Submitted by Noelle Carroll on the 2024 Winter program in Granada, Spain…
Week 1:
I arrived in Spain a bit earlier than the program date, so I had the opportunity to explore different cities other than Granada– my home for the next month. I spent my first few days in a hostel in Madrid. I went out and bought groceries and also went out to eat for the first time. I sat alone at a restaurant and enjoyed my own company. I was glad that my waiter stopped me from ordering more than what I did because, he was right, the appetizer I ordered ended up being more than enough, especially in addition to the amazing tapas I received with my drink. I had the most delicious crispy meat with fries and charred green chilis, it was really good.
During my remaining days in Madrid, I walked a lot, visited different parks and plazas, ate a lot of ice cream, visited candy shops, and met up with my study-abroad roommate. We eventually got on the bus together to make our way to Granada and still had one night left until we met up with our host mother, so we stayed at a hostel. Overall, my first week was stressful but exciting. I was just getting used to the cold weather and language switch-up because I had just arrived directly from Egypt. Surprisingly, this ended up being an advantage because Granada is a city with a lot of Arab influence. I was so lucky to have had the opportunity to live and study in a place where both Spanish and Arabic are spoken. Like what are the odds that the two languages I am most interested in just happen to dominate the exact place I chose to study abroad? I ended up practicing Arabic when ordering shawarma on my first night in Granada and had a fun conversation with the store owner and fellow customer in a mix of Spanish and Arabic.
Finally, not long after getting settled at my new home and unpacking my bags, classes started. We had a very nice warm welcome from our program directors at the University of Granada. We often had excursions or outdoor class together. As a class trip, we all visited Granada’s most famous attraction together: the Alhambra. It was really interesting to see all the different artwork and architecture as a result of the combinations of cultures and religions that make up Granada. However, my favorite part of every day was getting to know the city on my own time and going on my own personal adventures. In all honesty, my first week was full of both positive and challenging events, but week two was when things really started to get fun.
Week 2
As time went on, I finally had made some local friends which is always my goal when I’m abroad. This is when I started to drift from the friend groups forming within the UD program and really dove into my own world.
Fortunately, from January 14th and on, my time in Granada really switched up its vibe unexpectedly! I started hanging out with my new friends pretty much every day. This led to me getting to know completely different people and parts of the city, as well as learning to use public transportation. Every day, we did fun things together, whether it was hiking up to the city view spots, playing and watching soccer, nighttime adventures for drinks and tapas, or going out for a walk to get some bread and coffee.
I did a lot more exploring on my own. I visited many different parks, stores, restaurants, and plazas. What became my favorite spot was the park named after one of the most iconic Spanish writers of all time, Federico Garcia Lorca. I loved this park a lot because it is one of the very few spots in the city with some grass, and it seemed to be the only place where you could hear and see green Quaker parrots.
Furthermore, throughout this week, I was able to explore a cute small business book store for a fun homework assignment, and I also had a really fun time at a Spanish cooking class with my classmates. We made a traditional Spanish family dinner which consisted of tortilla de papa, pipirrana salad, and crema catalana, which is similar to creme brulee. I really enjoyed this night because it was a very wholesome quality time spent with my peers. Another highlight of my week ended up being the soccer matches I played with some classmates at a local park, as well as a lot of second-hand thrift shopping.
Finally, to top it all off, our class went on a trip to Cordoba to see La Mezquita de Córdoba, a major tourist attraction. Looking back, I wish I had written in my journal at least once a day during study abroad. Not only is it essential to reflect and debrief after each day, but it’s precious to be able to look back on the written memories in the future.
Week 3:
My final week in Granada was a mix of emotions. My looming departure date had me feeling a bit down, but it also pushed me to cherish every moment. I spent time hanging out with my local friends, exploring another nearby city with my classmates, and soaking up the sights of Granada on my own.
One of my biggest highlights was frequently gathering with my friends to watch Morocco’s soccer games. We’d have snacks, chat, laugh, play music, and dance—it’s those moments I miss the most. Furthermore, the class trip to Seville was a blast. The city felt different from Granada, with its tropical vibes, abundance of palm trees, and captivating architecture. I ended up getting Indian food for lunch while I was there because I had a craving.
My last meals in Spain were quite fun as well. I ended up stumbling upon a convent right next to where my classes were. In order for the nuns to support their lifestyle, they sell food. Selling pastries is quite common, but this convent in particular was selling sushi. Apparently, these nuns were from the Philippines, but they spoke Spanish really well and were so kind when I made my sushi order. I love sushi, and it was such an unexpected surprise to get some from nuns in a convent in Spain!
In the end, my time in Spain was truly unforgettable. This trip has changed me so much as a person, and I am so grateful to have made amazing memories with such beautiful people. I have new friendships that I’m sure will last a lifetime, and I can’t wait to return one day to pick up where I left off and create more beautiful memories.