Howdy! We have done so much in the one week in Barcelona, Spain! We have seen the busiest street in the city, La Rambla, the gorgeous Cathedral of Barcelona, a basilica in the mountains, and the lively Port of Barcelona. I had a great time getting to know my classmates on this trip. My first impressions: dinner is late here! I will have difficulty getting used to eating at 9:00 PM every night, but a large lunch should hopefully tie me over until then. Speaking of lunch and dinner; the food is incredible! Paella is my personal favorite so far, but there is so much I still need to try. As far as I can tell, Spanish people are very nice and accommodating if your Spanish isn’t perfect. Our classes have been very interesting and I am especially enjoying Professor Gundin, who is from Spain. She is teaching us about the economics of the European Union and it is interesting to compare it to how we have it in the US. In our off time, we enjoyed exploring the city and its many thrift shops and flea markets, where you can get some incredible deals! Being so close to the beach has been awesome as well. Playing volleyball, swimming in the ocean, and relaxing on the beach is the best way to take a break from class! The region that we are in, Catalonia, has some very interesting culture and history as well. In Barcelona, many people speak Spanish and Catalan, which is is own language, but similar to a mix of French and Spanish as far as I can tell. I am thrilled about what the rest of this trip will bring and the things that I will learn while I am here! I hope to bring back positive lessons and insights I can share with my peers at Texas A&M.
