5 Things I'm Making Sure to Take with Me from Granada

I’m a really big fan of lists, if you haven’t already noticed this pattern in some of my other blogs, so I wanted to end my time as a Correspondent with a final reflection in list form! Here are five things that I’m excited to take back with me from Granada to the United States:

My New Habit of Going on Walks and Enjoying Nature

Granada is such a walkable city and the nature is so gorgeous, especially during the fall season. I’ve been loving the crunch of the fall leaves on the ground and the chilly-but-not-too-chilly weather we’ve been having as of early December. It’s been feeling like a very extended Fall and I’ve been really thriving in it, especially in regards to walking around. I hope even when it’s much chiller back on the east coast of the U.S. that I’ll be able to continue feeling motivated to take a break from my work and take time to enjoy the nature nearby.

Dressing Up Slightly Better for Class

At first, I was really daunted by how often Spanish college students are dressed well for class, not that they’re in dresses and tuxes every day but just that they always wear jeans and a cute sweater, and I was prepared to have at least one day of wearing sweatpants to class…But now I’m really excited to pull out my cute sweaters and pants to feel put-together in every class I can manage it! I think it can really make you feel better about paying attention and feeling ready to learn to feel comfortable and good about how you look while in class.

Playing Cards at Dinner

This one isn’t a Granada-specific thing in any way, but it stems from the early days when my roommate and I only hung out with each other and needed something else to do during dinner especially if we had nothing to talk about. It eventually turned into something that would follow us for the rest of the program and that we brought friends along to do for every meal. I learned that games are always able to bring a group together in a very natural way, and so a pack of cards was always in our bag if we were headed to a dinner gathering. I’m excited to bring out the cards with my friends from school as we reconnect and start off the next semester together!

My Mosaico Finds

This one might be a little bit niche, but my finds from the vintage store Mosaico were very satisfactory and I’m so glad I got to keep my hobby of thrift store shopping while abroad, even if some of the European fashion tastes weren’t much to my liking. I got one new pair of pants, one sweater, one scarf with a beautiful peacock printed on it, but rest assured I could’ve bought at least four more items if not for my common sense kicking in. If you find yourself in Granada and are lacking summer or winter clothing, Mosaico has a really good selection of almost any type of clothing you need, depending on the season. I know people who’ve been satisfied walking out of the store with a simple and practical black t-shirt, and others who now own a luxurious fake fur coat or a really stylish bomber jacket thanks to Mosaico.

Some Phrases in Spanish That I Might Find Extremely Useful in My Daily Life

Finishing off this list with some really practical phrases that I’ve decided to keep at the forefront of my mind the next time I need to speak in Spanish, for example:

- “Se me va la cabeza” - literally translates to “my head is going” but is used to describe the feeling of “Ugh, I’m so stupid, I can’t believe I did that”

- “Corta el rollo” - “literally translates to “cut the roll” but is used to say “cut the crap” 

Obviously I’m leaving out so much of the growing I did while abroad, whether it be in terms of comfort speaking a new language and navigating a new city, or making friends and operating a different kind of social life, but these five things are definitely going to stay with me for as long as possible. I learned so much about myself this past semester abroad and I’m really proud of myself for all of the hard work I did getting comfortable with a new environment even though there were always some challenges. Studying abroad wasn’t the extended vacation I thought it was going to be by any means but it really felt like a dream to hang out in Spain for four months and make some unforgettable memories.