Eileen Denny '07 - Granada, Spain
“Traveling to Spain affected my views on the rest of the world, and how they communicate with and view the United States.”
Eileen, a senior at Trinity this year, spent her early childhood in New England and her high school years in Indiana . Her particular academic interests were Spanish, History and Psychology, and her hobbies are many. She loves to study religion and culture, to learn foreign languages and to read. A flautist, she also collects old coins and loves art – Van Gogh is her favorite. In high school she was involved in the Art Club and the Academic Team. She competed at state level her senior year, and at state level for the Speech team all four years of high school. She placed ninth in the impromptu category her senior year. She joined the “Spell Bowl,” was in the National Honor Society, and a music honor society. She also volunteered with the food and clothing basket, the animal shelter and the county library. Summers she taught band and worked at a farmers market.
A mission trip to Nicaragua the summer after she graduated from high school was transformative and instilled in her the goal of helping the poor.
Eileen's aunt Carol ( Murray ) Hogan was a Trinity alum, so it came highly recommended to Eileen, who “loved the location and the faculty.” It was a choice that she has not regretted.
Eileen was chosen to be an IC CAE Scholar, and her study abroad destination was Spain .
She soaked up the Spanish culture from June 24 through July 30 in Granada . Her summer working in Nicaragua had inspired her love for the Spanish language, and she knew her trip to Spain would give her the opportunity to improve it. She was also grateful for the opportunity to expand her knowledge of Mexican and Latin American people and culture to include that of Spain . She has been pursuing a major in International Affairs but plans to switch to History. Her particular interest is Islamic History and Spanish Culture.
Her study abroad was a success, as she tells it:
“This summer I had the opportunity to study for a month at the University of Granada 's Centro de Lenguas Modernas in the old Jewish quarter of the historic city of Granada , Spain . The University is one of the oldest in Europe . It was founded in 1531, and is one of the largest, with nearly 155,000 students enrolled.
Five days a week, I spent four hours a day in class studying grammar and vocabulary, and I also lived with a Spanish family in order to optimize the time I spent speaking Spanish. I made many friends there, and was able to learn more than I ever imagined.
Six weeks in Spain did not make me fluent in the language, but living there instilled a new desire in me to learn as much as possible. After long international flights all students arrived at the Madrid airport, where we spent a few days sightseeing before heading south to Toledo where we visited many historic sights and had a great time exploring the night life and the excellent pool at our hotel.
We also took a quick side trip to the famous windmills from Don Quixote as we made our way south into Andalusian country. On the weekends we visited the cities of Seville and Nerja, this last one being a beach on the Mediterranean coast that also has some amazing caves that we were able to explore.
Although the temperatures could be extremely hot (sometimes reaching 113 degrees,) the dry heat made even the most vicious days bearable. The Spaniards do not generally use air conditioning, so we grew accustomed to the heat.
Going to Spain was not just about learning the language, but observing and learning all that I could about the country, its culture and people. The culture is focused around spending time outside the house, particularly at night, and very little time is spent there.
I also was part of an exchange program that matched up Spaniards learning English to students at the University learning Spanish. This program gave me a first hand view of what others thought and felt about Americans and American culture.
The University of Granada is a very interesting school that brought together students from around the world. I made amazing friends from all around the globe, from Spain , England , and even as far away as Iceland and Norway.
I was able to stand in the Albayzín, and in the Sacromonte where the gypsies still live and was able to watch real gypsy flamenco shows. I could easily look over at the Alhambra and be transported back in time to when Granada was the Moorish stronghold of the European Muslim empire.
Even today the arches that marked the edges of the city still stand, and one can walk through the Moroccan market hearing cries of "salaam aleykum" between the Muslim vendors. Granada is a magical city in a magical country that will snag the soul and bewitch the mind.
Although you may physically leave, your heart will always be in Granada.”