Thinking Back A Little

It's the end of the six-week program, and the time between now and the beginning seems close and yet far, like an elastic band that lengthens and contracts depending on the amount of focus I use.
   I was having dinner with my Spanish family the other day, fresh shrimp and full-fried sardine fish, when my host brother, Jose, and  I reminisced about the day his father, Juan, and he picked me up from the bus stop.

      The conversation on the ride to their apartment began well, I knew how to say the                   pre-programmed "Hello, my name is...," and not much else besides simple conversational phrases that could only lead so far. It was interesting. I had been more than a little nervous, and the inadequacy of my knowledge of the Spanish language in turn made me feel inadequate. I soon forgot my self-centered pity, though, as I rapidly became familiar with my family, began picking up the language, and generally settled in. 

   I traveled to the Albaycin, the Alhambra, the Mesquita in Cordoba, all beautiful historic locations, but also learned how to order a drink, and a tapa, make friends with the cafe owners and the spot my friend Grant and I would sit down at during out class break, begin conversations on the bus, and watch my Juan as he prepared a delicious three course lunch consisting of Salmorejo, papas fritas, and fried lamb. It was fantastic.
  Now I'm writing this blog with my bag half-packed, Juan in the kitchen preparing two boccadones (sandwiches, but with real Spanish bread) for my trip, and feeling a little nostalgic for the time I've spent here. I'm about to go spend another 2 weeks exploring the other parts of Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastion, and even Toulouse, possibly), and thoroughly enjoy it. But I'll miss Granada, with its small-city feel, it's tapas, and the people I remember meeting.

It was a good trip.

Last Day of the Greatest 6 Weeks of My Life

I am sitting here doing my best to not cry because half of my friends have already taken off and tomorrow morning everyone else left will be heading their separate ways. I have literally put this blog off until the last few hours because I've been in denial that the program is ending... but it is and I have to now face the facts. 

The last 6 weeks have literally been the best of my life. I cannot believe how much I have learned and how close I have grown to all the other students on the program. If you would have told me 6 weeks ago that I would learn this much about the Spanish language and culture, I would have thought you were absolutely "loco." I try my best to live my life without regrets because if you regret something that that means you don't trust the plan that is set forth for you. However, I do have some recommendations for those who will follow in my footsteps and participate in this outstanding program:

Things To Do (I know they may sound silly or unimportant, but you should really take the advice from all of us who have been through this): 

• Meet up with everyone as much as possible in Ann Arbor before the trip over seas. It will help immensely with the relationships that you build, because trust me, you all will get ridiculously close and share a bond like you do with no one else in your life. I will treasure these friendships forever and I only with I could have started them earlier! 

• Guys - Bring nicer clothes than you would wear at UM. I thought I dressed to impress in The States, but everyone here shows me up big time. I spent a lot of money on clothes because I didn't want to embrace myself at clubs or just during a simple evening out. You could leave room in your suitcase (and budget) to buy some clothes here too.

• Remember, the experience of an experience abroad is worth much more than the Grade. This one might now be too popular with the administration however, it is not hard to balance school work with experiencing spanish culture. Do no sacrifice fun nights with friends and indulging in the culture to break your back studying. If you professor is as great as ours has been, there will not be a problem mastering the material if you give it your all in class, do the Homework and study "enough." "Enough" is different for everyone but again, I wouldn't say you are in Spain to study... You can do that in Ann Arbor...

The Don'ts of a Great time in Spain:

• Don't be afraid to talk to your host family in your crappy broken spanish from day one. Your family will be your most valuable resource in learning spanish. The will coronet you, teach you, stretch your understanding and love you with all their heart. Do everything you can to build a lasting relationship with each person in your family because they are the things you will miss about Spain. They want to help you with all things spanish and probably with life in general. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED OF SCARED OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER! It gets better :)

• Don't be un Aguafiestas. Everyone in our group suffered form FOMO - fear of missing out - and therefore we had very few Aguafiestas (party poppers). I think it is a good thing to experience everything you possible can here in Spain, even if it is a wee bit out of your comfort zone (I'm not talking about things that could land you in jail, just little things such as food and crazy nights). Live it up because you will wish you had done more things with your time rather than regretting the things you did do. 

