's last moorish stronghold, the Alhambra and surrounding borough provide a glimpse into history in a pleasantly aesthetic way. This palace can be seen from nearly all locations throughout the city, and a trip to the top results in one of the most phenomenal views in the world.
City life is tastefully active, with the majority of transportation being your own two feet. ISA does a fantastic job ensuring that your host home is within manageable distance from your classes, so I was never stressed over time or effort in my commute. Though it can be tiring, walking facilitates familiarity with the city and opportunity to enjoy the local scene. After classes, my schedule was wide open, and the pedestrian friendly city always had something new for me to see. Granada is famous for free tapas (essentially appetizers) when you buy a drink. As a self proclaimed foodie, these enhanced each day as they gave me an opportunity to literally taste the culture. Granada is also home to vast expanses of locally owned shops, restaurants, and other businesses that make the city unique from any other. Personally, my favorite shop was a heladería (ice cream shop) near my house where I befriended the owner to the point that he knew my order and cut me deals on his decadent creations.
ISA also provides opportunities to venture outside of the host city for no additional cost with the planned excursions. My excursions were to Madrid, Sevilla, and Toledo. Each trip was well coordinated, making travel a simple treat for all of the students. We always stayed in nice hotels in the center of the cities so that navigation was easy and convenient, and the staff was more than knowledgeable on the attractions. Granada's close proximity to the coast also allowed for multiple weekend trips to Spain's painfully beautiful beaches, where some of my best memories were made. Though I did not have time to go, the city is also very near Morocco and the mountains which are both great destinations that fellow ISAers highly recommended.
One of the most memorable parts of the ISA experience is the opportunity to live with a host family. I was placed in a home with a middle aged married couple who showed nothing but the utmost affection for me and my two roommates. My host mom spent a great deal of time cooking every meal with care, and saw to it that all of our needs were met (laundry, food, travel coordination, etc.). Both parents were a terrific resource, as they showed us around the city, introduced us to family and friends, and suggested their favorite activities in Granada. The house itself was extremely close to my classes (8-9 minute walk) and was kept clean throughout the duration of my trip. My host family encouraged my Spanish speaking and I accredit most of my current abilities to the time I spent with them. Now, a year since my program, I still keep in contact with them.
As for relationships, the most enjoyable and memorable part of my experience in Granada, without a doubt, were the friends that I made. I was apprehensive about traveling abroad on my own, but the friendliness and outgoingness of all my companions made friendships a breeze. I made two friends in particular with whom I spent every waking moment, and it still was not enough. I am still in constant contact with both of them and am currently planning an opportunity to see one of them (back in Europe.. woo!) this summer. As an alumni of study abroad, I now realize that no matter where you choose to go, the best part of your experience will be the relationships that you build while you are there. That being said, Granada is an awesome place to do that and I can't wait for the opportunity to return!

During the week I would go to class for about 3-5 hours a day, Monday-Thursday. I thought I did learn a lot in most of my classes, but I do think I could have been challenged more. That being said, I did love the amount free time I did have so I could actually go out and practice the language with the locals. I felt like I learned a lot of content within the classroom and more language outside of it. I truly enjoyed myself in Granada. I made many American and Spanish friends.

I would highly recommend finding an intercambio (student language exchange) or two who are about your age. They most likely will show you the ins and outs of the city you live in, and introduce you to their friends who are also native speakers.
The food in my opinion was great. I just wished my host-mom would have incorporated more fruits and vegetables to our meals.
Another tip would be to join a gym while abroad. Naturally you are going to want to try all the different food and drink options because you only live once, but if you stay physically fit, you won't put on the extra pounds when trying all these fun, new food options.

The school was nice and small. The actual university has over 80,000 students, but the class sizes were never more than 30 students. I just wish I could have had classes with native speakers instead of mostly American students. My professors were pretty awesome, I didn't really have a problem with any of them. They also gave us tips on what the locals do in the city.
I always felt safe in Granada.

The social scene was a big change for me. People eat dinner at like 9 or 10 at night, then get ready to go out, and stay out until 6 in the morning easily. I absolutely loved it. I am not a morning person, and this lifestyle really suited me.