Un semestre de aventura y amistad Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was overall really happy with the classes that I took at IES Granada. The professors were engaging, knowledgeable, and very accessible. We also were able to take classes we wouldn't be able to take in the states, such as Islamic Art and Architecture with field trips.

On-site administration of your program

I had a foot injury throughout the semester, and the IES Granada staff were very supportive in helping me arrange doctors visits (including a translator, as provided by our abroad insurance). They also were very communicative with information about events in the city, IES programming, travel, etc.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed with a wonderful host family, a young couple that had lived in Granada for a long time. Our host mom was a wonderful cook, and by the end they really considered us as family. Not all my friends were as close with their host families, but most people I talked to were glad they chose to do that (or stay in a residence hall, if they did).

My host family were great cooks, and really made an effort to cook traditional Spanish dishes for us. It was so good, that I didn't feel I needed to go to any fancy restaurants! My friends and I also found a lot of good tapas bars in the city, and there were always new places to go.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

IES helped set up an intercambio (language partner) with whom we could practice our second language, and I was blessed to become close with her and her friends. I also found the university church group, and became good friends with many of the students in that group. I was even able to go to a retreat with over 100 young people and talk in Spanish for a whole weekend with them!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The IES Abroad insurance is very helpful. I had a foot injury, and everything after the first $100 deductible was covered by insurance. It included a translating service, which made me feel more comfortable going to the doctor. Also, I was nervous about going to Morocco, but IES was very careful when planning the trip to minimize the risks as much as possible, and I felt very well-taken care of. Some of us had minor upset stomachs/etc when coming back, but my worries were really all put to rest.

Granada is a very safe city overall, though obviously you should still be smart about your actions. IES was very helpful with their orientation program about telling us the emergency systems if we needed them, how to get a taxi, and their perspectives on local interactions/cultural differences. I think most people found Granada to be safe and enjoyable!

I was really happy with my experience abroad in Granada. Though it wasn't perfect, because no semester will be, the challenges helped me grow and the opportunities that we had were really memorable.

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

Granada is one of the cheaper cities in Europe, so it is relatively easy to find good, affordable meals. I would say I averaged $100/week with food and other expenses. My roommate spent less, and I'm sure there are people who spent more, so it depends on where you eat and what other expenses you incur.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I took all my classes in Spanish, which was an awesome experience, and helped me with the immersion experience. I ended up talking mostly in English with my American friends, which is probably why I spent a lot of time with locals in order to really immerse myself.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• the field trips in Spain and Morocco
• unique classes
• opportunities to meet locals

• n/a

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer