API: Experience Granada, Spain (Scholarships Available)

Living in Granada and taking classes through API's study abroad program was hands down the best six months of my life. I attended classes with students from around the world, and the courses varied in both subject matter and level of rigor. This allowed me to experience different styles of Spanish education and challenge myself academically. Studying abroad completely changed the way I view life, people, and different cultures. My experience in Granada helped me develop a new level of confidence through solo travel, learning a new language, navigating an unfamiliar city, finding new friends from new backgrounds, and growing through countless trial-and-error moments. The skills and perspective I gained are invaluable, and I know they will continue to shape the person I become. API provided what felt like an unlimited amount of support and resources, including guidance on health, travel, academics, local recommendations, news, and cultural festivals. Even in a completely new environment, I never felt lost or unsupported.

Studying abroad with API was the best possible way to spend a semester in college! A few things I loved in particular about Granada & API: (1) Support offered by resident directors: whether you need help changing your courses on the first week of class or just need someone to talk to, they are always there and are the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. (2) Host family: they were so welcoming and always made me feel at home; it also gave me the chance to practice the language far more than I would’ve been able to living in a dorm or apartment with other exchange students. (3) City: Granada is a fascinating mix of old and new, big and small, and full of the most beautiful spots that look like they’re straight out of a movie. (4) Travel: Granada also allows you to travel easily; you can take the two hour Alsa bus ride to the Málaga airport to find flights headed almost anywhere you can imagine, or explore one of the countless day trips just a bus or train ride away. Overall, I can’t recommend studying abroad in Granada with API enough. I can assure you that you’ll return with broadened global perspectives and memories that will last a lifetime.

My time in Granada, Spain, was the most incredible experience in my entire life. It became a home to me. To start, API (specifically my API instructors Curra and Carmen) made the trip so easy and fun. They were there to pick us up from the airport as soon as the study abroad group arrived and made sure to drop us off safely on our last day. They planned excursions to places around Spain such as Sevilla, Cabo de Gata, and Cadiz. All of these trips included guided tours and the ability to explore the cities on our own. Not to mention these trips were some of the most fun days of the trip. Besides the planned excursions, my friends of the study abroad group and I LOVED to travel around Spain, and also to different countries!! I traveled to 5 different countries during my time in Spain, and at least 10 different cities in Spain. It was incredibly safe, cheap, and easy to travel to these places, and I loved becoming so immersed in other cultures. Along with all the fun and traveling, I still did have school. I LOVED school (I never thought I would hear myself say that)! All the teachers at la Universidad de Granada were incredible and I had such a fun learning experience. All of the classes available were primarily Spain based, which was really cool because it really broadened my knowledge of Spain. I can't leave a review without talking about my host family. My host mother and two sisters became real family to me. My mother made me three meals a day (that were SO YUMMY) and I would hang out with my sisters constantly. I became so much more advanced in terms of speaking Spanish too since I spoke it around my home. I 100% recommend to anyone to please study abroad, it will be the best decision you have ever made.