Hey hey! I’m back again for my second article bringing y’all along to my semester abroad in Spain, and boy is this one a doozy.
I officially had my first crash out of the semester, and classes had not even started yet. No amount of warnings can prepare you, in my opinion, to study abroad in a different country and adapt to the culture and language; this can sometimes get overwhelming.
I am proud of myself for how I handled being overwhelmed and think that this is a good sign for the rest of my semester. I let myself feel overwhelmed, let myself cry and talked to my parents about why I was experiencing these emotions, (my mom is a therapist) and went on a run to help clear my head.
Other than crashing out, the weekend before my classes started was a relaxing one where I was able to get to know some of the people in my program better.
My classes started on Sept. 15, and so far, it looks like I’m set to enjoy all of them. All of my classes use Spanish as their language of instruction which is something I’ve never had before and was nervous about, but all of the professors are amazing and make sure to speak slowly and clearly so we can understand them.
I’m taking five classes this semester through IES Granada: Spanish, a healthcare class, a government class focused on democracy, a religion class on the history of Sephardic Jews in Spain and a Flamenco dance class.
All of these classes are interesting and I would’ve never otherwise taken them if it wasn’t for the fact that I was in Spain, because where else would I be learning how to dance Flamenco as someone with two left feet?
In addition to classes starting, IES took everyone in the program on a day trip to Ronda, a quaint city with a rich history of the Moorish influence on Spain and gorgeous views.
We did a two and a half hour walking tour of the city, and while it was informative and enjoyable, once 3:00 rolled around, everyone in our group was ready for lunch. That’s one thing I have yet to adjust to in Spain: the meal times and the differences in food culture in general from the United States.
I’ve found that the day trips that we’ve gone on as a program, between Ronda and Cabo de Gata, have been amazing times to talk to the other people in the program that I might not have had the opportunity to speak otherwise due to overlapping classes or limited encounters around the IES center. I even got to go to tapas that night with the connections I made on these day trips! I’m beginning to get the feeling that I’ve found some of my people in this program.
I’m going to Madrid this weekend and have started to plan some other trips during my time here in Granada. Between looking forward to those trips and the beginning of having a routine with my classes, this semester is looking up for me. I’ll keep y’all updated, and hasta luego!
