Natalie Brooks

May 18, 2016

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​A week and half into my study abroad experience, I have seen and done so many incredible things that I would not be able to experience in the United States. I have enjoyed every moment of it and cannot wait to see what the rest of this trip has in store for me. Whether it has been class, the different tours, or just exploring on my own, I have immersed myself in a new setting and been able to appreciate the different cultures. I feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity to join Horizons and Purdue Promise on this once-in-a-lifetime journey to grow as a global leader. 

One of the aspects that I have really enjoyed throughout our time in Spain is the cathedrals. Today, in Granada, our group toured two main religious buildings in this city, the Capilla Real and the Catedral de Granada. Both are magnificent structures that display incredible detail about Catholicism. Just like some of the cathedrals in Madrid and Toledo, every single part of these churches had so much thought and meaning to it. I have included some pictures, but even those do not do these buildings justice for how detailed everything is. Two very important people to Spain, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, are buried in the Capilla Real and we were able to see their tombs as well as their family members. In the two buildings we saw, we were able to see where exactly they would sit during mass, which was also really neat to see. Today the Catedral de Granada still offers mass every day. It is incredible to me that the people who live in Granada can call that their church they go to everyday. These places hold so much history for the country of Spain and it was quite the experience to be able to wander around a place that so many Spaniards value. 

In addition to experiencing the cathedrals, the majority of our group decided to go hiking in the mountains today. Granada is an extremely hilly place in general so this hike was quite the task. All around us, you could see the trees that grow olives, the houses of Granada, and even out in the distance you could seethere were mountains with snow on the top, which was my personal favorite. The views were absolutely breathtaking. At times it seemed like my legs were going to fall off and my lungs were on fire, but I am so glad I decided to go because just seeing all of Granada on the top of a mountain was hands down my favorite part of this trip so far.

Outside of La Catedral de Granada is Magaly Mendoza (left) and Natalie Brooks (right). 

Inside of La Catedral de Granada looking at the main alter

Hiking up the mountains is Marcela Foster (left), Natalie Brooks (center), and Kate Forrestal.