• Don't be terribly sad when it ends -This is the toughest one for me. You are all from the same school and will all be going back in the fall (apart for the graduating seniors who you are allow to miss and be sad about). You will be able to go to football games, have BBQs and hang out at places where you don't have to pay for drinks to be together. Just because Granada is over doesn't mean that the friendships will end; they will just get better with more time to hang out in A2!

Welp, I guess thats all. I wish anyone luck who is going on this amazing adventure and I hope that you can have as great as an experience as I have had! 

Ian Beck, 2014 Granada Alumni 

The last one :'(

Well, it finally happened. Granada is officially a thing of the past. I don’t think the shock has really hit me yet. The past 24ish hours of a packing/trip planning/studying frenzy have left me a little emotionally drained, and I’m having some trouble processing what’s really going on. That said, it’s probably better that I don’t get all sappy and gross while trying to write this blog post, so we’ll take my stunned inability to cope as a positive. Here are my top 3 do’s and don’ts:

Do…

-know that Malaga is farther away than you think and there are only so many busses that go back and forth from there to Granada a day. For example, you can’t book a 9:30 AM flight out of Malaga thinking you can leave that morning.

-be adventurous. Try all the food, pretend you’re Spanish and hang out in a plaza people watching, explore without a plan (even if the walk is uphill), etc.

-engage with your host family. You don’t have to apologize for your bad Spanish, just make an effort to improve. They will be one of your best resources for practicing and chances are they will be absolutely lovely.

-BONUS! Off that last tip, practice a little before you arrive. Seriously. It will certainly make the transition easier, but it will also make the class at least a bit easier, and technically that’s why you’re here in the first place.

Don’t…

-pack three full suitcases. Some crazy person told us to pack enough clothes for two or three weeks before we left, so obviously I went overboard. To be fair one was a carry on but it’s still a pain to deal with.

-try to figure out what it will be like before you get there. It’s so much more exciting to be surprised. Obviously there are differences, but it doesn’t take that much mental preparation. Just be flexible.

-get too wrapped up in just class. If you make good friends they’ll force you to do some exploring, but for heaven’s sake don’t be an aguafiesta (yes it’s a real word and once you’ve learned it you’ll never forget it)! You’re taking an accelerated Spanish course in Spain, not in Ann Arbor. Take advantage of that. 

Bye For Now

Hello,

This is my final entry to this blog. Maybe I will start a new blog to continue blogging into the future, and perhaps I won't; you'll have to check the new blog to find out. 

Granada has been great to say the least. I have greatly enjoyed my time in Spain and all the things that I have learned about the culture and language. I now have a few suggestions, recommendations, and ideas for future travelers and students in Granada. This will be in the form of a Do's and Don't's list. 

Do's

1. Eat at Papaupa. it has good sangria and food. I would say the best sangria.

2. If studying in Granada make sure you review a lot of spanish vocab. before hand. It will make understanding the meaning of conversations much easier. You don't need to understand everything someone says to get the gist.

3. Go out to eat Tapas as often as possible. They are free with a drink and a drink is cheap. If you keep ordering drinks at a place you like they will give you larger and larger tapas. They also will get better in quality. However, only do this at good places.

4. If staying with a host family put some thought into the gifts you bring for them. A shirt with a michigan M on it is stupid and will never be worn. Bring something that is both usable and representative of you. I brought maple syrup, it goes great with the churros here.

Don't's

1. Don't take cabs everywhere. By walking you are more likely to notice interesting places you'd like to go.

2. Don't bring a bunch of pants and long sleeve shirts, it is hot here. Way hotter than anywhere should be. 

3. Don't wait till the last minute to make your planes for after and during the trip. 

4. Don't listen to people when they tell you they dress different here. They dress a lot like we do in the US. They do dress nicer, as in not a lot of workout clothes. They do not dress conservatively though. Far from it. I have seen shorts that could be a new type of Victoria's Secret jean underwear.

