IES Granada: Es lo mejor Past Review
By Alana S (Environmental Studies and International Relations, Tufts University) for
IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language
It was the most formative academic experience for me in terms of defining my future/career goals and plans. I know I want to keep travel and Spanish speaking skills as part of my future plans, and I value cultural and people skills much more strongly for any potential career than I did before studying abroad. I am hoping to return to Granada to teach for a year before continuing my post-grad education.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad de Granada |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While the academic workload was lighter than I am used to at my home university and the educational system is very different (geared more towards lectures and memorization), I learned so much during my semester abroad that was invaluable in terms of cultural competence and educational experiences in the abstract. Every class was a learning opportunity in the sense that unexpected things happened and I had to react to them in a different languague, a true test for my brain and character. I became much more open minded, efficient, and less high-strung thanks to the "no pasa nada" culture of Granada. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was incredible and the people working for IES Granada really went above and beyond to make everything run smoothly and for all students to have the best possible experience in the city. Especially the program director, Javier, made a huge effort to get to know everyone personally, and managed any and all crises that came up from small cultural miscommunications to robberies. I was extremely satisfied and impressed with the program overall. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My neighborhood felt very safe but was really far away from the center and nightlife, so I had to walk long distances many times a day and this got a little frustrating at night. I was treated as a guest by my host family and not a family member mostly because I think they were hosting us to bring in the extra money and they didn't get along with my American housemate who was a generally unpleasant person. But it was overall a fine situation and just encouraged me to spend more of my time out in the city with friends, which is typical of the Granadino culture anyways. |
| * Food: |
Go to the kebab stands, get cafe con leche every morning at Casa Pilar (and befriend the people who work there), explore the wide array of tapas bars and bakeries to find your favorites. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Watching the Spanish national team play in Granada on the large screen in Palacio de Congresos, the trip to Cabo de Gata with IES, trip to Morocco, religious processions happening constantly throughout the semester, Festival de San Cecelio (patron saint of Granada) |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Granada is a very safe city and all crime is pretty minor... being robbed is something to be aware of in certain neighborhoods, but it's not as bad as in larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Healthcare was easy to access at the clinic that IES has a relationship with, and for minor things pharmacies function very much like clinics, where they are aloud to give you health advice and recommend drugs/treatment etc. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 50 euros per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Avoid taking taxis since everything is pretty walkable, and if you do take one share so it's less expensive. The biggest expenses come from travelling to other cities, so if you was to be careful with your spending stay in Granada as much as possible; there's a lot to explore there and in the surrounding towns, and its a very inexpensive city (especially the tapas and nightlife... most clubs are free!) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPN 35- Latin American Literature |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced Spanish with my host family, IES professors, university students, and my soccer team that I played with during my semester abroad. I didn't always speak the language with the other American students on my program, but regardless I had the opportunity to practice every day because most people in stores, cafes or bars didn't speak any English. I loved the process of becoming more comfortable with my daily interactions in Spanish, whether at the post office, bank, pharmacy, medical clinic or police station. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students who are laid-back and adventurous would most benefit because Granada is a very unique and small city with plenty to explor for those who are willing to dive into the diverse quirks and neighborhoods that define it. Being outdoor-sy is a must as well since there are mountains for skiing and beaches for swimming and trails for hiking all in very close proximity. |
