Submitted by Jennifer Rivera on the 2013 summer session study abroad program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures…
When I first arrived in Spain, I only had a faint idea about what to expect. I have now been in Granada for about 6 days and already I have learned so much about the culture. Granada is a beautiful city and it can get very hot here although it has been unusually cool as of late. Breakfast here is much smaller than the in the United States and is usually just toasted bread and coffee or tea. Lunch is actually the biggest meal of the day and is eaten around 2-2:30pm. One of my favorite things about Spain is the afternoon siesta. Siesta occurs from 2-5pm and during this time all the stores close. During siesta, many people take a little nap and I love this custom! I wish we had siestas in the US! I am studying Spanish here and I am practicing speaking it everyday. It was difficult when I first arrived to understand my host mother and respond, but I am starting to get accustomed to the language and I feel myself improving with each day!
My class recently visited Cordoba, which is a city about 2 miles away from Granada, and it is a place steeped in history with beautiful monuments reminiscent of Roman times like the Golden tower and a bridge built during Roman times which is still in use today. There is also a famous mosque there with amazing architecture from various eras in Spanish history. The mosque is known for the arches inside it which are made of various different types of marble that was recycled from Roman buildings and no two columns are alike! My trip so far has been incredibly interesting and it is only the beginning! I cannot wait to see what else Spain will teach me.