This past week has been incredible. Starting on Monday we hiked the mountain of Montjuic. The name translates to “Jewish Mountain” because of the ancient Jewish cemetery found on the mountain. In recent times the mountain was refurbished for the 1929 World fair and the 1992 Olympics. The fortress at the top of the mountain was used during the medical times as a lookout for invasion and more recently it was used to defend Barcelona during the Spanish Civil war. The fortress was also used during Franco’s Fascist regime as a prison for political opponents and more recently was used as a prison and execution site after the Catalan independence movement voted to leave the country of Spain. The government of Catalonia was imprisoned there for many months and several members were executed as traitors of the state. However the mountain today is a popular site for tourists to visit the Olympic village and swim in Olympic pools that are open to the public, as well as visiting the fortress which is now a museum dedicated to the mountain’s long history. The views from the top of the mountain also overlook the whole of Barcelona as well as a stunning view of the port and the Mediterranean.
Additionally, me and some friends had the chance to go to a Bar?a soccer game. This was a friendly match between Barcelona’s home team and a smaller team called Gimn?stic de Tarragona from the town of Tarragona Catalonia. Although this match was not held in Camp Nou, Bar?a’s home stadium, it was very exciting to be able to go to a soccer game in a country where most people are fans. I have never been a big fan of soccer but I wanted to go to a game while I was in Spain because I knew how important it was to the people of this country. Before the trip, I did not think I was going to be able to as it is not the season and there were no games scheduled, but lucky for us the team decided to hold this little match. I thought the game was very fun to watch in person as all of the fans had their own traditions and were heavily invested in the game despite it being a friendly match.
We were also able to tour the oldest brewery in Catalonia, F?brica Moritz. This was very interesting as we have not seen it on many menus around town but learning about the beer-making process and how it is different in Spain compared to the US was very interesting. Beer is not a big thing in Spain as the temperatures made it spoil fast in the days before refrigeration, but this company was able to introduce the area to beer and now many people today enjoy it.
In addition to learning about the fascinating culture of this city and country, I am also learning a great deal about international business and trade, which I have found very interesting as most schools and courses in the US focus on domestic business and basic trade rules. Learning about the differences between Classical theories of trade and Modern was I find especially interesting, as I see a mix of both in our world today. While most world currency is no longer backed by gold, theories of mercantilism and Porter’s theory of competitive advantage go hand in hand. I think that in our increasingly modernized and global economy, understanding how different countries trade and produce goods and services and how they decide what to produce is very important. This may even suggest a move toward a more global currency as countries continue to invite foreign investment to bolster their own economy and improve their standard of living.
I am learning a lot about the culture and economy of Spain and the world as a whole, and having a spectacular time doing so. There is no better place than beautiful and historic Barcelona to be doing so, and I look forward to more adventures and experiences.