Sean Carney

July 7, 2009

My last week in Spain was great! We took a trip to Sevilla, which is the capital of Andalucia. Just like visiting Madrid, it was great to see another Spanish city and see what it had to offer. After finishing up my last few days of classes we took our final exam and all of the sudden, it was time to come home. Looking back on the trip, it went so fast and I am glad I enjoyed it while I was there. Although my Spanish still needs alot of work, it did improve considerably from when I began classes until now. I'm hoping I can somehow continue to use it back home so that I do not lose what I have learned over the past month. I am very thankful to Gwynedd-Mercy College for making it possible for me to travel abroad by having scholarships available for just that. Also Arcadia University did a wonderful job getting us settled in Spain and setting up tours and excursions. It was an amazing experience that I would recommend to anybody who is interested and it is something I would love to do again if I have the chance.

June 25, 2009

Taking Spanish classes in Spain has been great. After my classes in the morning, I can walk around the city and immediately use what I learned in the classroom to interact with the locals. It has been great to get to know so many Spanish people and also people from all over the world who are participating in a similar experience to mine. Over the weekend, we visited  the Alhambra, which is one of the most famous tourist sites in Spain. The Alhambra was constructed by the Moorish rulers, and it contains palaces, fortresses, and gardens. It was an absolutely amazing thing to visit. We also had a free day this past weekend, so other students in the Arcadia program in Granada and I went to Almuñecar, the beach nearest to Granada. It was amazing to see how the Mediterranean Sea differs from the New Jersey Shore I am so familiar with. We also visted an aquarium on the same day. It was geared towards the sea life in the Mediterranean which was very interesting to learn about. I only have about a week left here in Spain and I´m hoping to make the best of it!   Adios!

June 16, 2009

Being in Spain has been a great experience so far! We took a tour of the small towns that are scattered throughout the Sierra Nevadas. It was incredible. Taking Spanish classes in Spain has been so effective. After classes every morning, I go home and have lunch with my host family where I am able to practice and put to use everything I am learning in the classroom. We had a long weekend this past week because of the Catholic holiday of Corpus Christi. After staying in Granada for some of the festivities, I made my way north to Madrid. In Madrid, I met up with two friends who live in Madrid. They were exchange students in my high school and we have kept in touch since then. It was great to see them and to see what their homes and lifestyles are like. They showed me around the city and surrounding areas. Spending time with people my age who are natives to Spain really gave me a better idea of the culture and lifestyles in Spain. I look forward to meeting more people and seeing more places during my time here!  

June 8, 2009

When I arrived in Granada, Spain, I was a bit nervous. I met with the Arcadia program directors who met me at the airport and the other students who were arriving as well. Students came from Universities and Colleges all over the U.S. We had orientation at a hotel in order to learn something about the culture, our contacts while we are here, and how classes would work. We took our placement tests at the University and started our classes the day after. Classes have been going well and provide a great means of learning the language. People from all over the world are taking classes at the University of Granada. It has been a great experience to meet people from different countries and talk to them about their lives back home and why they are in Granada. Also, Arcadia has set up a number of tours and excursions in and around Granada. The history and culture of the Granada is amazing and I'm doing as much as I can to take advantage of my time here. I can't wait to experience more!