That is all for now, and unfortunately for ever. Unless I start a new blog.

I can't believe I'm writing this

I really don't want to write this blog post. Not because I want to get a bad grade or because I'm too busy eating delicious tapas but because writing this means that the program is over and I'm leaving this fantastic city that I have grown to love.

I came to Granada not knowing what to expect, which I think was a good thing. Sometimes it's better to not have any expectations because it leaves room for you to adapt to everything. I wasn't expecting how close our whole class would become and I'm dreading having to say goodbye to everyone even though most of them are going to be at Michigan in the fall. Often times big groups can become divided and exclusive but this group has been the most fun and inclusive group of people I've ever had the pleasure of spending 6 weeks in a foreign country with. I also wasn't expecting my host family to be so kind and inclusive. They have made me a part of their family and I will forever be grateful for all they have done for me.

Even though 6 weeks is a very short time (trust me it flies), I think my Spanish has improved so much in that time. I have also learned how to use what I know in the language to talk about things I don't know which has proven to be a very important and helpful skill.

I could go on forever about all of the incredible memories I have of this place and these people, like climbing gigantic rocks and swimming out to buoys in the Mediterranean Sea, staying out so late in a discoteca that you watch the sunrise on your walk home, or inventing ridiculous games to keep ourselves occupied and entertained on the very long tours, but thinking about all of that might make me cry so, here it is, all condensed, here are the do's and the dont's of what will be one of the best times of your life:

Do's

1. Say yes, to everything (I mean don't do illicit drugs, but I think you get what I mean). Go to that Zumba class with everyone even though you can't dance, try the most foreign food you can find, explore the new neighborhoods even though you might get lost. The best stories and memories come from these experiences and they help you bond with your friends.

2. Spend time with your host family. Don't just be a renter, be part of their family if possible. This can be as simple as making mealtimes a priority. Besides the restaurant food is never as good as your host mom's cooking anyways.

3. Make every minute count. It's cliche, but the truth is your time will be over before you know it. If you assume that you have infinite time , you will miss out on opportunities and you are more likely to have regrets when your time is over. As my friend Ferris Bueller once said, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Don'ts

1. Don't waste too much time missing things from home, whether it's food, or people, or culture. It will take away from your appreciation of new place you are living. Basically, be present in the place, both physically and mentally.

2. I've said it before but seriously, don't be afraid of failing, or making mistakes. And when you do fail know that everything will eventually work out.

3. Don't get so comfortable that you forget basic safety principles. It's only too easy for that to happen and then before you know it someone makes off with your bag and all your worldly possessions. (It sucks. I don't even want to talk about it because it's still too soon).


Well that's all folks. Adios Granada. Hasta luego.

An Unforgettable Experience

Its so hard to believe that in just a day I'll be leaving Granada.  After spending six weeks here I feel so attached to this place.  Simple things like getting tapas in front of the Catedral, a cafe next to Rio Genil, or exploring the Albazycin have all really ingrained this city into my memories.  Not to mention all the crazy fun nights out with all my classmates to the discotecas or for tapas.  Its been really fun.  I think I'll take away a better appreciation for Spanish culture and a greater understanding of its history and significance as well as a way better ability to speak and understand Spanish. In addition to some great relationships with all the people in my class.  I'll also have a much better understanding of different lifestyles and how a community functions.  It was really pleasant to see the greater sense of community I feel Spain has, to actually see how that functions, and to exist within it.  I loved all the communal public spaces where literally everyone was.  People of all ages together outside and interacting.  It was nice.

Now as for some crucial (or maybe just helpful) advice about Granada and your study abroad experience
Do's:

• Do try everything that you possibly can.
•   This is amazing opportunity and its no time to be picky.  Plus the food here is great!

