Granada, Spain: pros and cons Past Review
By Charlotte W (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for
IES Abroad: Granada - Liberal Arts & Language
yes, my volunteer position made everything so much more worthwhile. I also learned that I am capable of finding my own activities and exploring a place on my own.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes were easier at the program center than at Tufts. There were research papers for a lot of courses, but nightly work was light. grading was done on the average a-d scale. classes were 20 people or less. The local university though was very difficult. The time for courses did not match up well with my program classes and grading is a lot harsher. It also was a lecture based course with few exams so your grade depends heavily on one test at the end of the course (at least for my political science course). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I think there were too may students for the program staff and and building. It was hard to get any specific help without having to continually ask and email. It felt like there were too many students so none of us got specific help. I have had problems with grades after returning as well and it was extremely difficult to get a reply to my emails once I returned. If there were half as many students or twice as many administrators and another building (it was very crowded) then I think it would have been more successful. It is stressful to have problems abroad, and it feels that much worse when it feels like no one can or wants to help you right away. Granada was a new site for IES though, and i think my year the enrollment doubled, which explains why these problems existed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Good housing, with a single young woman and another American student, just outside the center of the city so not overly busy and nice food around. |
| * Food: |
I think my house mum just didn't cook for herself a lot. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got to go to a lot of local cities, that was great. There was also an opptional extra trip to Morocco which was amazing. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never heard of crime in Granada while I was there with the exception of the North Section which is a removed ghetto-like community where many gypsy ngos work. I witnessed one motorcycle accident and that was all. I visited a doctor once at the clinic and it was super easy and free. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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? | I probably spent 30-50 euro on an average week. mostly just on food. if i travelled obviously I spent more. I could eat dinner for 4-5 euro a night. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Arrange any travel plans early so those costs are known before and travel is a lot cheaper if you plan ahead. also check with your home bak to see if they have sister banks in you country. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You need to take the initiative to get involved. Do not wait for IES to show you opportunities, you need to find them or be persistent in asking for help. Also, be careful with your choice in courses if you want to study at the University of Granada, as this can be fulfilling but harder than you anticipate depending on your choice of course. |
