Being here in Barcelona has taught me what their people value. From their labor laws to the graffiti, I can start to tell what they want out of life. When we heard our guest speaker talk about how there are restrictions on overtime hours one can work, I was taken aback. In the finance industry, it is not unusual to hear people talk about putting in 80-100 hours a week for weeks at a time. That got me thinking about why I would be willing to put in long hours, well past the regular 40-hour work week. It was interesting to me to realize that I never thought about how much we work back home. In fact, in certain groups, it is a pride to say you are working well into the night and showing your commitment. I next want to talk about graffiti, and what sentiment that showcases.
On the walk to dinner the other night, I saw two graffiti messages that stuck out to me. The first one said “All ex-pats go home” and the second said ”Tu Airbnb sube mi alquiler” or “Your Airbnb raises my rent”. Apart from this, many signs around said to respect the neighborhood and to keep your voices at a low volume to not disturb those living above the restaurants, shops, bars, and cafes. The final thing I noticed was that during our visit to Lloret de Mar, the beaches were lined with signs saying that all of their beaches were smoke-free. I truly believe that all these messages represent a much stronger sentiment of the people working and living here. With basic supply and demand, we can understand why they are suffering from higher prices. I read a post from Barcelona’s city council talking about how as of November of last year, 31.3% of total inhabitants were of a foreign nationality, and even they were slowly getting their Spanish citizenship.
Finally, I want to reflect on the Aggie community that we have built here. I am really glad to see everyone getting along and actively participating in class and the events that have been planned for us. I especially enjoyed getting to get in the ocean after playing beach volleyball. I had not played since the 6th grade, so it was a fun time to get everyone throwing themselves in the sand. I have gotten the chance to meet many wonderful people, and it is always great to find out you have some friends in common. I always find it so incredible that despite us having one of the largest student bodies in the county, you always find some friends in common.
In College Station, I am someone who keeps myself rather busy, but I have truly been enjoying getting to live the Spanish lifestyle. I have loved walking around everywhere, taking the metro, and getting to know new parts of the city. Our longer meals are a great time to catch up with and talk to new people, we even found ourselves finishing up a dinner well past 11 PM. I have enjoyed the class, the trip, and most importantly the people.
