Category: Summer Session

Submitted by Amanda Bowman on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

After almost a month of living in Spain, I feel like I am about to leave my home. I have not only grown accustomed to the culture and city life of Granada, but have grown to love it as well. As someone who lives in the countryside in Delaware, this has been a completely new experience.  The best experiences that I have had in Granada were visiting the Alhambra, going out for tapas, visiting the Parque de las Ciencias, and spending time with my host family.  One of the last places that I visited was Parque de las Ciencias, which is only a ten-minute walk from my house. It is a huge science museum, zoo, and observatory that is well-known and acclaimed in Andalucía.

I feel that I am one of the luckiest students on this program because of my host family placement. It was difficult at first because my host parents do not speak any English, but I actually came to revel in that because it forced me to use my Spanish and convey abstract concepts, even if I did not know all of the correct vocabulary. The entire family made me feel at home and comfortable, and they did all that they could to make sure that my roommate and I were part of the family.

My favorite aspect of living in Granada is probably the fact that no matter where you go, you can find something interesting. I can walk to most of the main areas from my house within a half an hour, so there are only a few places that require a bus or Metro ride.

Without a doubt, my least favorite part of living in Spain, much like many other European countries, is the cigarette smoke. I hate cigarettes and their smoke for many reasons. From smoking, my Grandmother got cancer and my other Grandmother had a heart attack and a collapsed lung. Also, cigarette smoke induces unbearable migraines, so bad that I cannot even see out of my right eye.
Overall, this has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I would recommend this program to anyone that is taking Spanish classes.

Submitted by Rachel Tallant on the 2019 summer session program in England sponsored by the Department of Art & Design…

I was just speaking with my roommate Sasha about how coming to London has lacked this sort of all-encompassing gear change that I thought was going to happen immediately or at least a week with an epiphany of a moment. But to me, at least what I’ve felt and seen, life is still going on at its normal pace. A chord hasn’t stuck with me, a lightning bolt hasn’t jolted and hit me with endless creativity. But things are different, it isn’t as if I’m a completely different person, either. Small things are seeping in here and there. Each day we have been faced with so many different galleries, speakers, places, and all walks of life. I have been doing my best to take it all in and record as much of it as possible through my journal– to look back on later in life. From day to day I am gaining more of a routine and independence through grocery shopping, cooking, writing a blog, learning how to travel the Tube, and meeting new people, I feel very lucky and enriched to be here.

 

Submitted by Maya Blackwell on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

So far, at pretty much every place we have visited that has had Arabs first and then Catholics, you can immediately tell which part originated from the Arabs and which is from Christians. By saying this, I mean that it seems that the Arab people tended to make their decorations less elaborate and grand. The original Mosque of Abd al-Rahman I, where you first enter the building doesn’t have gold accents or large paintings and statues. I feel that, in general, the Catholics seemed to show off their religion more so than the Muslims. Just as we said at the Alhambra, from the outside it doesn’t look all that interesting. Yes, it very large and has incredible architecture, especially when you consider its location. However, it doesn’t look like a castle or some place that you’d think would hold some incredible art, but it is. The Muslims didn’t like to show off or shove their religion in the faces of the world and their mosques really show that, even more so when there’s a enormous chapel placed directly in the middle of it. I believe it shows a nice juxtaposition of the two faiths at the time. What appealed to me most was again the blending of cultures that were seen. It’s really interesting that there’s a mosque and chapel combined into one space. Catholicism and Islam have some similarities, but many differences and it is amazing to be able to see the two religions together, but still so separate.

 

Submitted by Carlee Montgomery on the 2019 summer session program in England sponsored by the Department of Art & Design…

A few weeks have gone by, the sun is finally shining, and London is feeling more like home everyday. All of us in flat 3 have bonded so quickly- through devouring ice cream sundaes, playing just dance, going on spontaneous Waitrose runs, avoiding our work, and crowding around our small TV every night at 9pm to watch the finest show on British television: Love Island.

Growing up, I could never see myself living in a big city. I was raised in the small beach town of Lewes, DE, where going to your local Wawa turns into a high school reunion and back roads are your best friend. Just a few weeks have passed and London has altered my perspective. I have found pleasure in wandering without a destination and not recognizing a single face that passes by. I have walked (and tripped) down cobblestone streets, navigating my friends to our destinations with ease. And lastly, I have hopped on and off the Tube with grace (except for that one time I got stuck in the doors, but no one needs to know about that).

