The Universidad de Granada is located in the region of Andalucia in southern Spain, a few kilometers from one of Spain's best ski resort and less than an hour from the Mediterranean Sea. This is a semester or year study abroad. Students earn elective and required hours toward the Spanish and Spanish teacher ed major as well as the Spanish minor. This is the best choice for Spanish majors and minors since courses taken in Granada have already been prearticulated and most transfer back to ISU directly toward your major/minor requirements. You can also get some General Education credit in Granada.
For more information about Granada and how much it will cost go to the ISU International Studies link.
When Allie first approached me about this I was very concerned. I had to be talked into it by her and her dad. Now, I am encouraging my son Matt to do the very same thing.
Allie had a great experience! She was with a couple girls she didn't know ahead of time from ISU but soon became fast friends. Her family was incredible. She is going back to spend 2 weeks with them in May as her "mom" had her baby "sister" after Allie left. She can't wait to see them again.
She got to travel a lot for very affordable rates. She got to try various foods and see the culture up close. When she returned home, she really missed Spain. There were a lot of things she preferred in that country and it took some getting used to being back in the states. My husband and I were fortunate enough to visit Allie while over there. The country is absolutely gorgeous! Mountains and the ocean...what more could you want? It is a very hospitable country.
Allie came home incredibly fluent in the language. I would encourage anyone to send their child to study abroad. Like I said, my son will probably be following in his sister's footsteps and traveling next year. It is an experience that you wouldn't get anywhere else.
If I can answer any more questions, I'd be happy to talk with anyone about this.
Dr. Bruce Burningham
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Campus Box 4300
Normal, IL
61790-4300
Granada, Spain
In the beginning I was a little nervous, but everything was fun and exciting, and my host family really comforted me and made me feel at home.
I found it to be very beneficial. It got a little boring going to the same class 4 hours a day everyday of the week, but that way you really learned a lot and got to know your classmates really well.
I didn't find the placement exam to be very difficult, it's nothing to get nervous about and nothing you can really study for, just tests to see where you are at. I took another test after the month-long course but it was different and not really comparable, it was more like a final for the course.
I learned a lot from my teachers and thought it was very helpful that they were native Spanish speakers. Classes were difficult but there wasn't much homework involved. I felt like I really learned a lot in these classes.
(If anyone studying in Granada wants to contact me, I can refer them to good teachers)
It was really interesting to study with students from all over the US and the world. I enjoyed observing the cultural differences. I made a lot of friends.
I absolutely LOVED my host family, they are what really made this trip amazing for me. I am going back to stay with them in May. I really encourage everyone to stay with a host family because you get a feel for the culture and this is where I feel I learned the most Spanish. Also, you feel more at home.
I lived with an amazing cook who owned a restraunt, so I loved the food. There was no red meat, and a lot of chicken and sea food.
I had a 10 minute walk to and from school through really pretty side streets.
Yes, the best part of being in Europe is that it is so easy to travel around Europe, flights on skyscanner.com are cheap and convinient.
Amazing! Skip Milan, do Rome. Paris is a MUST! But be over cautious of your belongings in these touristy cities.
I always felt safe, however I would not walk alone at night. And be sure to watch your personal belongings, especially your passport.
ISU language courses seem somewhat slow paced now, and I honestly feel that I learned more in my 5months in spain, than in my 8 years of language classes.
Everything was so wonderful, it was a life changing experience. You become so independent and really mature a lot in this time.
Leaving, it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my life in Granada. All of us who went together feel the same and we reminisce often.
