This past semester has been nothing less than wonderful. I have traveled all over Europe, I have nearly conquered the city of Granada, I have made so many amazing friends, and I have studied in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I feel like I am on Cloud 9 and I never want to get down from the feeling that living abroad has given me. Study abroad has been hands down the best decision I have ever made, and I would not have it any other way. I could never imagine what life would be like without the people that I've met, the experiences that I've had, and the memories that will forever keep my heart full.
After some reflection that I've done on these past few months, I have realized that studying abroad has taught me so much. Of course I have learned a ton of new things in my classes, like the Spanish language, literature, culture, and economy, but these class discussions are not nearly everything I've learned. For one, I have been able to learn and practice Spanish first hand in most daily life activities inside and outside the classroom. Although I may not have become any where near fluent, I can definitely say I have improved tremendously and am more confident with holding conversations with locals. But the most important thing that I have learned is something that can't be taught from a text book or in a classroom, only from my real life experiences. It's not quite something that I can put into words and explain easily either. All I can truly say is that I've become far more cultured, I've mastered the ins and outs of traveling on a budget, I've experienced the beauty of people from many walks of life, and I've discovered things about myself that I never knew before.
Meghan L. is the Spring 2017 CEA MOJO blogger in Granada, Spain. She is currently a Junior studying International Business Management and Spanish at the University of Dayton.
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| Some great friends and I on our hike in the Alpujarras, an area nestled deep in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the outskirts of Granada. |
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| 7 Gatos has officially become my favorite café to study and spend time with friends in all of Granada. I will truly miss this place and their delicious frutas del bosque smoothie. |
After some reflection that I've done on these past few months, I have realized that studying abroad has taught me so much. Of course I have learned a ton of new things in my classes, like the Spanish language, literature, culture, and economy, but these class discussions are not nearly everything I've learned. For one, I have been able to learn and practice Spanish first hand in most daily life activities inside and outside the classroom. Although I may not have become any where near fluent, I can definitely say I have improved tremendously and am more confident with holding conversations with locals. But the most important thing that I have learned is something that can't be taught from a text book or in a classroom, only from my real life experiences. It's not quite something that I can put into words and explain easily either. All I can truly say is that I've become far more cultured, I've mastered the ins and outs of traveling on a budget, I've experienced the beauty of people from many walks of life, and I've discovered things about myself that I never knew before.
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| A photo of me on our guided tour of the Alhambra back in January. Oh, how time flies! |
A question that is often brought up after living abroad or traveling for an extended period of time is "Did this experience change you?". And honestly, I don't think there is any way of truly knowing until returning to your life back home. You realize that you have become more worldly, more go with the flow, more accepting, and more wanderlust, but was this just you adapting to your new life, or was this you growing into the true you? If I know myself like I think I do, then the things that i have learned abroad have not necessarily changed me, they have just molded me into who I truly was meant to be all along, and for that I am eternally grateful.
Te amo, España. We will meet again one day.
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| One spontaneous day of the week, a group of us decided to go horseback riding in Cenes de la Vega, an area in Granada located in the Sierra Nevada. |
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| A photo from one of my favorite weekends spent in Spain; a girls trip to the island of Mallorca! |
Meghan L. is the Spring 2017 CEA MOJO blogger in Granada, Spain. She is currently a Junior studying International Business Management and Spanish at the University of Dayton.