Barcelona, oh Barcelona. What a transformative experience you have been, and it?s only been four days! As someone who has been fortunate enough to have traveled to Barcelona previously, my prior knowledge of and experience with the city impacted my first impressions and initial transition here. My trip to Barcelona 6 years ago gave me a glimpse into what Spanish culture was like, and by the end of it, I had a broad understanding of the social norms of the Spanish people. Now that I?ve completed my first few days in Barcelona, I have had the chance to apply those past observations to enhance my study abroad experience.
During my first trip to Barcelona, the language barrier seemed daunting. Although I had taken three years of Spanish prior to leaving, I still felt hesitant attempting to converse with?Spanish locals and mainly stuck to pointing at items on menus and hoping for English-speaking waiters. In my preparation for this trip, I was determined to do better. I downloaded Duolingo and actively practiced my Spanish for around a month. The beginning of my summer was busy and?I wasn?t able to keep up with Duolingo, but I had familiarized myself with common words and phrases. I wasn?t sure that the work I?d put into practicing was worth it, but boy did that small review of Spanish pay off!
What has been most shocking to me is how different conversational language is compared to what I?ve learned in the classroom. From my experience, Spanish classes in high school (and probably college) start at an incredibly basic level ? teaching you subjects such as colors, numbers, and various items of clothes before moving on to commonly used phrases and action verbs. While in Barcelona, I haven?t had the chance to compliment anyone?s ?camisa verde?, but I have had to use phrases such as ?yo quiero aqua? or ?una reserva para tres personas? in almost every conversation I have with a local. Even though I can?t keep up a conversation (or even get past that first initial phrase I know) in many situations, taking that first step to show the locals you?re putting an effort into learning their language and adapting to their culture makes all the difference in the quality of experiences you have.
