Granada is honestly one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. We have only been in the city for two nights, but I already feel at home here. I live right by the main cathedral in the historic city center, and am surrounded by small plazas perfect for getting tapas or a coffee. Bars here offer free tapas with every drink you order, which is basically enough to sell me on the city. Granada feels young and alive, a mix of a college town and a city, and like the perfect combination of old and new. There are buildings and bridges from the thirteenth century, but new commercial buildings as well. There are big stores and some major streets but there are also really sweet old parts of town that are only accessible by foot. My only anxiety about this semester is that it will go by too quickly.
My orientation with API took place in Madrid. We were able to meet everyone from our program and get to know one another, have informational meetings, while also exploring Madrid a bit on our own. We visited the Royal Palace with a guided tour, and bonded over taking touristic group pictures courtesy of a selfie stick. We also visited the Prado museum which houses thousands of works of art including pieces from Goya and El Greco. In my free time, I met up with my friend who now lives in Madrid, and was able to get a taste of the Spanish nightlife.
On our way down to Granada, we stopped in Toledo. Toledo is a precious gem that seems to bring you back to a different era. It is old and peaceful and beautiful, and much of its architecture represents a time when Christians, Muslims, and Jews all lived and worked together peacefully. I could have easily spent the whole afternoon looking at the panoramic view of the city.
Although I’m eager to continue exploring Granada, I spent this afternoon an hour south of the city, in a small and quiet beach town named Almunecar. My parents recently moved there, and it was really nice to be able to introduce them to my new friends and enjoy the beach.
This week, we will continue orientation in Granada. This will include many meetings, a scavenger hunt, and a Spanish placement exam that I’m sure I’m not the only one nervous about. I now understand what everyone meant when they warned me about the difficult accent in the south of Spain, but I’m sure in a few weeks I’ll get an ear for it.
