CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Granada, Spain

I spent a wonderful Fall semester in Granada Spain with CEA. I had dreamed of studying in Spain for many years and, after hearing stories about Granada from a friend, I fell in love with the city from a distance. My heart was set on Granada. While researching programs I decided on CEA due to the course offerings and the attentive admissions staff. And I am so glad that I did!

As a first time international traveller, I was nervous about everything before I took off. Luckily, CEA made sure that I had all the details before I stepped onto the plane. Jorge (the amazing Granada student life staff member) was there to pick me up from the Airport in his bright orange CEA shirt. Orientation over the first few days was thorough but still allowed us enough time to explore and find out own way around the city.

Granada is small enough that you can walk everywhere you need to go but large enough that you never run out of new places to explore. Not to mention it is a university city so you will meet students from all over the world. You'll agree that it's the best city in Spain by the end of your time there, I guarantee it!

I stayed with a host family and a roommate from my program. My host mom was hilarious, attentive and only spoke Spanish which improved my skills greatly over my four months with her! All CEA housing is located within walking distance from the Centro de Lenguas Modernas where international students take their classes.

CEA's support was consistent throughout the semester. Their office was open every weekday and students were encouraged to drop in and chat with Begonia (the Granada program director) and Jorge. Students could even schedule tutoring sessions to help them with their Spanish coursework, which was a lifesaver in my grammar course!

The excursions, be it the weekend trips or the afternoon activities in Granada, were well planned and informative. I appreciated that our guides would always strive to speak to us in Spanish.

If you are looking for a program that will give you a great balance of support and independence, I would highly recommend going with CEA. But be warned, you might just leave your heart in Granada.

As a side note to start, the title of my review is a line from a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca, Granada’s most famous poet and playwright. While I was abroad, I lived a block away from the park that the city named after him. His home is in the middle of the park, and there are tours that guide you through the house.

I chose to study abroad with CEA because they offered internships. I had an internship with a social services agency called the Albihar Foundation, which focuses primarily on women, children, and the elderly. I spent time with an elderly woman every week and got to know her very well. I came to know her as my Spanish grandmother, and she’d talk to me about her childhood, her family, growing up in Granada, and, her favorite thing to discuss, Spanish politics. Over the course of the semester, I kept a journal and wrote a paper about the foundation and the time I spent with Encarnación. My internship was one of my favorite things about my semester abroad, and was a unique experience I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

In addition to my internship, CEA had volunteer opportunities at local schools, day cares, and elderly care centers in Granada. I spent a couple of hours every week assisting a preschool teacher with art lessons for the students, and teaching them English vocabulary. I had an amazing time speaking English and Spanish with the children, and learning from them.

The professors for my own classes were attentive, helpful, and more than willing to explain any questions I had. The classes were engaging and helped my Spanish improve exponentially. The CEA on-site program specialists also helped me understand the language; for the second half of the semester, one of the on-site specialists tutored me once a week, and my understanding of Spanish grammar greatly improved.

Although I loved Granada, there are several study abroad programs that host students there. What made me especially glad that I chose CEA were the program specialists. They were easy to relate to, and provided any information we needed. CEA planned fun excursions that we could take as a group, and those trips allowed me to see many other parts of Spain: Ronda, Seville, Malaga, Cordoba, and a weekend in Morocco.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with the time I spent in Granada, and I think about it every day. I miss the food, my Spanish friends, and the amazing places I visited during my four months abroad.

Oh, man. Where do I even start? Studying abroad in Granada was definitely the best decision I’ve made so far in life. The CEA on-site staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They are there to help you with literally anything during your stay in Granada. Having troubles in your classes? They’ll give you tips and personally help you one-on-one. They sent regular emails checking in on me and even congratulating me on my progress. If you are planning a weekend trip, you can check in with them before you leave, and they’ll help you with planning, suggesting great places to stay and things to do while you’re there. They’re all so helpful and super nice.

While I was in Granada, I chose to do a home-stay, which I loved. It was so nice coming home to a family every day and eating and talking about my day with people. They were so welcoming. I also had the pleasure of having a housemate, who is still one of my best friends today. I was also able to get to know the Spanish culture on a more personal level. My host mom always told us what she was cooking for the day and explained the different ingredients and influences of the food. My family also had two younger daughters and a dog, which was really cool. I enjoyed getting to play with my host sisters every day.

