That's all, folks!

For a long time, I nurtured the dream of studying abroad.  I planned to go for a whole semester my junior year.  I quickly discovered that wanting to study abroad is much different than its actualization.  As the prospect of graduating without studying abroad become more likely, I thought I had squandered the opportunity.  Then, I heard about this Global Seminar from Javier and I jumped at the chance.

I'm so glad that I did.  Living in Barcelona and traveling to its surrounding cities gave me an inside look into Spanish culture and its people.  Staying with a host family integrated me naturally into the daily rhythms of the city.  At first, it was unnerving to walk around a bustling city where most of what you hear are smatterings of conversations in Spanish and Catalan. However, being surrounded by the language continuously engaged me.  I'm especially grateful to my host mom Elena, who spoke Spanish to Dawson and I the entire time.  I feel like my speaking skills have doubled in only five weeks.

This program gave me a breadth of knowledge that I could not find in a classroom in Boulder, even if Javier or Juan was teaching it.  (In their infinite wisdom)  I liked the day trips because they cemented what I learned from lectures.  I appreciate the genius of Antoni Gaudí now because I witnessed it.  Words and pictures can never do justice to the first look up at the internal columns of La Sagrada Familia.  I appreciate the allure of Montserrat because I felt it, scaling the stone steps to the top.  Engaging with culture and literature at its source was formative in my understanding of it.  

I never thought I would grow accustomed to living in a big city, but I was wrong.  I returned to Barcelona for a few days after walking a segment of El Camino de Santiago along the coast of northern Spain.  Emerging from the metro onto Plaza de Espana, I breathed deeply for the first time in over a week.  Not because the air was cleaner than at the coast--it was something else.  My host family lived two minutes away down La Carretera de la Bordeta, my favorite gelato place a few minutes beyond that.  I could see the red letters of a supermercat I visited frequently.   My favorite restaurant only a block away.  The Font Magica.  Montjuic.  Everything within reach. 

For the first time in a week, everything was familiar.

Adios...

I'm a little late posting this, but I feel like I haven't slowed down since I got back to the states. Being back home is bittersweet. I am happy to have some time to myself to relax, and, most importantly, I am happy to see my cat and my family, but I also miss being in Spain and going on a new adventure every day. While I don't miss the heat and the humidity, I was enjoying wandering the streets and exploring new parts of the city. In the last week of the program I felt my Spanish really started improving and my sense of direction and ability to navigate the city were getting better. I wish there were a few more weeks in the program so that I could feel fully comfortable in the city and practice my Spanish even more.
 Looking back on my time in Spain, I am so grateful for all that I learned and experienced while I was abroad. It amazes me how much I learned about the history and culture of Spain in just 5 weeks (I feel like I know Spain better than Boulder). The classes taught me so much and allowed us to see and experience Spain in a way that would never have been possible had I not been a part of the program. I am also so thankful for my host mom for bringing me into her home, and adding to my experiences of the culture. She made amazing food that I would never have tried and introduced us to many of her friends, which made the experience that much more special. I think the most important thing I gained from this experience is a new sense of confidence in myself that I was missing when the program began. A big influence in my new confidence were the people from the program. I have forged friendships that I hope will last me the rest of my life. I feel like the friendships I made were serendipitous in a way because I may never have met the people I did outside the program and even if I had, in different circumstances we may not have become friends the way that we have.

This is the end...

As I write this final blog post, I am on my last plane to return back to Colorado.  This makes me really sad because I do not want to leave Barcelona quite yet, but also I am excited to be going back home to my family and friends (and my dog)!

The past six weeks have been filled with some of the most incredible experiences I could have ever hoped to have; I have had so many opportunities to push my boundaries, to set personal limitations and to develop my understanding of myself.  I know that it hasn't been that long of a time abroad but I know that I have changed a lot as a person and I feel so grateful and lucky for this reason.

I was able to travel to eight cities, three countries and countless historical sites which have shaped my understanding and appreciation for a lifestyle much different than the one I have lived through all of my life.

I didn't have many expectations when coming to Barcelona and I am glad because I was able to fully appreciate every experience I had while there and make the most of every situation.

My appreciation for art, literature, and culture have grown significantly and I loved this about my trip.  I truly feel like I have a deep understanding about Barcelona as a city through literary analysis and personal experiences, which is something many students never get to experience.

I have grown to love Barcelona deeply and all of its quirks.  I REALLY hope I will be able to return back soon and with some of my loved ones so they can fall in love with the city too.  My professors, CIEE, and the home stay all greatly contributed to the wonderful experiences I had while abroad and I cannot imagine how different my time would be without all those aspects.

I am truly very lucky to have had the opportunity to study abroad and I know this trip is something I will hold very close to my heart and will continue to talk about for the rest of my life.  

Reflections on Barcelona

Since the program ended a nearly a week ago, I have had time to reflect on both the ups and the downs as I travel through northern Spain, France, and now into Switzerland. First and foremost, I am extremely grateful to have experienced five weeks living in Barcelona and studying the history and culture with professors who grew up in the city. I think that both Javier and Juan's personal relationship with Barcelona gave the program and the classes a very special tone, and allowed us, as students, a more personal perspective on the city.

