Submitted by Corey Chandler on the 2019 fall semester study abroad program in Granada, Spain…
I have been in Granada, Spain for two weeks now and it still feels like a dream. For someone who has never been on a family vacation and is also a first generation college student, this is truly a dream come true. From the moment that I arrived in the JFK airport until this present time, I have felt safe and calm. My advisors and everyone that has helped to organize this study abroad program has made sure that I am more than prepared for anything and everything that comes my way. Even the unexpected inconveniences that come along, I still feel as though I have been equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle them with ease.
After spending some time exploring the city, I have noticed that many Spaniards calmly stroll through the streets, they walk with ease and grace and never seem like they are in a hurry. As compared to back home in the United States, where everyone is sprinting through the streets, phone in one hand and coffee in the other, that does not happen here. It is actually of bad taste to walk around the streets of Granada while drinking a coffee, it can make you seem like your life is not all the way together. After taking a tranquil siesta, I did something so simple, that I never really get to do while I am home in the United States. I took a stroll through a beautiful and well kept park, the Federico García Lorca Park, it was full of vibrant flowers, tall, luscious palm trees, fun playing areas for children and you can even buy admission to see the inside of where this famous poet once lived for only a few euros. This is one of the most memorable moments of my program thus far. I am surrounded by nature all the time and it is wonderful to be able to take some time and take it all in.
