Staying in Barcelona for about a month now has really made me feel at home as when I lived in Peru. The only difference is that I was under my mother’s roof in Peru, but here I am on my own living in more liberty. I would say the way of life here in Spain is very similar to the way of life in Peru, only difference being less vehicular traffic and a higher cost of living. However, this did not deter me from spending a pretty penny on the mouth-drooling delicious cultural foods. If I was ever asked to recommend any foods to seek out while in Spain, I would have to recommend the paella – only if it was cooked for longer than an hour because any less and it?s actually horrible – and any tapas bar that sells cuttlefish.
As for the classes themselves, they were demanding yet not too overbearing to allow the students time to go explore the local restaurants, shops, museums, and tourist spots. It also covered topics that I found quite interesting learning about. More specifically the history of the European Union; the political conflicts among the start and the economic impacts they had across Europe. In and outside of class I have learned that the work culture is different than in America. It is much more relaxed and laid back here rather than high energy and constant working back home. With classes in the morning, I have adopted the local siestas in my daily schedule immediately after class to enjoy the afternoon and night life Barcelona has to offer to its tourists. Going off of my last point, Barcelona has a partially tourist-oriented economy. It is crazy for me to hear other languages outside of English and Spanish, reminding me that there is a whole other world out there I have yet to explore. After this blessing of an experience I would like to pursue my international certificate and find work abroad or in some form that allows me to travel.