Exploring Barcelona and surrounding cities has been a fun experience so far, but the initial culture shock really isn?t as dramatic as I was anticipating. While I don?t know nearly enough Spanish, nor any Catalan, to get around perfectly, growing up in S/SE Texas has exposed me to just enough of the language that I can decipher some menus and have basic conversations. It?s not the same Spanish, but it can work. The design and function of the city is similar to that of some large U.S. cities, with a relatively simple grid layout and a metro that is very easy to navigate. Having never been abroad, I expected some transformative experience as I adjusted to a new culture, but I have yet to encounter something so different from American cities that it took me back and required any depth of thought about the situation. It has taken a moment to adjust to dramatically late meals and a lack of protein for breakfast, but as a college student, 10:30 PM dinners aren’t a completely new concept.
The age of the region has been interesting to reflect on, putting into perspective the seldom-discussed youth of the United States and evolution of political structures and organized religion. Today in particular we visited the city of Girona, where we touched city walls dating back to 1000 BC and gained great insight to Jewish history in these parts of Europe. The Cathedral de Girona includes the widest Gothic nave in the world and the interior as a whole was a beautiful sight to see, yet it was only one of the many historically rich churches that we have had the opportunity to marvel at in the first few days of our trip.
I am excited for next week as we dive into conversations about the expansion of a local business and analyze aspects of Spanish business, while continuing to see important landmarks and marvel at all of the rich history. Maybe the next 7 days will bring the culture shock that I was expecting – we’ll see!