Hi, I’m Chloe and I study French and Spanish. My year abroad in Granada is coming to an end, and what a year it has been! It’s definitely been challenging at times but it is one of the best things I have ever done as it has challenged me and grown me in so many ways beyond just learning Spanish.
I chose Granada because it felt perfect to me. It’s not too big and not too small, just like Southampton, so there is always something to do and something new to explore without it feeling overwhelming. It’s surrounded by mountains and is less than an hour from the coast. However, it gets very cold in winter because of the mountains. The city itself has so many hidden gems beyond just the Alhambra, although the Alhambra is beautiful of course! I love exploring the city after having learnt about its rich, diverse history at school and university.
I stayed in student accommodation here, which felt very different – you would not find a student accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool for so cheap in the UK! Granada in general has quite a low cost of living, and my favourite part about going out to eat is the free tapas with every drink!
I found there to be fewer assignments throughout the semester here compared to Southampton, however the lectures are longer and less interactive, which took some time to adjust to. Before coming abroad, the thought of having all lectures and assignments in another language felt daunting to me, however it has been very rewarding and made me realise that I was more than capable of succeeding academically here with my level of Spanish. I was also very worried about speaking with locals, especially with the Andalusian accent, however I have generally found people to be very willing to help out, and I get to help them with their English in return! One of my biggest tips would be to put yourself out there and not worry too much about making mistakes, as you likely sound better than you think!
I travelled around a lot, especially in the first semester, as the Erasmus groups organised a lot of trips across Spain and it was such a great way to bond with friends from all over Europe whilst exploring Spanish culture. I visited places such as Gibraltar, Córdoba, Seville, Nerja and Madrid, as well as places beyond Spain, such as Morocco and Lisbon. I would definitely recommend visiting as many nearby places as possible.
I would really recommend getting involved in lots of activities to meet new people, especially with native speakers. The Erasmus group would sometimes organise activities in the local community, such as singing Spanish Christmas carols in the local community, which helped us to get out of the ‘Erasmus bubble’ and meet locals of different ages. I also got involved in a local church, which was so beneficial for practising my Spanish in a welcoming and relaxed environment with people from all over Latin America as well as Spain. They organised a lot of weekend camps for us to get to know each other, which really immersed me in the language. Befriending locals also helped me discover more hidden gems around the city.
I also enjoyed experiencing the Christmas and Easter traditions. For example, I spent New Year’s Eve in Seville and did the 12 grapes challenge before the clock turned midnight. They put a lot of effort into their Easter processions here, especially in Granada, which was fascinating to watch.
Finally, I would challenge you to try something new on your year abroad that you maybe wouldn’t do at home. For example, I started attending weekly salsa classes with locals and ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.
The year has definitely flown by and I will miss Granada a lot. The year abroad has definitely made me consider moving abroad for a few years in the future. But remember that studying abroad isn’t always perfect like the Instagram photos portray it to be, and it’s important to take care of yourself and remind yourself what a huge accomplishment it is!