The whole atmosphere of Spain is way more laid back than in the United States. “No pasa nada” is the motto. People aren’t trying to rush everything like we do in the States. They take the time to enjoy life and the people around them. Walking is the more popular form of transportation, and you’ll understand why when you see the great views and how close everything is. I had to get up at seven every morning to walk like thirty minutes (partially uphill) to get to my 8am class every day, and I did not mind it one bit. (And I am definitely NOT a morning person!!!) They do have really good public transportation, though, if you’d rather take the bus. You can buy a pass for pretty cheap.

Even the classes are pretty laid back. If you’re worried about your level of Spanish not being good enough, don’t. The professors understand that you’re an international student and that Spanish is (probably) your second language. They’ll work with you :) But attendance is very important, so go to class. I know that traveling is very tempting (and I definitely recommend it because it’s super cheap to travel in Europe), but GO TO CLASS. Plus, the classes are so interesting that you won’t want to miss them anyways. There were many days were my professors decided that we would just have class at a café or bar down the street just because.

Speaking of bars, THE TAPAS <3 <3 <3 If you don’t know what tapas are, get ready. In Granada, whenever you go out and order a drink (alcoholic or non!), it comes with a little plate of food. They all vary depending on the place, but they’re all amazing. Try them all. I love food.

I could talk about Granada forever. Go out and explore the city. Granada has a lot to offer. Flamenco, cafes, arte, architecture, SO MUCH. Meet new people and practice that Spanish!!! Spaniards are very nice, and they’re more than willing to sit and have a café and conversation with you. Speak as much and as often as you can. Make mistakes and learn from them. You won’t regret choosing to study in Granada!!

Granada, Spain truly stole my heart the minute I stepped off the airplane. This city immediately welcomed us with open arms. Right when you get through baggage claim, you will see one of the fabulous CEA faculty members who will greet you and lead you to the bus. They were extremely friendly and put us at ease immediately. I remember taking the bus and being in complete awe with the scenery surrounding me. When we got to the center of the town, we unloaded the bus and met our host family. My host mother grabbed me right away and started hugging and kissing me. The Spanish love to show their affection and it honestly made me feel so welcome and wanted immediately. My host mom also always called me Guapa which means beautiful. If you ever need a moral boost, just start a conversation with a Spanish woman :)

The city is only about the size of St. Paul, Minnesota so it was extremely easy to navigate. Granada not only houses the University of Granada which is a prestigious University but it also is home to the largest second language university which is where we attended. With this being said, the city has an incredibly young atmosphere due to all the college students! This makes the social scene a blast because there is always deals for college students so it was incredibly cheap to go out at night or go on various excursions beyond what is provided with CEA.

With CEA we went on multiple in country excursions along with one out of country excursion. In country we were able to travel to Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Ronda, and Nerja. Our out of country excursion was Morocco, Africa. This excursion was truly incredible because we were able to go to a different country and continent. Morocco resembles much of the Arabic culture that has been left behind in Granada. We were also able to ride camels which was such an incredible experience!

As I stated before, Granada has incredible architecture that was influenced by the Arabic culture. One of the most historic pieces is the Alhambra which is a palace that was built in the 13th century. It is such an incredible piece of architecture and strikes you with awe each time you look at it. Granada is in the south of Spain so it is extremely beautiful and mild, for a Chicagoan, all times of the year. When I landed in January it was around 40-50 degrees and when I left in May it was around 90 degrees every day. This city is perfectly situated where you can take an hour bus ride to go skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains or a two hour bus ride to go swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.

One of the best things about Granada is there are free tapas. You heard me right... FREE!!! Every time you go out and order a drink, you get free food. The best place to go is La Bella y La Bestia! They have a ton of locations in the city and they give you so much delicious food! The night life in Granda is also incredible. There are so many clubs in the city that offers various environments. Mae West is the biggest and the most elaborate. They have multiple clubs in one and it is an absolute blast. Camborio is on the smaller end but has a lot of outdoor areas that overlook the Alhambra at night. There are many more and they always have great deals!

My experience in Granada has shaped me for the rest of my life. I was able to make friends that will last me a lifetime. We will forever share a bond over a love of Granada. I was also able to learn a lot about myself. While you are there, you need to embrace every moment and embark on as many opportunities as you can. If you go to Granada, you will have an incredible family, CEA, that will support you and help you along the way!

