Upon arriving in Barcelona, I witnessed first hand how to organize the study abroad program. Tomas, our guide, was patiently waiting for us with a sign in the airport and was ready to answer any questions or concerns that we had about our trip. Lynne Wallace, our program advisor, was already at the palace we were staying and ready to give us all the supplies and information we were going to need for the month. They gave us a tour and always made a great effort to make sure that we were always on time and were being safe. Besides the natural and architectural beauty of Spain and Barcelona, I was instantly met with a whole new experience. For starters, I immediately recognized the lack of use of an air conditioning system. Compared to the United States, especially in Texas, an AC unit is a feature in most buildings that is almost always promised. However, besides the simple use of an AC, I was also met with how differently citizens of Barcelona, Spain, and Europe handle the way they interact with the people around them. For the most part, people in the city will most likely just keep to themselves and never really meet their look to your eyes. This is different from the US where I go by everyday, smiling and interacting with strangers. What I hope to gain from this experience is a chance to do what I just described, interact with people and cultures that are so different from the personalities I find back home. I hope that it will strengthen my ability to truly understand people and understand how to meet their needs while balancing my own. I am also looking forward to exploring the beauty of the world that can also be found outside of home.
