GRANADA!!!

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High School Abroad in Spain

Authored By:

Ruthanne M.

Oct 30, 2018

The study abroad program I came to Spain with has 2 trips each semesters and this was the first one of the year. We started in Sevilla on Friday morning (no school yayayay) and took a 3 hour bus ride east to the freakin awesome city of Granada. Granada is super unique and different from Sevilla. It was the last city under the control of an Islamic king. The architecture and even culture reflects that. Sevilla is much more stereotypical Spanish (and I love my sweet town), but Granada's islamic influence was so cool to see and experience. The food selection was also a lot more diverse with a lot of Middle East and north African restaurants.

We went to this place called La Alhambra Palace. We actually walked there from our hostel. It was all up hill and quite the hike but SO WORTH IT. I was in awe as we walked up this gigantic elaborate fortress. It had remains of old houses and huge doors and arcs and flower gardens. It also had these awesome fountains and columns. The views were amazing from the castle!!! We took great pics and had a fun time looking at the intricate hand carvings and buildings.

After we walked through an old Muslim neighborhood and learned about the history and it was actually really interesting. Normally you'd think yours would be kinda lame but this was a pretty cool tour. Our tour guide only talked in Spanish, so it was a big milestone for all of us that we could understand her. She talked and used simple words, but I actually UNDERSTOOD HER! It may not seem like a big deal, but when I arrived I faced the reality that my two years of high school spanish weren't gonna cut it. So, being able to understand well was a nice reward and feeling knowing I've improved.

We also did some tours through the different plazas and fountains. Then we had free time!!! Some friends and I went to a little market street with some venders and shopped haha. It was super fun and I bought some gifts for my host family and then a rad tapestry, cool jacket and a moroccan coin purse. It was nice to have cultural shops that are way cheaper because in Sevilla it's mostly name brand shops (which don't get me wrong I love Zara, Pull & Bear, and Bershka... and if you don't know what those stores are... google it they rock) and they are killing the bank account so I've had to stop going into Sevilla shopping centers lol.

We had free time for dinner too so we went to this tiny cute moroccan restaurant and I had couscous and chicken. It was so delicious!!!! I love little ethnic restaurants. We (my friends and I) all ordered in Spanish and even talked about all the British tourist in Spanish. On the way out of the restaurant a British lady asked me if I spoke English and I took that as a the hugest compliment (I think she heard us speaking spanish during dinner because we were talking about her lolllll).

It was also great to see all the other kids in the study abroad program. We are all living in small towns outside of Madrid and Sevilla so we rarely see each other. It was super nice and weird to talk in English. Kinda weird to hang with Americans and not have the tiny cultural difference. We always end up laughing or having midnight dance parties or partying haha. Overall it was a much needed English break and super fun to hang with them.

On Sunday, we walked to a Monastery and learned about the women who devote their lives to staying there. We also walked up to another spot to see a different view of La Alhambra. It was all so breathtaking. The mountains/hills that roll on for miles and the houses and villages built on them. Some are so high they are ice capped. It's a pretty crazy view.