Granada la Fantástica

My experience in Granada was everything that I could've hoped it would be. I chose the city for its culture and history, having recently written a research paper on the influences of Arabic on Spain and the Spanish language. In Granada, it was so cool to see these influences play out in real life; the mix of culture that is unique to southern Spain stood out and created a study abroad experience like no other. More than that, though, I enjoyed Granada for the variety of academics courses offered, the program trips they planned for us, the city's culture of siesta and tapas, the Spaniards' love for soccer, and the political science class I got to take at the local university. I took classes on Spanish literature, the local art and architecture of the region, and the history of Andalusia (Southern Spain and North Africa). Although I am fairly competent in speaking Spanish, the required language class that we had to take was extremely helpful in teaching us about Spain and Granada-specific culture, slang, social tendencies, and differing grammar and vocabulary. I could not choose a favorite memory, but if anything, I will always treasure the nights my newfound friends and I went out for dinner, participating in the culture of tapas. Tapas meant that if you bought a drink, then you could choose from a range of appetizers to accompany it for free. So instead of eating large meals for dinner, the lunch meal would be the main course for the day and then we would go out for drinks and appetizers at night. I would say that my favorite memories came from those nights, when we forced ourselves to practice Spanish with one another and to try new foods and new restaurants. The friends I made, both American and Spanish, will stick with me for a long time, and the memories of a fantastic study abroad experience will last forever.