Opening a business in another country is not as simple as purchasing the building and throwing up the ?open? sign. I have come to realize that people in other countries have vastly different preferences and desires. A person in the US might demand a greater portion size while a Spaniard might want to ensure the meal is organic and of higher quality. There is a reason why you don?t see gazpacho being sold in US McDonald’s. Depending on where you want to open your business, you must be prepared to accommodate for differing languages. In Barcelona, people speak Spanish, Catalan, and English. In Switzerland, people speak German, French, Italian, and English. This can be a huge barrier for individuals as they most likely will not be fluent in all of these languages. Unfortunately, learning just the language is not enough. One must also understand the small cultural cues such as giving more or less personal space, speaking in a high context or low context manner, and how to properly greet and farewell. One should also note that laws and regulations are never the same between 2 countries. If one desires to open a business abroad, depending on the nature of the business, one will most likely need to hire a lawyer to help ensure trouble will not occur. One should also consider: Is the political climate stable in the given country? What are the average work hours of a typical citizen? What sort of benefits are required of employers to pay for? Essentially, international business is complicated and takes considerable effort to pursue. However, it can be highly lucrative if there is solid research to confirm that consumers desire your product.
In terms of the people I interacted with, I feel that some people are quite similar to Texans. They are accommodating, kind, and willing to have a conversation with you despite you being a stranger. Towards the end of the trip, my Spanish had improved to the point where waiters and waitresses would believe that I spoke Spanish and would speak back in Spanish or Catalan. The only issue is that people in Barcelona speak quite quickly, so I would have a tough time understanding their rapid responses. So although there were lots of great conversations I had with people, the majority of others were quite direct. They will only interact with you if they feel it to be necessary. Seeing as Barcelona has a bit of a problem with pickpockets, this is not a surprise. People are trying to ensure that they keep themselves protected, and this is reflected in their demeanor.
One of the greatest surprises to me having spent a month in Barcelona is the vast amount of history that exists just by walking down the street. Many of the buildings I walk by have stood there for hundreds of years. Areas like Las Ramblas began in the Middle Ages! I thoroughly enjoyed the vast number of museums, cathedrals, churches, historical monuments, and businesses that we toured during our visit. La Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous churches and is soon to be the tallest in the world, for a good reason. Walking into this church flabbergasted me. I have never in my life seen intricate ceilings reach so high up in the air. Besides being grand, La Sagrada Familia also has meaning and detail packed into every feature. Take for instance the columns. At first glance, they seem pretty typical, but you notice that they start quite blocky and geometric at the bottom but become a smooth cylinder as they ascend. This is to symbolize the typical person who goes to church. When entering the church, they are jagged and impure. However, as they begin to praise the lord they become closer to God. What is the most perfect geometric shape you may ask? A circle. Meaning such as this is packed into every crevice of the church and is one of the reasons why I love it.
Coming home, I now have a different outlook on the world. People?s lifestyles can be so much distinct from that in the US. Diets, work schedules, relationships, privacy, and just about everything you can think of can change when going abroad. The one big expectation I had coming into this trip is that I would be hot all of the time because there is little AC in Europe. After a month I can confirm, I was indeed hot almost all of the time? but it was definitely worth it!
