Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Growth and Cultural Awakening in Granada July 26, 2025

By (Biology, Chemical Biology, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/21/2025 to 05/17/2025 with

IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained experience with learning and working in a language immersion environment. This was incredibly worthwhile to me, as I intend to apply this knowledge throughout my future academic and professional career.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved getting to know the program staff and working with my professors in class. I really enjoyed all of the trips and events organized by the program. By the end, I learned so much about the local culture and language, which was essentially my goal going into this experience. Overall, the program met and exceeded almost all of my expectations.

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $50 on food and other expenses each week (not including program expenses).
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would definitely suggest taking advantage of the meals the residence hall/home-stay family offers as often as possible (rather than eating out). If you are eating out, I would recommend taking home leftovers, so you can stretch out the meal over a few days. In general, I always think it's important to compare prices of the items you need at different stores/businesses/pharmacies to ensure you are making the most cost-effective purchase before buying anything.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

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? The highest level language course I had completed prior to departure was HISP 111b - Introduction to Latin American Literature and Culture, taught at an upper intermediate level.
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? My best advice is to listen to music and watch shows/movies in the language you're interested in learning! This really helped me familiarize myself with the most common colloquial expressions and how they're used in context.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • professors and administrative faculty
  • diversity of courses/extracurricular activities available
  • general program structure and schedule
* What could be improved?
  • housing arrangements
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. Even native speakers make mistakes sometimes!

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 Linguist
You 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!