The meetings from this week have made me realize that I really have no idea what I want to do with my life, but in a good way? Many meetings sparked excitement, some were okay, but the majority of them were downright inspiring. So many cool things I can do. So many options and opportunities. My indecisiveness is thriving, but I am hopeful for the future.

Submitted by Isabel Berté on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

It is officially the final week of my study abroad program in Granada. I am very sad to leave this amazing city, to say the least. The most memorable moment from this final week was our farewell flamenco dinner. Our group gathered together one last time to have dinner on a terrace that overlooked the stunning Alhambra. We chatted about our month, and ate our last traditional Spanish dishes together. After the dinner, we were lucky enough to head inside of an ordinarily exclusive flamenco house to watch the talent of the night. The flamenco artists we saw were phenomenal. I had no idea what flamenco truly was until this show, but it was absolutely beautiful, and captivating, and different from anything I had seen before. I think that this flamenco dinner was a great representation of my entire experience living, learning, and exploring Granda, Spain. I had no idea what Granada would offer, or how my time in Granada would go. However, now, at the end of the month, I can truly say that my time in Granada was beautiful, captivating, and unlike anything I had seen before. I will cherish my memories from Granada forever: living with my host family, studying a new language in its home, traveling to other cities, trying new foods, and meeting great new people. I am beyond happy to have taken this big leap and I truly cannot wait to return to Granada, whenever my path crosses it next.

 

Submitted by Kailey Schissler on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

On Tuesday, my roommate and I decided to treat ourselves to a trip to the bathhouses after a stressful week of work. We were able to use the pools, get a massage, and have tea. Needless to say, I was very excited. When we arrived, we got ready and went into the back to find the pools. The worker explained there were three pools: a cold, medium, and hot. She also gave us a pitcher of water, and 2 cherries each (which we thought was very funny).

I could barely stay in the cold pool for more than a minute, it was freezing. As I braced myself to go in, I reminded myself how on the tour, we learned the cold water was important to contract your muscles and close your pores. I enjoyed the warm pool, which we stayed in the most. The hot pool was like a hot tub, and once again I remembered how now, the hot water relaxed our muscles and opened the pores. The bathhouse was small, but only one other couple was in the pools with us. Halfway through, we were given tea and dried fruit. We were probably in the baths for about an hour before they came and got us for the massages. We got to pick rose or cinnamon oil, and the massage was 30 minutes.

Afterward, I felt very relaxed, and it was just what I needed halfway through our time here. While I am having an amazing and one of a kind experience, it is undeniable that there is a lot of work as well. It is not easy to fit a semester of a class in 4 weeks. I would 100% recommend a study abroad to anyone interested, but it is not an easy A. Be ready to work, but have an amazing time experiencing the culture and all the country has to offer! A trip to an Arab bathhouse is a great way to relax mid-semester!

Submitted by Natalie Hett on the 2019 summer session program in England sponsored by the Department of Art & Design…

Week three has proved to me that I’m starting to get into a nice routine. My body never fails to wake me up early which is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I usually make progress
on projects in these early hours and a curse because this program is exhausting and I need all the rest I can get! It’s comforting to feel like I have a sense of direction now, something I barely felt
in the last two weeks.

The game I made for myself (aka finding a new coffee shop every time I need to work on an assignment) has been turning out well. I found a spot called Harris + Hoole this week and it was
only a 15 minute walk away. I loved the neighborhood because of the amount of dogs that walked by and that Harris + Hoole had such a comfortable vibe. I enjoyed the walk there as well
because my friend and I walked a different way there and back and we found some cool new spots we want to check out.

This week was packed full of some amazing visits. The few that stick out are two ad agencies known as Weiden + Kennedy and Mother. The advertising career path is one that I have been
considering ever since taking an Advertising Design elective at UD, so it was exciting to see how two different advertising agencies are run. One thing I like about Mother is that they move
everybody’s seats around every 6 weeks to give employees a chance to meet new people. At Wieden + Kennedy, I really liked the energy of the employee who spoke with us. She was very
enthusiastic and silly and reminded us to always have fun in whatever it is you are working towards.