Words cannot express my semester in Granada, Spain. The city welcomed me with open arms, as did the staff of my CEA program. Though I was a nervous wreck trying to bumble my way through Spain in my first few weeks, the CEA staff was there to guide my new friends and I through, what would turn into, the greatest journey of our lives thus far. I know that sounds incredibly dramatic, but it is true.

Granada was my city of choice because my greater focus was to better learn the Spanish language and culture. I felt as though this smaller city would be able to assist me in achieving my goals, and it did. The academic program that CEA and Centro de Lenguas Modernas offered me pushed me to be my best, practice my Spanish all the time, and immerse myself in the Spanish culture. Also, with the city being on the smaller side, English was harder to come by; therefore, I was forced (and gratefully so) to utilize my Spanish skills.

During my five months in Granada, Spain, I was able to truly know my city, begin a life there, develop an incredible friend group, and grow individually. However, much of that is thanks to CEA. While they were not too involved in my daily life, they were an incredible support system. I became very ill shortly after being there for a month and needed to go to the hospital, and without question my CEA staff was there to take me to the hospital and help me through it all. On another note, I lived in an apartment (most choose a homestay, but I did not) with one roommate who was also in the program. While I greatly enjoyed the independence I had in my apartment (that was super awesome), any issues I had were gracefully handled by the wonderful CEA staff. I appreciated their willingness to help and fix any issues I had.

With the combination of the CEA program and staff and the city itself, I had the most amazing experience. If someone offered me a plane ride over there tomorrow, you can guarantee that I would be on it.

Granada was the best choice I have ever made. I had one of the best experiences of my life and I think it is because I chose this city. It is a small, comfortable city with a young atmosphere. Living with a host family made my experience ten times better. I was definitely able to immerse myself in the culture with all the opportunities given by the university and the CEA program.

Granada is a beautiful city from its Arabic culture, the Sierra Nevada backdrop in front of its famous site, the Alhambra, it has such a break taking scenery.

I can't say enough good things about Granada, Spain, as well as CEA's program located there. I originally was looking at Barcelona or Madrid, but costs drove me to search elsewhere, where I eventually stumbled upon the gem of Andalucía - Granada.

Granada was the last holdout of the Muslim Moors that had ruled much of the Iberian peninsula for centuries. Because of such, it still retains much of its original architecture, culture, and style. There are a few UNESCO World Heritage sites located in the city, the most famous being La Alhambra - the large Moorish fort keeping watch over the city. I could write an entire review-length description of Granada; I'll let you discover that for yourself and instead focus on the experience that is studying and living there.

Granada is a mid-sized city to most standards. It's about the size of St. Paul, Minnesota, the area I am originally from. Because of this, Granada lacks much of the fast paced hustle and bustle that more global cities such as Barcelona and Madrid are famous for. The citizens of Granada still adhere strictly to the siesta, and "no pasa nada" really means "don't worry about it", because timetables for meeting up are really anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours from the discussed time.

Granada is also home to the largest university in the Spanish secondary educational system. Because of this, the city is literally bustling with young people and students. There's no shortage of tandem-language partners, an you will not be limited to chatting and befriending only Spaniards - the European Erasmus program is subsequently huge in Granada as well, allowing for Europeans and citizens from countries form all over the world to call Granada their home, at least for the semester.
Because of this demographic, nightlife is absolutely amazing (seriously, I'd give it more than 10 if I could). Discotecas are plentiful, the weather is warm, the city is safe (police are everywhere), and the tapas are cheap. Tapas - can we talk about tapas for a minute? This God-sent idea exists for free only in Granada, and it's equivalent to an appetizer that's provided with your beverage. It's free. Literally, you buy a beer or drink, and they give you an ample amount of food to eat to accompany it for no extra charge. It is incredibly cheap to go out, eat, and relax in Granada. I spent more on my one week visit to Barcelona on food and outings than I did for a good three months in Granada! So many students I met studying elsewhere were so jealous of what Granada provided.

