Howdy! My name is Garrett Walthall, and I am a junior accounting major studying in Barcelona this summer. Coming into this trip, I have never traveled outside of the United States. I was worried that I would experience culture shock while studying abroad. However, after being here for a week, I’ve had a great experience thus far! We have been very busy with school and traveling, so I will share some of my favorite moments up to this point. First, our group went on a scavenger hunt around the Gothic Square, which had countless buildings that made for great pictures. We got to see a beautiful cathedral and some other famous landmarks, such as The Lips mural. One thing I have noticed since coming here is how friendly the locals are! When ordering at a restaurant or asking a stranger a question, most people are happy to help you out and try to understand you. This has been super helpful when our group had questions about directions, especially when traveling. This weekend, we took a day trip to Blanes, which is a coastal town an hour away from Barcelona. We visited the botanical gardens here and had an amazing time taking photos and admiring nature. If you get the chance to visit this town while you are here, I would highly recommend it. Traveling abroad with other Texas A&M students has been an absolute blast, and it helps keep you from getting homesick. I’ve made great friends with the people here thus far, and I’m excited for the rest of this trip! Tonight we are going to watch the Euro final, and Spain is playing! Over the next few weeks, I hope to continue exploring Barcelona and get more involved in the culture here. There is so much to learn and do in this city, and we have only scratched the surface.
