IES Abroad Granada: The Perfect Study Abroad Experience October 28, 2024
By Blake R (Economics, International Relations, Hispanic Studies, Connecticut College) - abroad from 01/23/2024 to 05/18/2024 with
IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language
It was well worth it as I gained knowledge and wisdom I could have never obtained at my home university.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Education was great. I learned so much and had an incredible time overall. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was very helpful and did everything to accommodate us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was great. Every housing option was different and some were better than others but overall very good. |
| * Food: |
Food was very good both locally and in the dining hall. Hours are a bit strict but they let you use the kitchen. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The students were friendly, but some more so than others. Adults were very welcoming. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was great both through IES Abroad and my university. |
| * Safety: |
Safety was no issue as I never felt in danger. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
When I first decided to go to IES Abroad Granada, I had no idea how it would go. I had never been to Europe before, and no other student from my program or person I knew from different colleges would be attending. It had always been a dream of mine to visit Europe, but I never expected to study abroad. When I first arrived, I immediately made friends that would last well beyond the conclusion of our program. While in Spain, I visited incredible places with my program: Sevilla, Córdoba, and Morocco; simultaneously, I traveled with the friends I made to Barcelona, Milan, and London. I learned about Islamic History and European Union Politics and expanded my knowledge of the Spanish language. I assimilated into the cultural norms of eating late, playing soccer, and going out with friends from the program and locals. I loved every minute of my experience and cannot stress enough how great it was to spend a semester in Granada, Spain. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Very easy, and did not have any issues. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy from grocery stores and use that food instead of from little corner stores. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
All the time. Every chance we get. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPA 312: Sounds of Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Talk as much as you can in Spanish. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How to be more efficient and cost-effective when traveling around the city and around europe. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Islamic Civilizations in Spain and North Africa until 1492 |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | Indalecio Lozano |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | It was a very challenging but fun class. Very informative and I learned a lot. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No issues. |
