Since my last blog post, I have gotten to explore many other parts of Barcelona along with other parts of Spain. Exploring these other locations has allowed me to expand my comfort zone in trying new foods, learning about different cultures, and getting to see new beautiful sightings. I tried Ethiopian food for the first time at a restaurant called Addis Abeba. When I first looked up photos of the restaurant’s food I was a little unsure if I would like the cuisine but my friends convinced me to still go to the restaurant and try it out. The dish we had was in a big round pan covered in a thick and almost rubbery textured bread with different foods on top of the bread. The toppings included beef, chicken , potatoes, lentils, and other foods. I ended up loving the food! This is something that I have really been trying to work on since coming abroad, meaning trying new things. I am used to sticking to what I know but that mindset does not necessarily work when studying abroad.
I have learned the importance of adapting and being accepting of other culture’s customs and what they consider to be normal. For example, something that I have had a really hard time adapting to is there not being A/C in every building I walk into. Something I have found especially challenging is trying to order a coffee. I am an avid coffee drinker and I have one every morning even if I do not need it. I never thought it would be so hard to order an iced vanilla latte with oat milk. For one thing iced coffee here is considered odd and weird because Spaniards believe all coffee should only be hot. Another thing is that Spaniards do not really drink flavored coffees. Lastly, most Spaniards have no idea what “oat milk” is and I have to remind myself that I need to ask for “avena” instead.
One of the most important things I have learned about Global Business so far from studying abroad is understanding and learning the culture of the company you are doing business with. This is an important thing to do because it allows us to be more self-aware and prevent ourselves from offending others. This also allows for stronger relationships and increased trust in the international marketplace. Placing a large emphasis on understanding another country’s culture and customs ensures that a business is presenting itself in the best possible way to its new market.
Something I have noticed about the locals in Barcelona is that when I talk to them, most seem very friendly and nice. However, their body language is not as warm and welcoming. For example, if I were to smile at Barcelona locals when passing them, the odds of them smiling back are very low. This has me wondering if they are not smiling back simply because they think it’s odd to do so or if it’s because they know I’m not a local so aren’t as friendly towards me. Before coming to Barcelona I had seen anti-tourist protests around the city. This made me think that all locals when first meeting me would have a grudge towards me as soon as I opened my mouth and they found out I was an American. At first I didn’t understand why so many locals were so unhappy about the tourism because I thought they would view tourism as a good thing because it benefited their economy. However, when I had done more research on it I learned about the lack of available and affordable housing in Barcelona due to the rise in vacation rentals that were favoring tourists over locals. I saw something similar to this when I visited Portugal last weekend. I read a message on a Zara building that said “Less Zaras, more housing”. From this I assume that popular tourist spots, such as Lisbon and Barcelona, are putting more emphasis on how they can continue to draw tourists in without considering the effects it will have on their locals.
