First Week in Barcelona
As our first week in Spain comes to an end, I really only have positive things to say. Before arriving, I had some worry that it would be difficult to fit into the culture and environment, as I had never been to Europe before. However, it has been pretty easy to navigate and figure out how to live here in Spain. The metro is comprehensible, and with the help of our guides and other classmates it has been easy. The language barrier was another worry I had, but it has not been a problem for me so far. I know enough words in Spanish to order at a restaurant or ask for directions, and most of the locals know a good amount of English. On the other hand, there were several things I was looking forward to about Barcelona. First, the food was a big interest for me, and it has met my expectations. The best meal so far has been the group dinner at Xiroi, where 10 courses were brought out, each delicious. The paella was delicious, and my favorite course was the mussels because I used to not be a fan of seafood due to bad experiences, but meals like this one are changing my mind. I was also interested in all the architecture here in Barcelona, and haven’t quite had the opportunity to check out the famous pieces of architecture such as La Sagrada Familia or works by Gaudi. I have learned a little bit about the architecture in Barcelona from a previous architecture course, and am excited to go visit some of the places I studied. Another aspect of Barcelona that I was looking forward to is the nightlife, which has just been incredible. The nightlife is also a great example of a difference in cultures between here and Texas, where clubs or bars are not crowded until 3 am, and people stay out until the early hours of the morning. Some other differences I have noticed are the lack of tipping at restaurants or anywhere else, alcohol is cheap, taxis are much more relevant compared to back home where Uber is usually first choice, and overall life seems to be much more relaxed and laid back. This type of lifestyle is very appealing to me, as I love the idea of waking up later, starting work later, taking a few hours off in the afternoon for a siesta, and staying up late. However, it seems our program has not adopted this Spanish lifestyle, and it continues to operate as it would in the U.S. with us having to wake up at 7:30 to be at class by 9 am. Lastly, from our activities, guest speakers, and tour guides so far I have learned a little bit about businesses and the economy here in Spain. The economy and culture here seems to have much more of a focus on small businesses when compared to the States, with also a bigger focus on employee rights and sustainability rather than just profit. Furthermore, the economy here is a free market economy but has many more aspects of socialism than that of the U.S. Overall, this first week has been amazing and I feel that I fit in well and enjoy myself a lot here in Spain, and am very excited for the next few weeks we have.