Submitted by Amanda Bowman on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

Unfortunately, this week brought in a massive heat wave which effects most of Eastern Europe. During the latter part of the week, temperatures reached upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In America, it is rare to find a house that does not have some sort of cooling system, whether it be central air, window units, or fans, but in Granada, most of the host families do not have any form of air conditioning. This has been a busy week with a great amount of homework and studying, so finding a good location to get work done and escape the heat, while also enjoying the sights of Granada, has been an interesting endeavor.

The first place that I went to and studied was Dunkin Donuts because I knew that it would be open late and I wanted to experience something that was similar to home, but also identify its differences with the coffee shops that I am used to. However, the menu in Spain is so different from in the United States! They have a lot more options when it comes to drinks, but for the most part, the food is more limited. Here, you can even order a beer with one of their various delicious donuts. It was a nice place to study and get work done because it was cool and not crowded. It is funny to me that in a beautiful city with such amazing, authentic coffee shops, people still go to Dunkin Donuts. I didn’t even know that they existed in Europe! Even though it was different from ones in the USA, it was still nice to get a taste of home.

I think that my favorite spot so far has been Bohemia Jazz Café. It is a cute little shop filled with books and authentic jazz music that has the most delicious ice cream drinks. I have been there two times this week! It is definitely a local spot, as it is not set in a high-traffic area and does not have a bunch of flashy signs advertising it. From the outside, it is a rather unassuming building, but once you go inside, you are greeted by the welcoming sight of hundreds of books, antiques, and photographs littered around. Even though it is dark, it is a good place to do computer work as long as working in complete silence is not the ideal. The jazz music is enough to keep me from getting bored, but not so distracting that I can’t get anything done. Not to mention, the staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating, and have been patient with us when we have trouble speaking to them in Spanish.

Paseo del Salón is a park that is only about five minutes away from my host house, and it is a tranquil place to take a walk or study. In terms of escaping the sun, it is not the best option. However, there are plenty of shady spots that can offer some relief from the intense, burning rays and offer beautiful views of the River Genil and Sierra Nevada Mountains. My favorite part of being in this park is the inviting smell of citrus from all of the oranges that have fallen from their trees. This would be an ideal spot in the late afternoon when it is not as hot, but the sun still provides sufficient light. Another one of my favorite activities here is watching the dogs! In Spain, people bring their dogs everywhere, and they are usually very well trained, so much so that they can walk without a leash! This is still so strange to me because in America, while people do walk their dogs a lot, it is usually not in the streets, and they are required to have leashes. The whole culture around dogs is different here, in both good ways (like previously described), and in bad (such as frequently not letting strangers pet them).

Another cool location is a bakery chain in Granada called Ysla that has delicious piononos, and a relaxed atmosphere. It is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee and pastry while working. Although, I have done much more eating than studying there! It is a bit too loud to get much done, so it is a better spot for casual work while hanging out with friends.

On Thursday, the entire group took a tour of the Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel, which is where Isabella and Ferdinand are buried. I am still in awe that I was able to see the location of the remains of two of the most famous figures in Spain’s history. It is strange to think that these affluent people’s remains can be held in such unassuming tombs so far away from the country’s capital. Sadly, photos are not permitted in the Royal Chapel, so I do not have any pictures from there. My favorite aspect of the chapel was the beautiful marble mausoleum of Ferdinand and Isabella, and of their daughter Joanne and her husband Philip. I am not particularly interested in art, especially modern art, but I quite appreciate statues and carvings. This was one of the most beautiful marble structures that I have ever seen, and I am lucky that there are pictures online so that I am able to relive my visit.

The Cathedral itself was one of the most gorgeous that I have seen, including the Sevilla Cathedral. The contrast of the stark white columns with the gilded “head” is an artistic masterpiece, and the way in which symbolism is integrated is incredible, even for someone who is not religious. I do not know much about Christianity, but I can appreciate all of the symbols and that they hold religious importance which bolsters how exquisite the Cathedral was, still is, and will continue to be. I might even go to Sunday mass for the first time so I can hear the organs playing. I think it was incredibly interesting to have a tour for this part of the visit because he told us more about the history of the Cathedral and its construction, along with the different styles of architecture and reasons behind the building’s design. I think that the Granada Cathedral is my second favorite historical location in this city, besides the Alhambra.

