Interview with Anthea, a sociology student

Today we interview Anthea, 24, a student who came to Granada from Germany and shared her time as internship at ANDA for her sociology studies. To whom we thank for her time, work and dedication

Tell me something about you.

My name is Anthea, I am 24 years old and I am from Hamburg, Germany. I am studying sociology and have been living in Granada for 3 years now, unfortunately with many interruptions, because I am still often in Germany because of my studies.

Why do you live in Granada?

I came to do work and travel in Granada during the cold semester break in February in Germany. I’ve only been to Barcelona so far and really wanted to go to southern Spain.
Then I fell in love. Both in the city, as well as in a person. So it was clear to me that I would stay here.

Tell me a bit about your studies and how you came to Anda?

I am now in the final stages of my studies. I did my internship at ANDA for my sociology studies. This goes on for 2 months and that gave me the great opportunity to start my researches here for my bachelor thesis, which I will write about Coworking Spaces. I met some great people who conducted the interviews with me which I need for my bachelor thesis.

How do you like Granada? What do you particularly like?

The question is, what do I not like? I think the first answer, that comes from every Northern European, is the weather. But that’s really one of the most important advantages for us, because you get a different attitude to life when it’s warm, you feel good and you can be outside until late in the night. In Germany that is possible just a really short period of time in a year. Then that I can be at the sea in half an hour and if I drive in the other direction I can be in the mountains in half an hour aswell. That is so cool!
Then the ambiance. You simply get an attitude towards life that cannot be described when you come to the city centre, stroll along the Alhambra or stroll through Albaicín. Granada is so diverse and has such beautiful corners. And everyone is friendly and always considers you, for example if you don’t speak the language very well.

Will you stay here?

On the long run I will stay here. At the moment it’s still 50/50 for me that I’m in Granada and my hometown Hamburg in Germany. But that’s only because of my studies, for which I had to attend a few seminars and exams. When I finish my studies, I will definitely live here!

What is the biggest difference to life in Germany?

As I mentioned, definitely the weather. And a feeling. Maybe I’ll lose that at some point, but in Granada I always feel like I’m on vacation. Through every street I walk through, the good weather, that still triggers the holiday feeling in me. Even if I sometimes appreciate the reserved nature of people in Germany, it’s nice how open and friendly everyone is here. Especially with my rather German reserve, people help me to arrive better, to feel good and to get to know people easier.

How did you like your time at Anda?

A lot. Of course, as a student, I work and study a lot from home especially at the end of your studies there are hardly any seminars that you go to the university for. It was really good to leave the house for these 2 months and to go to such a nice place like ANDA to work.
It’s simply good and motivating when you have other people around you who work and when a working atmosphere is created. The Coworking Space is extremely beautiful, furnished in a simple but modern way, with calm colors, plants and many beautiful and small details.