Chrissy Busse is a student at the University of Dayton and an ISA Global Ambassador. In 2011, Chrissy studied abroad on the Spring 2 Program in Málaga, Spain.
Hello Future ISA Students! My name is Chrissy Busse and I became an ISA Global Ambassador after spending an amazing semester abroad with ISA in Málaga, Spain. Málaga isn’t as well known as other cities in Spain, so I wanted to take some time and tell you a few, of the many, reasons you should choose Málaga as your study abroad destination this semester!
While I was in Málaga, I kept an online blog to update my friends and family about my life abroad, and I have included some excerpts from that blog here so you can see first-hand what a great time I was having.
One of the best things about spending your semester with ISA Málaga is that the University of Málaga campus you attend is right next to the beach! Here is a blog entry that I made describing the beautiful beach in Málaga ….
My roommate and I recently began taking advantage of the beach during our breaks from school. The beach is only a couple minutes from both our house and school, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Michelle and I have moved our siesta nap time onto the beach! The beach is always packed with people exercising, tanning, or eating at the beach seafood bar/restaurants called Chiringuitos. It is great to lie down under a palm tree, listen to music, and just rest looking out over the water. I could stare at the sun shining on the water all day…it doesn’t get much more relaxing than that. Since it just started getting warm we haven’t been brave enough to swim yet, but it shouldn’t be long before we do. We also looking forward to attending “unas maragas”, or bonfire parties that young Spaniards have on the beach at night.
Besides the beach, my absolute favorite part of Málaga was “El Centro”, or the city center. Below is my blog describing my feelings on “El Centro”…
El Centro de Málaga is an outdoor area full of cafes, bars, shops, and nightlife and has become my other favorite place to go after class. No matter the time or day of the week the center is always packed with people. I now understand why Americans are classified as lazy… Spanish people never stay at home!
Another advantage of studying abroad in Málaga is the ability to really immerse yourself in the Spanish way of life. It is not as common for foreign students to study in Málaga as in other Spanish cities, and I found the locals to be so warm and welcoming to Americans. Apparently southern hospitality also applies to the south of Spain! I’m including a final excerpt from my blog describing my wonderful home stay experience.
My host family has been great so far, they are all very accommodating and friendly. My 26-year-old brother, Luis and and 25-year-old sister, Marta make lunch for us every day while Pilar (Mama) is at work. This gives us quality time with our Spanish siblings to practice our Spanish. The language barrier is difficult at times but they are very patient with us and enjoy helping us learn. We watch the news everyday while we eat which also helps to improve my vocabulary. I’ve noticed that Spain is much less conservative about what they show on the TV than the states!
Michelle and I share a room with bunk beds and an INCREDIBLE view of Málaga. There is an outdoor pool at the apartment as well that we can’t wait to take advantage of. We have a terrace right outside our room where we enjoy soaking up the Andalucían sun and playing with my dog, Pepe. It’s hard to complain about doing homework when you have the Mediterranean Sea in the background. Needless to say, Málaga is beautiful and I am so fortunate and privileged to be living here for three months.
