The first quarter of this Barcelona trip has been nothing but excitement and culture shock. A couple of friends and I arrived 3 days early to try and get our bearings before the trip, and we were extremely disorientated the first couple of days. We had little prior knowledge about this country and came unprepared. Although we had no clue what to do, we quickly fell in love with the city. Although there are some rude locals, I was shocked with the amount of people that just want to know what Texas is about. The food here is amazing, the architecture is beautiful, and the ambience is different. The main two things I have noticed is first, the ways America is still seen throughout this foreign country. From the brands to the restaurants, we are everywhere thanks to globalization. We eat at an American style diner for lunch quite often and they have food like chicken fried steak and buffalo chicken sandwiches. The second main thing I noticed is the joy from little things the locals get. A soccer game, sitting down with family and talking for hours, and even just a beer with dinner are all little things that I believe Americans take for granted, but Spainards cherish. Luckily there is a great diverse group of students who have led to many great memories all relating to the culture here. I have become more fond of the little things that Americans take for granted. In the end, the integration of America is evident here, but the culture and joy of the locals keep this country the same and make for an incredible experience.
