A Composite Literature major in Spanish and English Literatures, Hanna Rahimi wrote in her application that “moving to Spain will help me further develop my sense of self, give me the opportunity to see new parts of the world, new ways of life, and new ways of thinking.” Hanna’s minor in music is grounded in her love of singing. In four years of high school she sang in fourteen different choirs, ranging from school choirs to community choirs to jazz ensembles. At UCSD she was a member of an all female a cappella group and the La Jolla Symphony Chorus. Hanna felt that “staying abroad for the year, rather than a shorter trip, will allow me to go beyond the blatant differences and discover the more subtle aspects of the culture that cannot be seen in a few months. Instead of being a visitor to the country, I will have the chance to be a part of it, to feel at home in a new and wonderful place.” Ray and Verena were fortunate enough to host Hanna for an afternoon in Davis prior to her departure for Spain. Since arriving in Spain, Hanna has explored Granada and its environs, hiking in the mountains around the city and loving the fact that everything in Granada is accessible on foot and the city is full of life at night. She posts detailed descriptions of her experiences on a blog, from the classroom to tourist trips to Barcelona and the beach. Early on, she noted that the most interesting difference between Spanish and American culture was the fact that time in Spain is “of no consequence, everything we do is at our leisure.”