CEA Study Abroad in Granada, Spain

I studied abroad in Granada, Spain through a Spanish-intensive program led by CEA. The CEA on-site staff were excellent in suggesting side-trips, as well as helping us find great study spaces in Granada. I was able to immerse myself in the culture, especially because I stayed with a host family on-site. I couldn't have asked for a better experience with CEA, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to explore a new culture with a program that matches your preferences.

Just a month abroad in Granada was far too little. This city will be sure to steal your heart, just as it did mine. Despite the blistering heat of summer, I had such an amazing time exploring every rincón and tasting almost every (free!) tapa.

The local staff were very helpful and led many cultural excursions throughout the city and the surrounding community; I was able to learn so much about the culture and history of Andalusia. Having my intensive Spanish course for four straight hours each morning was difficult to get used to at first, but it gave me the rest of my day to take a siesta, spend time with my new friends, and enjoy the nightlife in Granada.

I opted for a residencia-style housing placement rather than a host family and was lucky enough to have my own room. The staff at the residencia were very kind and understanding of my then-low-level Spanish skill, however, as a very independent person it was somewhat weird to have my laundry done for me and to not cook my own meals. As I quickly learned, many places in Spain do not have air conditioning, which made the conditions in my room somewhat hellish during the hottest hours of the day.

That aside, I was able to make tons of amazing memories in Granada; I miss my time there immensely -- the sweatiness on the other hand…

My time spent in Granada would not have been the same without the amazing CEA staff there to guide and support me. I was paired up with the most amazing host mom who not only made delicious Spanish cuisine but made me feel part of her family. The activities within the CEA program were culturally enriched and made me broaden my entire perspective. There was never a point in my stay in Granada where I felt unsafe or felt I had no one to talk to, the Granada staff was amazingly organized and friendly. My favorite activity was the trip to Morocco. The reason being that CEA organized a sit down meal with a Moroccan family. The people were fantastic, the food was fantastic, and the experience was unforgettable.

Granada is an amazing city due to the large university there. It's large enough to offer something for everyone, but small enough not to feel overwhelming. I had a great experience due to the amazing CEA staff, the friends I made here, and my wonderful host family. My host family experience combined with the classes I took helped me to improve my Spanish immensely, and I learned so much about the language, culture, and history here in Spain. I was also able to travel to many other cities in Spain as well as other countries in Europe! Overall, it was a very culturally immersive program and I was very pleased with everything, including the amazing support from CEA. I learned more about myself, improved my language skills, and tried new things I never would have done otherwise. Study abroad is truly a life-changing experience.

I couldnt be happier with my experience with CEA. I'm spending a year in Granada, Spain, and I'm living with a host family here in the city. Everyone, including the onsite directors Begoña and Jorge, my professors at the CLM (where your classes normally are), and my host family, have all been incredibly helpful and encouraging. I would go abroad with CEA again in a heartbeat. One thing to note while looking at programs to go abroad: all CEA excursions are all inclusive. So when you see "CEA Excursion to Morocco" in the trips for Granada students, that means that your meals, hotel, all activities, etc are paid for already. You just have to show up. This is INCREDIBLY valuable, and an amazing way to learn and travel.

I spent a wonderful Fall semester in Granada Spain with CEA. I had dreamed of studying in Spain for many years and, after hearing stories about Granada from a friend, I fell in love with the city from a distance. My heart was set on Granada. While researching programs I decided on CEA due to the course offerings and the attentive admissions staff. And I am so glad that I did!

As a first time international traveller, I was nervous about everything before I took off. Luckily, CEA made sure that I had all the details before I stepped onto the plane. Jorge (the amazing Granada student life staff member) was there to pick me up from the Airport in his bright orange CEA shirt. Orientation over the first few days was thorough but still allowed us enough time to explore and find out own way around the city.

Granada is small enough that you can walk everywhere you need to go but large enough that you never run out of new places to explore. Not to mention it is a university city so you will meet students from all over the world. You'll agree that it's the best city in Spain by the end of your time there, I guarantee it!

I stayed with a host family and a roommate from my program. My host mom was hilarious, attentive and only spoke Spanish which improved my skills greatly over my four months with her! All CEA housing is located within walking distance from the Centro de Lenguas Modernas where international students take their classes.

CEA's support was consistent throughout the semester. Their office was open every weekday and students were encouraged to drop in and chat with Begonia (the Granada program director) and Jorge. Students could even schedule tutoring sessions to help them with their Spanish coursework, which was a lifesaver in my grammar course!

