Submitted by a student on the 2023 summer session program in Granada, Spain…
During my first week in Granada, Spain, I encountered many new and interesting things that I didn’t expect to experience. Firstly, the concept of food. I was made aware that Spanish families would encourage me to eat as much food as available to them, as this was their way of showing affection. What I didn’t realize was how important attendance at family lunches would be. At home of course, lunch is typically a short and “on the go” meal so to go from that, to now an allotted time in the middle of the day when everyone is home to eat and spend time together, it was very unusual for me. But that being said, I truly enjoy this time because I get to talk in depth with my host family and I have a mental break from my studies as well. Another thing that surprised me about a typical schedule for a Spanish family, is that the late afternoons are usually a time to nap, or “siesta”. This is not just for the teenagers or kids of the house, but everyone uses this time to rest after our biggest meal of the day. One last thing that surprised me was the interactions of pedestrians and cars on the street. I am currently staying in a neighborhood called the Albaycin, which is a very nice and historic neighborhood, so the roads are extremely narrow and oftentimes only fit one car width through the streets. Pedestrians are expected to move out of the way for these cars without question and anyone who does not, is seen as an inconvenience. In The US, traffic rules usually favor pedestrians and always give them the right of way. When coming here, I definitely had to adjust to this difference and I am now more alert when walking in the streets or anywhere in the city of Granada. (Submitted during Week 1)
My second week living in Granada, Spain flew by. My classes started to pick up and we are learning a lot of different things about the Spanish language that is extremely helpful while being abroad. What I love about the language class that I’m taking here is that we are speaking so much during class. The class is for two hours each day so it gives us plenty of time to ask questions, work on activities, but also go over all of them and speak a lot about a variety of topics. One thing I’ve noticed while living abroad is that almost every topic of conversation will come up and it can be really difficult to have a variety of vocabulary in everything. I’ve learned from the professor that it’s really important to try your best to ask and answer questions in Spanish when you’re trying to learn, because working through it will help you get better. This past weekend we traveled as a group to Sevilla for the day. It was amazing to experience all of the history that is embedded in the city. My favorite part from Sevilla was probably getting to watch the Flamenco dancing in the Plaza de España. I had never experienced it before but I really like watching how much the dancers enjoyed doing what they were doing. Another thing I enjoyed about Sevilla was getting an unforgettable view from the Cathedral. It was so beautiful and made the 10 minute incline walk well worth it. I got amazing pictures of the city and a good look at the whole layout of the cathedral. I’m truly enjoying all of my adventures here and I can’t wait for many more in the next two weeks! (Submitted during Week 2)
