Before coming to Barcelona, I really had no clue what to expect. I did not know how the people would be or what the vibes of the city would be like, or generally how business was conducted. Now after having been here for 4 weeks, I can definitely see a difference in the European way of business versus the American way. I think that the biggest difference that I noticed was the urgency, or lack thereof, to ?get business done?. In Spain, and most of Europe I believe, there is a lot more emphasis placed on working less and having quality leisure time each week and so on. In America, we are essentially workaholics. We work so much and so often and forget about how to enjoy ourselves sometimes. It is the reason we are the richest and most powerful nation in the world, but at what cost?
I think the biggest way this trip has impacted my life is by seeing how simple life is over here. I think I will take this outlook into my personal, academic, and professional life. I?ve noticed that most Europeans just live simply and do not overcomplicate anything. There tends to be less stress throughout their daily lives, and they tend to be incredibly efficient. We as Americans often do the opposite. We overcomplicate every aspect of our lives and only create stress and anxiety because of it. We don?t need most of the stuff we have, and most of the stuff we have that we don?t need is what causes stress and anxiety. I would like to see what aspects of my own life I can simplify and then carry those practices further into my professional career. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to come on this trip and everything that I experienced. I will definitely miss Barcelona.