The CEA program is equally as fantastic. I arrived in Madrid very late; a huge snowstorm in Chicago slowed everything down. Subsequently, we missed our flight. However, before we could even put down our bags in the terminal in Madrid, the CEA staff had gotten us new tickets for the next flight, as well as organized the new pick up, family introductions, and any other issues that may have arisen. There are three options for living via CEA in Granada: a homestay with a Spanish family, the university dorms, or a group apartment with other students. I chose the former. My host mom was a single, older Spanish lady who spoke zero English, knew little about America apart from what the news showed, and had only recently gotten the internet, and only because she had to because CEA made her. It was perfect. If you want full immersion into the culture and daily challenges to your linguistic and cultural abilities, choose a homestay. Not only will it make you appreciate what you have in America (hot water whenever you want!), you will learn so much about Spain, the culture, and it's people via daily interaction and relationship building that few other opportunities can provide. The other two living options are fun as well; I had friends who did both and they had good things to say about them, but they were not provided with authentic Spanish cuisine every day - a true treat!

CEA's academics at the University of Granada are excellent. Like any school, you get out what you put in, and it is compounded by the fact much of your courses are in Spanish. Yet you can learn a lot, and many of the courses will transfer back to American universities. Taking around fifteen credits was comfortable and allowed me amble time to participate in class, bond with my professors, and still get homework done and enjoy Granada. Not all courses have to be grammar and verbs, either. From courses on art and music to the history of Granada and Spain, there are a plethora of courses for whichever topic you like. I myself am not a huge art fan, but I was truly amazed by the course "Old Art of Spain" and the professor who taught it (we're still friends on Facebook, by the way). Field trips are a lot more exciting when you get to visit the 500 year old monastery and palace five minutes from your school room.
Similarly, academic support via CEA is amazing. Though they try their hardest to match you with a course level that is appropriate to your language ability, CEA's staff keeps close tabs on your progress and, if you need help, will meet you wherever to help out with whatever course or theme you just can't seem to nail. I'm willing to say I got more support from CEA's staff in Spain than I usually do from my university back in the United States.

CEA has a handful of planned trips that they can take everyone on. We went to Sevilla, Morocco, and Malaga for some weekends, though they change and more can be added! CEA's hilarious staff lets you see parts of their beautiful country and others that the average traveler and student would pass right by. They truly were one of the best travel assets available to me while there.

CEA itself does not interact with you very much on a daily basis, but as describe above, they are always there for you and willing to help. They set up you for success; you make the experience yours. Granada, being the student hub it is, is also a huge spring break exporter. Student trips to Portugal, Morocco, and other parts of Spain and Europe and constantly being planned, advertised, and discounted. A weekend sangria cruise in southern Portugal is pretty much one of the highlights of my life, and it was all less than one hundred (100!!!!) euros, with transportation out of and back to Granada included. Granada also makes up in bus and train connections what it lacks in adequate airline connections (you are lucky to get flights to anywhere but the major Spanish cities). Similarly, the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains rest to the city's south, making ski and hiking trips less than an hour bus ride away. Beyond that, the sea remains, and a day or weekend excursion to the lazy beach towns are less than two hours away, and equally as cheap. I know of friends who organize "ski to sea" trips, all within a day or two! If skiing, hiking, or swimming isn't your forte, the mountains are a constant beauty to look at, and never cease to impress.

Granada is amazing. CEA is amazing. Together, the two can provide you with the study abroad trip of a lifetime. Don't let this opportunity pass - Barcelona may have the better football (soccer) team, but Granada has tapas, Andalusian flair, and a vibrant, growing nightlife that rivals that of other major European metropolitan areas. CEA successfully sets you up, as a presumably-American, to best experience this smaller, lesser known Spanish town in the most successful way that you personally can!

Going abroad was the best decision I have made in my life so far, especially going abroad to Granada with CEA. Granada is absolutely breath taking. The city is small and easy to travel without having to take a cab or bus. Walking around the city was one of my favorite parts. There is something to discover every day, either meeting new people or finding a new place to admire. During my semester, I stayed with a host family. I absolutely loved it! My host mom was incredibly sweet and caring. She made delicious food. I rarely eat out side because of her magnificent taste in cooking.
One of the best things about Granada, besides being the greatest city in the world is that is very affordable. Going out to eat, traveling to the beach or nearby cities was reasonably affordable. Granada is a unique city. It has a stunning architecture, a mix of cultures and a warm friendly atmosphere. The CEA staff I consider to be one of the best. They helped me so much with every little request I had. They made us feel comfortable right away. Overall, the program was well organized. The staff knew all of our names and they were friendly, easy to talk to whenever we needed them. Studying abroad in Granada was the best investment in my life and for my future career. Now, Granada has a part of my heart and is definitely a place I recommend to anyone out there to visit.