So through the Center for Modern Languages, where I'm studying here, you can go on these really neat excursions. I decided to go on the one to the baños árabes (Arab bathhouses), which promised tea, a massage, and a couple hours relaxing in the cool, warm, and hot pools, and the sauna-- after an "easy" walk through the city. Well, see, the thing with the "easy" walk is that we climbed up a legit mountain. And although I didn't expect it, I'm so happy I did it. We climbed up this hill, and were above the Alhambra, the palace in Granada, and Sacromonte, the gypsy barrio. Surrounded by clouds, we walked through an olive tree grove, and saw more of the city than I ever thought I would.

And then of course, we spent three hours in the Arab baths and that was lovely as well :)

Granada and olive tree groves

Sacromonte

I felt so at peace here. I really love this city.

I finished my intensive language course, and classes don't start again until October 8. In between now and then, I'm going to Toledo, Madrid, Segovia, and Barcelona. Then two days of class and I'm off to Morocco! So I might be MIA for a little, but rest assured I will return with pictures and stories.

Granada is becoming a more manageable city, now that I can figure out my way around. My friends and I have decided to just keep trying new cafes instead of returning to the same ones. It reminds me of exploring Philadelphia, and finding new awesome places. Speaking of that, if you haven't tried the crepe truck on Temple's campus (it's by the School of Communications and Theatre), you really need to! Another cafe I really like is called Mugshots, on 22nd and Fairmount, by Eastern State Penitentiary.

Happy Exploring!

Posted by Nikki Gleason at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the past three weeks, I've been taking an "intensive" Spanish language course at the Center for Modern Languages. In October, our actual university classes start, which will be really exciting. I might not have any classes in the actual University buildings, which, honestly, is sort of a bummer. But the director of our study abroad program recently took us on a tour of the Universty of Granada's (UGR's) campus because when the students get back, we'll want to know where they hang out, obvi! And when school starts, the library opens, the sporty stuff starts, and more stuff like that.

It reminded me of the first time I visited Temple. I remember walking down Liacouras Walk and seeing so many people on it and thinking to myself "Oh wow, real live college students!" And there I was, walking down this main dirt stretch at UGR, but this one didn't have any real live UGR students yet. I'm excited for campus to come alive! I'm also happy about the fact that my roommate here, Alyssa, and I have a couple classes at the same time, so we can explore stuff together. Something that definitely made first semester freshman year at Temple easier was the fact that one of my roommates, Emily, and I had a a class together on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

So I'm halfway through college, but starting over again. It's kind of a cool feeling, having another chance to meet so many people and try things you never thought you would. Like tonight, I'm going to a discoteca in a cave! For all the awesome things Philly has, it doesn't have a dance party in a cave.

That's me! The Alhambra is towards the left hand side and the city of Granada is in the valley.

These are the best tapas (snacky appetizer things) ever-- brie with honey on toast. Sooo good.

Posted by Nikki Gleason at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I feel like I'm being lured into this false sense of security. I love my host parents, our little dog named Gorfo (in English, that's "Gangster"), my roommate, the view of mountains from our bedroom window, the school project that I get to do on various bars in the old Moorish section of the city, the Albaicin...but! The packet my program gave me at the beginning of the program warned of this-- two fantastic weeks, and then a dip in morale, a sense of being fed up with the new culture, a huge wave of homesickness...

I already did the homesickness thing. It sucked, but now it's basically over, and I'm being to get that this is my reality. It's not just vacation, I'm in school, learning, and absorbing, and meeting new people. While at first glance Granada, as a pretty developed city, doesn't seem that different than any American city, there are different nuances in the culture, and they're really interesting to discover. Like, don't say "Gracias" to a compliment; it's considered rude. Don't go out on a Friday and Saturday night before 12:30...or you'll be basically the only person on the street.

The one thing I'm worried about right now is that I forgot literally everything I needed to know about what classes I need to take in the spring. I will be writing an email to my advisor very soon, haha!

Oh, you know, just another Saturday afternoon overlooking Granada. And that's my roommate, Alyssa on the right. :)

Posted by Nikki Gleason at 5:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I've been in Granada a week but it feels like a year. It's weird. Not weird-- different! I've met some pretty cool people and gone pretty cool places. My roommate, Alyssa, is wonderful. We both have trouble understanding our host parents sometimes but it is getting easier.

Granada is a neat city because so many students from all over the world come to take classes, so you get a cool mixture of lots of different nationalities. Last night I met a guy from Germany, and yesterday I toured this crazy huge summer home of some famous person I should probably remember with a girl from China. In my Spanish class, there's a girl from Norway.

People in Spain eat a lot for lunch and then take a nap. And then go out and stay out til about 8 in the morning. It's difficult to get used to, but I'm settling in just fine. I've been a little homesick and also sort of feeling left out of what's going on with some of my friends back home. This is a glorious opportunity and I wouldn't change it for the world-- just that it's been hard to contact some of my friends and I misssss them.

Following are some of my favorite pictures of Granada so far. Hope the school year is off to an awesome start for all of you!

The view from my window.

A view of Granada from the Albayzin, a district of Granada that has houses that are still in the medieval Moorish style in which they were originally built.

Freaking beautiful, is what Granada is.

Posted by Nikki Gleason at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello! I'm sorry I've been absent. I have made my move to Granada, and am exploring all sorts of new traditions and places and dealign with quite a culture shock. My host mom and dad are very sweet, but make me more food than I can possibly eat!

Granada is beautiful, the weather is lovely, the other students in program (from all over the United States!), are of course very nice. It's weird knowing that classes are start tomorrow at Temple, and my classes start too...but here I am, six time zones away. I have this habit of rushing myself with everything, so for now I'm just trying to live in the moment.

I'll write more when I have more time, but I hope you're all starting your school years off well!

This is a very small part of the Alhambra, a beautiful palace in Granada that was conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella (the people who funded Columbus' voyage) in 1492.

Posted by Nikki Gleason at 5:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)