AIFS Abroad in Granada, Spain: Semester

I had a great experience with AIFS and this comment is true not just to this program, but any study abroad program.

When brought to Spain, you are put together with Americans of many different levels off Spanish -- beginner to advanced -- and you get to know your peers very well. You go on trips together, live together, and go to each other when things get difficult. This is great, but my advice is this: do not get too attached to your group.

Go out and explore the city you are in, meet the locals, stray away from comfort, and immerse yourself in the language and culture. Don't try to pack in a bunch of trips with your new American friends. Yes, you are in Europe and you should explore, but don't forget that this is your chance to really get to know a foreign city. Granada is beautiful and can endlessly be explored. I am so glad that midway through my experience, I decided to really get to know her. I walked away with new friends and a connection to a city that will last my lifetime. I hope you find time to do the same.

I would recommend this program to anyone; the staff was more than I could have ever asked for, they were extremely accommodating and provided much more than they needed to the students. I was challenged every day to speak Spanish, but I also learned more than I ever could have imagined. If I had the chance, I would be on an airplane heading back to Granada right now. The lifestyle there is so easy going and laid back that it's hard not to enjoy everything about it. Because of all of the ways I was challenged with my Spanish, coming back to the states and taking Spanish classes here has been a breeze so far; I'm so much more confident with my speaking skills thanks to my semester abroad. Even though the beginning was scary, I will always look back on it as the best and most rewarding 4 months of my life.

My time in Granada was easily the most amazing experience of my life. I loved all of the class trips to such places as La Alhambra and Generalife, el Albaicín, Sevilla, and Córdoba. Everything was entertaining, beautiful, and educational. In additions to these excursions, the everyday events were great, too. I loved being in a homestay because our señora cared about us so much and fed us an incredible amount of delicious food. In the city itself, everything was in walking distance and there was plenty to do and find just in exploring side streets. It was somewhat easy to get lost, but that was often part of the fun. The teachers at the Center of Modern Languages were helpful and there classes were enlightening. I got so much out of this trip, and I know I shall remember it all for years to come.

My experience studying abroad in Granada was amazing. My day to day life was eventful and full of surprises around every corner. My average Monday I would walk to class in the morning, sometimes along the way stop at a cafe for breakfast with friends. After class I would return to my residencia (student dorms). I chose to live in the residencia because it allowed me to get to know Spanish students and immerse myself in the University social life in Granada. After lunch I would walk around Granada, visit the surrounding areas of the Alhambra and enjoy the lifestyle the city had to offer. Although I encountered difficulties in relation to language barriers, they made my day more interesting and constantly conquering new challenges. At the end of the day I would return home to eat and spend time with my friends, Spanish and American. It was an experience I will never forget. I enjoyed my time so much I am currently still living in Southern Spain.

I studied in Granada in the spring of '08 and I still think about it all the time. It was more memorable than college. I was luckily enough to be in a group that treated each other like family. I have a number of friends from AIFS who will be friends for life.
Unlike most of the people in the program I stayed in the dorms. The dorms were really great. It was pretty small and there was a mix of American and Spanish students, which was great because you could practice your Spanish with the natives and learn from them. The few women who ran the dorm were the equivalent of a senora. Granada is a smaller city, but I think that is a plus. The city starts to feel like home and you get to know it very well. The city feels very young because of all the students, so the night life is great. Also the Spanish teachers were much better than the ones I have had in the US.

In January 2009, I packed my bags and started my 5 month life-changing adventure. Through AIFS,you first spend a few days in London with the other members of your group and then all travel together to Granada, Spain. For the first few weeks, we took intensive Spanish courses (very helpful since I knew basically zero Spanish), and then started our normal courses. We never had class on Friday which made it easy to travel on the weekends. Also, I chose to live in a homestay which I highly, highly recommend.
Overall, studying abroad in Granada, Spain was probably the best decision of my life. I learned so much about myself, Spanish culture, the Spanish language,and had the opportunity to travel all over Europe. During my time in Granada through AIFS, I made some incredible friends from all over the United States. In fact, in December 2011, we had a reunion in New York, and this May we are reuniting once again in Las Vegas.
AIFS is a fantastic program. I highly recommend you study abroad with them! Now that I have graduated college and am working full-time, I regularly reflect back upon my time in Granada as the best experience of my life.