• Take sometime to do some solitary exploring.  
• While being with people is always fun, theres something to be said about alone time in a foreign country.  You're able to give your full attention to your surroundings and do exactly what you want to do.  

• Take time to document your experience
• While photos are always an excellent idea, writing can really reveal what you were thinking at a certain time and how that evolved.  

• Try so spend as much time as you can outside
• Too often I felt I was inside studying to much or deciding to stay in and relax, but I'd recommend spending as much time as you can out in the city
• Excercise!  
• Whether its running next to the river or working out at the gym, exercising will really help with any time of stress you maybe experiencing 
• Be involved as much as you can with your classmates
• You'll make great relationships and form some unforgettable memories

Don'ts:

• Don't always go to the same restaurant or  tapas bar 
• This city is literally FILLED with tapas bar and with some research you can really find the gems.  Relying on convenience to choose a place or falling too easily into a routine is a really bad reason to not explore everything Granada has to offer.
• Don't Bring a giant suitcase if you're planning to travel after the program
• This is something I'm currently experiencing and hefty fees it includes for not traveling light and small
• Don't stress about class too much
• Yes,  I know its an 8 credit course in 6 weeks but remember where you are and don't spend all you're time doing or being preoccupied with homework when there's a beautiful city around you
• Don't forget to be appreciative for each moment
• There maybe times when its sweltering and all you want to do is sit inside, but push past it and realize what an amazing experience this is.  It truly is something you'll never forget.   

Buena Suerte!  I know you'll have the best time of your life 

Hasta Luego!

-Mat

La Mejor Expriencia De Mi Vida

When I say my time here in Granada has been the best time of my life, I truly mean it. I was extremely nervous coming to Spain because I didn't know anyone and I've never been away from home for this long. Although I'm excited to see my family, dogs, and friends, I am not ready to leave!

My experience has been amazing and here is a list if things future students should and shouldn't do:

DO's:
- Spend as much time with your host family as possible! You should build a relationship with them that you'll keep forever. My family is awesome and I hope to maintain contact with them for the rest of my life!
- Talk in Spanish as much as you can. When you first arrive, you won't know that much Spanish but that is why you are going to Granada. Your family are going to work with you and don't be afraid to mess up and say something stupid. You are only going to get better if you continue to practice and try talking. Additionally, your families can teach you so much that you cannot learn inside of a class room.
- Walk around the city as much as you can without a plan. Some of my best experience were when I decided to just walk around with my friends and take random turns. You'll find so many cool places, including the park we found with this AMAZING teeter totter :) The teeter totter is located near a park by the river and there is one in Park Garcia Lorca (there is also a two story tube slide and zip line in the park)!
- Get a gym membership at YO10 and take Zumba classes with your classmates. This was something we did and it was a blast! I never did Zumba before this trip and I absolutely fell in love with it.
- Go to the beach one weekend with the whole class. I personally liked Nerja better, but Malaga is great too. 11 of us spent the night in Nerja and it was one of my favorite memories staying up all night with my best friends!
- Try to get to know some local Spaniards. Not only can you practice your Spanish, but they can give you the ins and outs of what you should do. I would recommend going to a botellón and getting that cultural experience as well.

DON'Ts:
- Don't say inside of your comfort zone. Spain is the perfect time to adventure out and try new things. I tried so many new foods and fell in love with them! I was a very picky eater before I came and now I'll almost try anything!
- Don't spend all of your free time studying. Yes school is important, but you will get more out of your experience if you go out and have adventures. You will actually be surprised how much more you learn when you are out on an adventure. Make sure when you do study, study with your friends. As crazy as it might sound, after only 3 days all of us became best friends and you will be really upset if you don't take the time to get your classmates.
- Don't go to the same tapa place everyday. Granada is filled with tons of tapa restaurants and I would recommend to go to as many as possible.
- Don't spend your weekends traveling. Before coming to Granada, I thought I would want to travel around Europe during my trip. I am so happy I did not because if I did, I would have missed out on so much in Granada.