After five weeks of living like a nomad out of a backpack the size of a Ninja Turtle shell, I was more than a little Spain-sick by the time I was homeward bound. And by home I do mean Granada. Maybe I was at long last tired of standing on tiptoe in potentially MRSA infected hostel showers, or of having to roll even my dirty clothes into neat little cylinders to re-pack every morning and evening. Or maybe I just wanted to sleep in the same bed for more than two nights in a row. Whatever it was, I was relieved to go home to Spain. Strange to think that I missed Spain specifically - not the United States, not Colorado, but Spain. I got back here two weeks before school started, which despite my worrying turned out to be plenty of time to find a great apartment, settle in, prepare for classes and even get a little stir crazy (after so many weeks of limitless liberty, it was bound to happen).
Coming back for round two has made me all the more thankful for this amazing experience. While the shock of living abroad has subsided, the wonder and novelty of it all remains, and I am more appreciative than ever to be here. Saying goodbye to so many semester-long friends and acquaintances in December made me realize just how lucky I am to be here for the full eight months. If you are considering your own study abroad experience, take all factors into account and don't sell yourself short! Studying abroad for a full academic year has been the best decision of my undergraduate career, and even for those of you who are afraid they will get homesick, I recommend seriously considering stretching your limits and if possible, finding a way to stay for two semesters.
First weekend after the start of school, we got a hankering to climb up into the Sacromonte, the historically Gypsy neighborhood in north-east Granada. Now that I have only 4 months left, I feel the urgent need to explore every nook and cranny in Granada! These photos are from an exploratory hike around the Sacromonte:
So many churches and crucifixes, but for me they never get old.
Looking towards the Sierra Nevada from the Sacromonte, an old, traditonally gitano quarter of Granada.
Ever-fresh flowers outside the Sacromonte Abbey.
Street artist and a fascinated spectator.
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