Submitted by Amanda Reed on the 2022 spring semester program in Granada, Spain…
Today marks the end of my first week in Granada, Spain. I have had a little bit of a bumpy start, but even so, I look back on the past seven days positively. Four days before my original flight date in early January, I tested positive for COVID. Because of this, I had to delay my flight a week and miss out on the first week of classes and cultural activities. When I finally arrived in Spain, I was far behind everyone else. Not only did I tackle the expected tasks of beginning my adjustment to the culture and language, socializing with the people in my program, and starting my classwork, but I also had to catch up on all the homework, activities, and cultural learning that I missed in week one. Needless to say, it was a lot all at once. However, I have already made a lot of amazing memories and I am so excited for the months to come.
My first day, after travelling for 14 hours and only getting a few hours of sleep, I had lunch with the girls in my dorm, unpacked my clothes, and went out to tapas with everyone in my international student program. Sleeping that night felt like it never had before. The next day, one of the program directors gave me a tour of El Albaicín, a Moorish historic neighborhood in Granada with amazing viewpoints. The next day, I decided toexplore Granada on my own and went on a run by the river. After two days of people showing me around and being around others constantly, it felt refreshing to have a morning to myself. On Wednesday, I went to my first in-person class. Afterward, I went on a hike with some new friends, and was able to see the natural beauty of Granada’s mountains. One thing I love about Granada is that you feel like you’re in an urban area, but you don’t have to walk far to feel like you’re surrounded by nature. In the last several days, I have gone to various restaurants to get tapas with friends, visited a local farm, and visited several museums and historical monuments, all while going to class and trying to catch up on homework.
Yesterday, I felt very overwhelmed by all the work I had to catch up on, but I scheduled a meeting to talk with one of the program directors, and she helped me feel much better about the situation. I’m finding that there are many resources for me here, and that if I need help or extra support, all I have to do is ask. Also, my Spanish is already improving so much! Because I eat meals with native Spanish speakers every day, I get hours of conversational practice daily. It has been so cool seeing my language growth in such a short time period; I am so excited to keep practicing it over the next five months. Overall, it has been a difficult first week, but also a very rewarding one. As I head into my second week, I am looking forward to finishing my intensive Spanish course, having some time to relax, and taking a trip to Sevilla. More on that next week!