My experience in Granada with AIFS was simply perfect. The housing situation living in the student residence was a great mix of other AIFS students as well as Spanish college students. The women who worked at the residencia were pleasant and always helpful.

The AIFS staff in Granada treated all of us as if we were their own children. I could tell that they genuinely cared about our well-being and were always there to answer any questions or address concerns.

The Spanish program at the University of Granada was fun and challenging. I would have enjoyed having classes with other international students, but all of my classes were only with other American students studying abroad. Still, it was a great experience. I enjoyed the professors and the course content.

I must also point out that this program was FAR above the program that I chose the previous summer through CEA. Unlike the staff at CEA, I always knew that I could go to the AIFS staff with anything and they would help me. I also knew that I could talk with any of my roommates or fellow students. The students in Granada were not there just to party, unlike the students I encountered in Barcelona.

Overall, it was an awesome experience that I will always cherish! I would recommend an AIFS experience to anyone interested in studying abroad.

Imagine for a moment you're favorite vacation or Spring Break surrounded by friends - relaxing at the beach, taking a road trip, partying it up at Night with locals, or finding new and exciting places to learn about, eat at, or explore. My Semester in Granada through AIFS was that and more.

Sure during the weekdays I attended the University of Granada, taking all of my classes (Politics of Spain, Cultures of Latin America, Business, and Spanish writing and conversation) in Spanish and I Learned a lot about Spain through these classes, but there is so much more to learn outside the classroom on and AIFS trip. I got involved with the University water polo team which turned out to be a great way to get excercise, make local friends, and practice spanish. Our AIFS class also participated in intramural volleyball and soccer.

Weeknights were anxiously anticipated by our class because they brought with them the chance to go out for (free) tapas and a variety of great local atmospheres. We enjoyed the culinary intricacies of each plate, just as we did the micro cultures of the bars we ate them in. And after a few plates and many laughs we would inevitably head out to some of the great night attractions in the city. Be it a relaxing low key night at a tea restaurant or hookah lounge, or a lively night at one of the discoteccas, there is definitely plenty of opportunities to meet other young students and locals.

Of course weekends were also anxiously awaited as AIFS often planned exciting trips and activities for us to attend. We explored the city from every aspect, taking walking tours through the near by mountains and villages like Sacramonte, and through historic places like the breathtaking Alhambra. Of course we didn't just stay in town either. The program offered trip throughout the country (Madrid, Toledo, Seville, and Gibraltar to name a few)lead by professional guides, and always stopping to get a taste of the local foods. I never had to worry about planning out my travel, accommodations, or anything else on these trips, although we were given some free time to explore on our own if we desired.

That being said, I was able to also book a trip with friends I had made through the program to Lisbon and a road trip to other cities in Spain, as well as a meet up with friends from high school who were abroad in Vienna. Once you are in Europe, make the most of it and travel to other cities and countries!

My homestay was another great way to immerse myself in the Spanish culture. I only used Spanish to communicate with my Senora (house mom), which gave me great practice with the language. She also made me three meals a day of traditional spanish foods. I do have to say that the Spanish aren't known for eating breakfast, so I was glad to have a few bakeries and a dunkin doughnuts near by. And while lunches like paella and Spanish chorizo with eggs were to die for, some dinners were a little lacking as we often were just given a sandwich or some type of vegetable based ensalada. If you do plan to do a homestay, know that you are a temporary son or daughter to a Senora (and possibly her family) for a short period of time sou you must be respectful at all times. Also In Spain most people do not have air conditioning in their homes, dryers for laundry (which is washed hand dried and folded for you by your Senora), or guests over. But you can easily adapt to the changes after about two weeks.

From Bull fights to flamenco dancing, from local festivals, to historic tours of amazing places, I am so thankful to have found such a great program. I made some great friends, and unforgettable memories. I had an amazing adventure with AIFS Granada and would do it again in a heartbeat. The key to a great study abroad experience is to go with an open mind and not only be willing to do whatever comes your way, but to seize opportunities and seek them out. Don't let this opportunity with AIFS Granada pass you by.

Here is a short video of the places I went when abroad. Most of these pictures were taken on excursions planned with AIFS to cities in England, Spain, and Morocco. (The AIFS Study abroad counted towards my Rollins College INB Major) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNLjuNtlqiI

Also here is a blog I created while abroad with pictures and descriptions of places I went and things I did:
http://colbeast.wordpress.com/