 

Submitted by Kailey Schissler on the 2019 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…

On Thursday, we toured the Holy Cathedral in Granada. This was the second cathedral we have seen on the program. I was very upset that we couldn’t take any pictures inside the chapel because the altar was BEAUTIFUL. I loved all the gold detailing which immediately caught my eye when we sat down. I also found it very cool how Isabella and Ferdinand were actually buried there, just like she wanted. She was not put into the mausoleum like her husband wanted. We could even see their caskets. I also found it crazy how still to this day, priests pray for the souls of Isabella and Ferdinand. I found this interesting because although they did good things, they also did horrible things, like the Inquisition. They were not saints, just a king and queen so I am surprised they are still being prayed for daily. As someone who is not very religious, I am curious about why they continue to pray for them.

I also thought the cathedral was beautiful. I was not surprised learning how long it took to construct, but I never thought about how that would mean it went through different stages of art. I once again loved the main altar, decorated with so much gold. Part of me wishes they had finished painting everything gold. Although it looked beautiful white, it would be even more breathtaking I think. Maybe a little overwhelming for the eye though. The artists who worked on it were very talented, as were the sculptors who worked on the pillars, and really everyone involved. I find it crazy how they constructed such large and beautiful buildings so long ago, before we had any technology to help like we have now.

Submitted by Julia Silverman on the 2019 summer session program in England sponsored by the Department of Art & Design…

Things I learned this week:

1. I love Peter Saville.

2. I love Shoreditch.

Peter Saville came in empty handed. No fancy presentation, no portfolio, no talk prepared. He asked what we wanted to know. One person asked a question and he talked for an hour to answer it fully. Somehow, we all had the privilege of hearing his success story through this inquiry. I am so naturally drawn to people who know exactly who they are and fearlessly follow their dreams. Peter is that person exactly. He wanted to design record sleeves and that’s precisely how he built his livelihood. “I was permanently in trouble for pursing what I thought was interesting,” Peter explained as I sat wide-eyed at the edge of my seat. Playing it safe just wasn’t an option for Peter and it’s so beautiful to see that he didn’t have to sacrifice a thing. He did what he loved and became successful. I hope one day I am as courageous and bold as he was.

Until then, I’ll be in Shoreditch exploring vintage shops, photographing street art, and popping in and out of pubs. This was easily one of the most stimulating places I’ve had the pleasure of visiting in London. The graffiti art on every corner made Shoreditch feel like home to an artist like me. I spent the day there and came back the next day to finish exploring. The place was dripping with vintage clothes/shoes/bags, cool magazines, artisanal coffee shops, eateries, pubs.

As great as the city is, I did need a little break from the hustle and bustle. Thanks to our (much needed) long weekend, we finally got to take our first day trip out of London. We went to the White Cliffs of Dover. Let me just say, I was hardly prepared for the hike, but I was even less prepped for the absolutely breathtaking views. When we got off the train, it was like we entered into an entirely new world. The cement buildings were replaced with old stone little shops and the chain restaurants were substituted for little pubs and dive bars. After getting ourselves a bit lost, we finally made it to the cliffs. It was quite the hike, but it was the most worthwhile thing I’ve done thus far. Walking along slim, bumpy footpaths (all uphill might I add), we slowly, but surely made our way to the top of the cliffs. It was the first sunny day in a while, hot too, and I was absolutely thrilled to have a moment of sunshine and warmth. Being outside, doing something active, it really made me happy. It was a real break from the madness of the city life and the bleak weather we’d been having. The path was a bit windy and the steep incline had me questioning if I’d ever make it to the top, but when we finally did, it was so incredible. Through the haze of the puffy clouds, we could just make out France in the distance. Just beneath the cliffs was the pebble covered beach with people swimming and tanning and soaking up every last bit of sunshine. The ground was speckled with flowers of yellow, purple, and red. Nature has a funny way of reminding you about the simple pleasures and that sometimes the best views come from the toughest (and sweatiest) climbs.