My first day in Granada, my host mom told me that my time here would go by in a flash. She couldn't have been more right! As I prepared to leave, I kept thinking about all of the people I would miss chatting with, all the places I would miss visiting, and all the things I wouldn't be able to experience again for a long time. I was excited to go back home, but I didn't want to leave Granada without being confident that I would return someday.

On the whole, my time in Granada was fantastic, but there were some pretty frustrating events that momentarily made me want to pack up and leave. Bad luck can happen to you anywhere, but it can feel so much worse when you're thousands of miles from home. The important thing is to keep cool and figure out the best way to solve your problem.

For the last of many IES excursions around the south of Spain, my classmates and I spent a weekend in the stunning coast of Cabo de Gata. The water was clear, blue, and perfect for snorkeling among the Tomates del Mar. It was great to get a taste of summer vacation before diving back into studying for finals.

One of the things I was looking forward to most about coming to Spain was the great food, and I was not disappointed. I continually found new foods to enjoy, like morcilla or piononos. At the same time, I also had some meals that I was not too fond of, and I started to crave certain American staples that were a scarcity in Spain.

I previously spoke about the record-breaking amount of rainy days that Granada had during the months I was there. Halfway into April, the weather finally started to turn around, and I got the chance to enjoy myself in the beautiful sunshine. In this episode of the podcast, I share some of my favorite ways to put off my homework and spend a sunny day outside.

Students studying with IES Abroad in Granada get the opportunity to take an optional excursion to Gibraltar and Morocco. I am so glad I signed up for this trip! It was truly a wonderful experience to get to know so many Moroccans first hand. I also had a blast eating some great Moroccan food and visiting the Hammam baths.

It’s hard to believe the amount of rain Granada had between January and April of 2013. The weather in Granada was actually worse than the weather in Oregon, a state notorious for it’s rain! After an incident in which rainwater flooded onto the floor of my bedroom, I gave thanks for remembering to pack rain boots and a rain jacket. I couldn't wait for the promised Granada sunshine to finally appear.

In March 2013, the students of IES Granada visited the city of Córdoba in order to see the Gran Mezquita, or Great Mosque, which is now a Cathedral. Having studied the Gran Mezquita in the Islamic Art and Architecture class, this visit was a thrill for me. It was wonderful to finally walk through beneath the famous red and white striped arches, and knowing the full history of the structure made it even more interesting to be there in person. I share a little bit about that history in this episode of the podcast.

The holiday Día de Andalucía gave us IES Granda students a long weekend, which most of us used for independent travel. I decided to travel to northern Spain, to the city of Barcelona. Sometimes it was hard to believe that I was still in the same country–Barcelona has an entirely different atmosphere than Granada! I found myself wishing I had more than just a weekend to see the many wonderful sights there. My favorite places to visit were the many buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí, especially the unfinished basilica of the Sagrada Familia. I hope to make it back to Barcelona one day to see all of the sights I missed while I was there.

Living in Spain as a student can't just be about traveling, exploring, and immersing yourself in a new culture–there’s an academic side to studying abroad, too! In this episode, I describe my classes, schedule, and homework load at the IES Abroad Center and at the University of Granada. The semester wasn't be without its academic challenges, as adapting to the structure of a Spanish classroom can be difficult, especially when you have trouble understanding your professor’s Andalusian accent.