Central College Abroad - Study & Intern in Granada

Studying abroad in Spain was the best decision I have ever made. I was able to travel to many countries and throughout Spain, I tried a ton of new food, I improved my Spanish, and I met my best friend! I would do anything to go back and relive the entire experience or have a another completely different one. Studying abroad allowed me to grow as a person and see new ways to look at life. I learned so much while in Spain in addition to the Spanish I was learning. It's amazing how many times in a week that I find myself remembering all of the great stories and memories that I happened while I was abroad.

I have fallen in love with this place, the food, and the people. The bonds that our group has made with each other and with Veronica (our program director) is something I know I will never experience again.

There has never been an opportunity that I have passed up here and it has been worth every penny. My host family has beocme a vital part of my life and the Spanish culture has begun to feel like second nature.
Granada is a welcoming city full of adventure and things to do. There is never a dull moment if you choose to study here.

When I was first researching study abroad programs I didn't even really know too much about Central College Abroad. I originally planned to study in Sevilla with a different program. Unfortunately for me that other program could not guarantee me that courses that I would need to graduate after my semester abroad. Central College Abroad was recommended to me by professors at my school and it ended up being the best decision of my undergraduate career, to complete my degree in Granada, Spain.
As students we don't just simply 'work' with the program directors and staff, we form close relationships and make connections with one another because we come to form a family. The directors and staff of the Central College programs all share a love for acquiring new knowledge of a different culture, all want to constantly share that new knowledge, and also want to ensure that every student has the best experience possible.
This includes scheduling program cultural experiences of traveling and other hands-on activities. At the conclusion of the program in one more month, we will have traveled to 4 different cities of Spain together as well voyaged to another continent (the northern tip of Africa, in Morocco with an exchange program where we lived with Moroccan host families!) where we visited multiple cities as well. And all of our guided trips are not just all historical/serious ones! (Although they are of course, all very cultural.) With this program we have had the opportunities to really emerge ourselves in the Spanish culture with a wine tasting event, an extravagant olive oil tasting experience, a Flamenco show, internship and volunteer opportunities, multiple city tours, a professional futbol game, and the most eye-opening...a bullfight! To put it simply, we are given all of the right tools to succeed living abroad in a different country and continent.
Contact with the Central College Abroad staff while we are physically abroad does not just end after the very first introductory day where we receive program rules, are assigned our host families, and get maps of the city. Throughout the semester we have cultural reunions and group meetings just to talk about progress and how we're really doing in every aspect of study abroad life. If we need help or something needs to be changed or adjusted for us, for example with host families or classes, it will be done.
Moreover the office door for the staff is always open to the students. With that being said, there's always someone in there too; it's not just an empty room. Someone is always there for us to talk to, if we need help, have a question, or simply want to come in and say hello or spend a few quick minutes practicing our Spanish. It's comforting to know that I not only made the right decision by choosing Central College Abroad over any other program, but to know as well that I finished my undergraduate degree in the best way possible.

This experience was by far the best thing I have ever done as a student and just as a global citizen. Living in Spain opened my eyes to a lot of things and introduced me to a lot of life long friends. I grew a lot as a person and living in a different country with a new language made me appreciate the diversity of this world. I enjoyed staying with my host family who made me feel welcomed and made my everyday activities fun and enjoyable with their great support. The program director for the Granada program is a GREAT lady who will go out of her way to make sure all her students are taken care of. If you want someone that can show you how to enjoy a culture to the fullest while also giving you an educational experience, you will love the Granada program director. The teachers at the school were beyond amazing and made learning fun. Who could have known learning could be as fun as this. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to grow and anyone who wants to try something new. Spain is a beautiful country and the travels I had through out Spain, the Flamenco shows I attended, the food I ate (I ate a lot of good bread with my meals),the bull fight, the weekly soccer games, the endless discoteca nights, and the people I met from Spain and all over the world made my time an experience of a lifetime. Muchos besitos

Granada: Small, but urban walking city. Beautiful Sierra Nevadas visible from the city. Beautiful views from walking up into neighborhoods near the amazing Alhambra. Fun tapas and big night life. Lots of pollution and poor air quality. Lack of good public transport, but walkable. Constantly changing climate, but when nice it is an incredibly lovely city.

Academics: The classes I take at the CLM have been very disappointing. I know they are aimed at students who are still learning the language, but they lack intellectual stimulation. For example, I am in one class during which the professor plays videos and we try to listen for the answers to basic questions. The course material is very basic, simple facts about many different places and cultures. It is less profound than any class I have taken since elementary school. It seems the professor has not put much effort into the course curriculum as she continues to show us video clips of poor quality and in some cases give misinformation. I have discussed these qualities of the course with other students who feel the same way. While some other courses are better, in general, the classes at the CLM lack depth. I also think the exam that places students at different levels doesn't provide accurate results, because it is simply a tedious multiple choice exam with a few essay questions, but no oral component. My grammar and written/oral practice classes are both very good. The seminars about specific themes are generally the ones lacking substance.
There is a lot of class time and very little homework which would be great if the classes were more engaging.

Program staff: Veronica is a great director with a great team. They organize great cultural events for us including the trip to Morocco, flamenco show, trip to Madrid, etc. Each are very approachable and Veronica is very reliable and easy to contact. She looks out for us and wants us to make the most of our experience here.

Exchange: It is great that the program sets us up with a local Spaniard to meet periodically and practice. However, the ratio of Americans to Spanish is poor and when there are about 5 of us and 1 of them, there isn't much opportunity to speak and the meetings are infrequent. It would be nice to organize smaller groups or even a 1 on 1 situation with more frequent meetings to really facilitate Spanish practice.

Though the program staff is great, the academics at the CLM are not theirs to design and have been a huge let down. Going to class is a frustrating experience.

Granada was the perfect choice for my study abroad experience. I was immersed in the culture from day 1 and had to interact with spaniards either in the classroom or on the streets everyday. The town is a little difficult to get around at first but becomes easier the longer you stay there. Getting lost is the only way to learn and is definitely a small adventure every time. I loved exploring new parts of the city and because the natives there speak fast, learning spanish in Granada made it easier to speak with people from other cities in Spain. The people of Granada were by far and away the most difficult to understand. Especially if they had no English experience. Overall the experience was incredible and in Granada you will not only see Spanish culture, but also some Arabic culture as there is plenty of Arabic culture and architecture in this city as well.

Let me just say that Granada is a beautiful place with a lot of experiences to be had, but it should be known that Andalucia is known for speaking some of the most terrible Spanish and for being unfriendly.
Granada has a lot of people from outside and you will make friends from all over, experience great things, and learn more than you ever have from things outside of a classroom.

Day to day is still exciting even though I´ve been here for over 4 months. I´ve met some great friends here through the program, the school, and even some Spaniards! Thanks to the classes which focus on Spanish cultural things, grammar, and Spanish slang I´ve found that I can more easily and definitely more confidently communicate my thoughts, ideas, and needs. I love the fact that I´m learning culturally and linguistically.

It´s been a great experience overall. I LOVE the excursions that have been provided by the program: Morocco, Nerja, Plays, Bull Fights, Madrid, Toledo, and more!