The excursions, be it the weekend trips or the afternoon activities in Granada, were well planned and informative. I appreciated that our guides would always strive to speak to us in Spanish.

If you are looking for a program that will give you a great balance of support and independence, I would highly recommend going with CEA. But be warned, you might just leave your heart in Granada.

As a side note to start, the title of my review is a line from a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca, Granada’s most famous poet and playwright. While I was abroad, I lived a block away from the park that the city named after him. His home is in the middle of the park, and there are tours that guide you through the house.

I chose to study abroad with CEA because they offered internships. I had an internship with a social services agency called the Albihar Foundation, which focuses primarily on women, children, and the elderly. I spent time with an elderly woman every week and got to know her very well. I came to know her as my Spanish grandmother, and she’d talk to me about her childhood, her family, growing up in Granada, and, her favorite thing to discuss, Spanish politics. Over the course of the semester, I kept a journal and wrote a paper about the foundation and the time I spent with Encarnación. My internship was one of my favorite things about my semester abroad, and was a unique experience I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

In addition to my internship, CEA had volunteer opportunities at local schools, day cares, and elderly care centers in Granada. I spent a couple of hours every week assisting a preschool teacher with art lessons for the students, and teaching them English vocabulary. I had an amazing time speaking English and Spanish with the children, and learning from them.

The professors for my own classes were attentive, helpful, and more than willing to explain any questions I had. The classes were engaging and helped my Spanish improve exponentially. The CEA on-site program specialists also helped me understand the language; for the second half of the semester, one of the on-site specialists tutored me once a week, and my understanding of Spanish grammar greatly improved.

Although I loved Granada, there are several study abroad programs that host students there. What made me especially glad that I chose CEA were the program specialists. They were easy to relate to, and provided any information we needed. CEA planned fun excursions that we could take as a group, and those trips allowed me to see many other parts of Spain: Ronda, Seville, Malaga, Cordoba, and a weekend in Morocco.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with the time I spent in Granada, and I think about it every day. I miss the food, my Spanish friends, and the amazing places I visited during my four months abroad.

Oh, man. Where do I even start? Studying abroad in Granada was definitely the best decision I’ve made so far in life. The CEA on-site staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They are there to help you with literally anything during your stay in Granada. Having troubles in your classes? They’ll give you tips and personally help you one-on-one. They sent regular emails checking in on me and even congratulating me on my progress. If you are planning a weekend trip, you can check in with them before you leave, and they’ll help you with planning, suggesting great places to stay and things to do while you’re there. They’re all so helpful and super nice.

While I was in Granada, I chose to do a home-stay, which I loved. It was so nice coming home to a family every day and eating and talking about my day with people. They were so welcoming. I also had the pleasure of having a housemate, who is still one of my best friends today. I was also able to get to know the Spanish culture on a more personal level. My host mom always told us what she was cooking for the day and explained the different ingredients and influences of the food. My family also had two younger daughters and a dog, which was really cool. I enjoyed getting to play with my host sisters every day.

The whole atmosphere of Spain is way more laid back than in the United States. “No pasa nada” is the motto. People aren’t trying to rush everything like we do in the States. They take the time to enjoy life and the people around them. Walking is the more popular form of transportation, and you’ll understand why when you see the great views and how close everything is. I had to get up at seven every morning to walk like thirty minutes (partially uphill) to get to my 8am class every day, and I did not mind it one bit. (And I am definitely NOT a morning person!!!) They do have really good public transportation, though, if you’d rather take the bus. You can buy a pass for pretty cheap.

Even the classes are pretty laid back. If you’re worried about your level of Spanish not being good enough, don’t. The professors understand that you’re an international student and that Spanish is (probably) your second language. They’ll work with you :) But attendance is very important, so go to class. I know that traveling is very tempting (and I definitely recommend it because it’s super cheap to travel in Europe), but GO TO CLASS. Plus, the classes are so interesting that you won’t want to miss them anyways. There were many days were my professors decided that we would just have class at a café or bar down the street just because.

Speaking of bars, THE TAPAS <3 <3 <3 If you don’t know what tapas are, get ready. In Granada, whenever you go out and order a drink (alcoholic or non!), it comes with a little plate of food. They all vary depending on the place, but they’re all amazing. Try them all. I love food.

I could talk about Granada forever. Go out and explore the city. Granada has a lot to offer. Flamenco, cafes, arte, architecture, SO MUCH. Meet new people and practice that Spanish!!! Spaniards are very nice, and they’re more than willing to sit and have a café and conversation with you. Speak as much and as often as you can. Make mistakes and learn from them. You won’t regret choosing to study in Granada!!