Colleen Miller (Simmons University) describes her exchange partner Tíscar as “super kind, funny, and incredibly helpful with my Spanish.” Each week they went out for tapas and conversations. Tíscar introduced her to friends and family, showed her around Jaén, and even took her to an arts fair in Almería. “As a reserved person, it meant a lot to have someone open up my world in Spain and inspire me to explore more,” she writes.
Anthony Cavallaro (Stonehill College) also remembers his “intercambio” with students at Reina Isabel as an amazing experience, both inside and outside the classroom. “We didn’t just meet at school,” he explains. “We’d go for tapas, drinks, or explore the city together.” The experience helped him learn more about Spanish students his age, practice the language in a real context, and form lasting friendships. He especially valued how natural and low-pressure the environment felt.
Anabel Martínez (University of Granada) took part in the exchanges as a local language student. “I wanted to improve my English,” she explains, “but I couldn’t imagine how many more benefits the experience would bring.” Over time, she built strong connections with her partners, discussing culture, life, and language. “The most valuable thing was the close link we were building,” she says. “I encourage everyone to open up and try this experience.”
The original text of Colleen Miller’s article was written in Spanish as part of this student’s experience with us. You can read it below:
Con Tiscar tuve una experiencia inolvidable. Era súper amable, graciosa, y me ayudó muchísimo con mi español. Cada semana íbamos a tapear y charlar. Me presentó a sus amigas y a su familia, y también me enseñó su pueblo en Jaén. Un día fuimos a una feria de artes en Almería. Me dió la oportunidad conocer a mucha gente y aprender muchas palabras- también me recomendó otros lugares en Granada para visitar. Cómo soy reservada, fue genial tener una amiga que abrió mi mundo en España y me inspiró para ir a nuevos lugares. ¡Agradezco mucho a Tiscar y a GRIIS por ponernos en contacto!
