Author: Sarah Jean Falknor | Majors: Spanish, Arabic, Middle East Studies

I chose to study abroad in Granada, Spain for eight months because of the unique historical and modern-day mix of Arab and Spanish culture, a compelling draw for someone studying Spanish, Arabic, and Middle East studies like me.  The Alhambra, the city on a hill constructed during the time of the Muslim kingdom of Granada, remains the symbol of the city and a clear image of the Arab past.  I was thrilled to learn more about this history and meet the immigrants from Morocco, Syria, Iraq that continue to fill Granada with this incredible blend of culture that carries into today.  And of course, probably more than anything, I wanted to perfect my Spanish, a language I have studied thoroughly for six years, and use the language to get around and develop relationships with Spaniards

I took classes in the Center for Modern Languages, a school connected to the University of Granada with an emphasis on teaching languages, especially to American students.  All of my classes were taught in Spanish, and we students conversed in the language as well, so not only did I study all sorts of topics ranging from Islamic culture in Spain to how to teach foreign languages, but every single class also strengthened my language abilities, since I was listening to lectures and discussing the material all in Spanish.  That was one of the coolest things about studying abroad; every interaction I had – going to class, shopping, traveling – was a learning experience that incorporated language and culture.

Additionally, I lived with a host family and quickly gained a close relationship with them, becoming like a big sister to the kids and chatting leisurely with the mom.  I would definitely recommend for anyone who studies abroad to live with a host family, so as to see the culture up close and bond well with locals and, of course, to practice the target language all the time.

With the free time that I had (and to be clear, I luckily had a lot of free time), I took flamenco dance classes, volunteered in a local school, embraced the siesta culture, went out for tapas, and traveled all over Spain and all over Europe.  There was hardly ever a weekend in my whole eight months that I was not in a bus or on a plane.  I greatly enjoyed exploring the world with friends recently made.  My extracurricular activities immersed me deeper in the community and helped me make connections with Spaniards.  I loved learning flamenco, the beautifully fitted traditional dresses and flowers in the hair, the twisting of the wrists as each finger moves one at a time.  Spanish culture, especially in Andalucia, is very laid back and social, and through incorporating all sorts of fun activities into my daily life, I really lived like a Spaniard, that is, life to its fullest with friends

My advice to students would be to

1) Study abroad.  Why would you not?

2) Find ways to meet local people and develop relationships with them.  It’s not hard, but you do have to be intentional and dig in where you are. For me, I made Spanish friends mainly through attending a local church.

3) Study abroad for as long as you can.  Academic year > semester.

4) Speak the language constantly if one of your goals is improving that.  There will be students who get lazy and default to English, but remember why you came.

5) Travel within and around your study-abroad country.  Have some fun!