2 weeks flew by! I can’t believe we are already done with our education abroad experience in Barcelona. I am happy to say that I am confident in my skills of ordering coffee in Spanish and operating a metro system! Although I am very happy to be home, it’s crazy to me just how much I got to witness and experience within 2 weeks in Barcelona–from the Sagrada Familia to the Mediterranean beaches of Barceloneta: our group definitely saw it all.
I feel like one of the overall biggest differences between Barcelona and the U.S is how family-focused everyone in Barcelona was. I know that we Americans love our families, but as a whole, it seemed as though every decision and move that people made in Barcelona they were doing it to be considerate of those around them. Another way that this family-centered culture was shown in our time in Barcelona was that during our first week it was a HUGE holiday for everyone in Spain, pretty much their version of Christmas, and literally, nothing was open as everyone was spending time with their loved ones. In America, most things are closed on Christmas but there are always the exceptions that stay open, however in Barcelona there was literally nowhere open during this holiday!
I feel as though the business world in Spain is also affected by the cultural mentality of being more family-focused as there is just an obvious difference in the way people act towards work and present themselves in their work environment. It almost seemed as though no one was stressed which is not the case at all in the U.S.
Although I am sad to no longer be in Barcelona–I am excited to be back in College Station with my fellow Ag’s who I can share my experiences abroad with!