Me Encanta Granada Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload throughout the semester was not overwhelming. Time management is definitely necessary in order to alleviate some of the stress during the final two weeks because that is when the majority of papers and presentations are due. That was the largest difference between the educational systems for me. I was more used to having projects spread throughout the semester instead of concentrated at the end, but this new system re-emphasized the importance of good time management and planning ahead.

On-site administration of your program

The staff and faculty were incredibly helpful and appeared to be passionate about their work. They knew a lot about the country and culture since all of them were Spanish. The director studied in the United States in college so he knows a lot about the American education system too, although that is not true for all the professors or staff members. The one draw-back is that there were a large number of students in the program and the building hallways often got crowded while people were waiting for classes to start.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The program arranged the home stays with families in Granada and assessed the safety of the neighborhoods. I walked about 25 minutes to class every day and about 15 to get to the center of the city. However, there was a bus that picked up right outside my building and dropped off close to the center of the city, so I didn't have to walk every time. I only needed to buy toiletries and snacks, everything else was provided. My host family treated me as a family member, although she did not expect me to wash dishes and was surprised when I did.

My host mom was a very good cook so the food was pretty tasty! She tried to introduce me to some typical Spanish food and I really appreciated that. The one drawback of lunch time was that she often cooked more than I could eat, but I felt a little pressured to eat all of it. I have an intense pine nut allergy, so she was careful to not cook anything with pesto to prevent an adverse reaction. I would suggest exploring the various tapas bars around the city. There are so many different places to eat that has food that you would necessarily expect in a tapas bar. For starters definitely go to Café Piaf (french tapas), Poë, Mundo Manila, and Bella Curva.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program planned several guided field trips throughout the semester that provided opportunities for cultural experiences and historical understanding of other Andalusian cities. Often professors or other university students in Granada led these trips, so it provided us opportunities to either learn more or make more Spanish friends. Definitely go on the field trips! They are incredibly worth it! Even though the Morocco trip was not included in the cost of the program, it was worth the extra money too because of the home-stays in Rabat and the interaction with university students throughout the trip. That trip was definitely my favorite and impacted me more than the others. There were cooking classes, a leather workshop, wine tasting classes, and other presentations (even one from a bull-fighter) all provided by the program. Take advantage of these opportunities!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any experiences with the Spanish healthcare system.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

To most improve your language skills while studying abroad, speak it with everyone, not just the people who you know don't speak English. Practicing with other students in the program also helps because you can correct conjugations and refresh vocabulary in a setting where everyone is learning and presumably wanting to improve. I practiced a lot in everyday life with my host mom, which was set up through the program. The program also set up intercambios (language exchanges) with local people who are learning English. During these exchanges you would talk with your partner in English for about an hour and in Spanish for about an hour to improve together. There were also lots of opportunities to practice in content classes that were conducted in Spanish. One of the nice things about Granada is that in most places you could use Spanish and people would respond in Spanish although it is obvious that you're not from Granada. However, it is common for shop keepers to know English in the touristy parts of the city if absolutely necessary. The students tended to speak English between themselves because we are all American students and it was more comfortable. However, when we were out around the city I spoke Spanish with several of my friends and that helped us improve our own skills and showed that we were interested in really being in the culture and interacting with the people too.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• Cultural Programs and Trips
• Friendships that I made
• My Host Family

• More communication between staff members
• Smaller portions of food at lunch
• Finalized day of families