My homestay, once CIEE relocated me to a kinder host family, was one of the most important aspects of the program. Living with a family that spoke only Spanish gave me the opportunity to practice my Spanish skills whenever I was home. Additionally, our host mother gave us advice, recommendations on where in Barcelona (as well as the surrounding area) to visit, and helped us improve our Spanish through gentle correction and suggestion. Adjusting to living in a new home for the duration of the program was not difficult because our host mother was so welcoming and helpful. I hope to visit her again in the future.

I experienced a lot lot homesickness than I originally expected to, since I had spent many summers away from home in the past. In retrospect, I had never lived in a city bigger than Boulder before, and the transition to living in Barcelona was extremely challenging. While this was difficult, the program's five weeks passed incredibly quickly and it was hard to believe everything was over so soon. We saw an incredible number of sites, both historical and otherwise, and I think we all saw an exponential increase in the quality of our conversational Spanish. Overall, the global seminar was a wonderful way to experience a brief time in Barcelona

On to the next adventure!

Looking back at the program, I cannot believe that five weeks went by so quickly. 

Every summer when I work at Geneva Glen Camp, the camp director tells us that “this summer will be everything,” meaning that we will hit our highest highs, as well as our lowest lows; we will laugh, and we will cry.  The past five weeks were definitely everything.  I had hard days where I missed home, but I also had some of the best days of my life.  I made some amazing new friends, and I met people that I did not get along great with.  I laughed harder than ever quoting movies and hanging out on the beach, while some nights I laid in bed thinking about how much I missed my friends at home.  Despite the ups and downs, however, I would not trade the past few weeks for anything.

I learned so much from the past five weeks.  I learned how to navigate a large city by myself, as well as how to plan a successful and safe trip.  My ability to understand others speaking Spanish improved greatly, and my writing improved greatly.  I learned how to put myself out there and confidently talk to strangers, despite the risk of messing up my Spanish.  All of these skills will help me greatly in my next adventure in Argentina.

Some of my favorite memories include our trips to La Sagrada Familia, Girona, Montserrat, Paris, Valencia, and Majorca.  I am so fortunate to have participated in this program in which I was able to visit so many cool things.  I appreciate that, not only were we able to visit all of the amazing sites, but we also got to learn about them first so that we were always one step ahead of the average tourist, and we were able to fully appreciate every place.

I would love to return to Spain one day and visit other parts of the country.  Overall, it was such a wonderful experience that I am so happy that I got to take part in!

For now, I am excited to leave for my new adventure in Buenos Aires tomorrow!

Well, at least I'm sweating a whole lot less now.

I've been back home in Denver for almost a week now, and I've had some time to reflect, compare, and evaluate my experience in Barcelona this summer. There are many things that I will miss about being in the Spain, but there is no doubt that it is good to be home and have the comfort familiarity of Colorado. 

To start, I want to thank my professors, Juan and Javier, for an amazing experience. It was as close to a frictionless experience as anyone could have hoped for, and the hard work, passion, and dedication into making this program successful is obvious. I really felt like our time was spent very well and there was a great balance between academia and leisure, scheduling and flexibility, and time spent in the classroom and time spent learning from site visits. 

Next, I would be remiss if I didn't lament some of the things I'll miss from Barcelona the most. First and foremost, the pace of life was a really nice change. Life felt a lot more relaxed and laid-back when it could be, and that did not go unnoticed. In fact, my parents remarked to me that I seemed "like a different person; a lot more laid-back and worry-free." I'm sure this will mostly dissipate when I rejoin the american workforce next week, but until then I'm going to drink my café bombó in tranquility. I'll also miss the ubiquitous amounts of beautiful fresh bread that accompany nearly every meal, and the daily ritual of visiting the market and buying fresh ingredients. It was a totally different experience that going to Costco once a month and safeway a few times a month, and I certainly think that it was a step above in terms of food quality. Lastly, I'm going to miss the ability to practice my Spanish every day. My biggest fear is to lose my abilities in this language that I've worked so hard to learn, because it is truly a wonderful thing to be able to speak another language at this level. It is such a privelage to be able to communicate with another unimaginable amount of people, and even here in Colorado I still find a few occasions to use it each year. This fall and spring, although I won't be taking any spanish classes, I'm going to search out a place that I can apply my language skills and keep them honed. 

These are just a few of my thoughts from this program. I loved being in Barcelona, and the trip was amazing. I can't say enough about how much I feel like my speaking in Spanish has improved, and I can't say enough about how lucky I am to have had this opportunity to go on this trip. I'm glad to be home, and I'm glad to have stopped sweating, but I will always hold Barcelona, Spain close to my heart. 

Adios, ciao, auf wiedersehen, adieu... You get the idea

I am so incredibly lucky to have had this experience. Even though I already studied abroad and fell in love with a second country, I know now that I can never underestimate the value of knowing another culture and people who grew up a different way than I did.

I haven't gotten back to the US yet, and it will be a while before I do. I guess this means that my 'culture shock' upon return will be a little bit diminished. I won't go from seeing the winding streets of the Gothic Quarter one day to the Flatirons the next. Despite that, I know that this experience will stay with me forever.

Before living in Barcelona I had no idea how important nature was to me. In the city I don't think I saw a single park the whole five weeks I lived there. I was so enchanted with the works of Gaudí and modernism in general that I didn't even realize at first. Now I know, though, that I take the mountains and the fresh air for granted. I don't think I could live in the city for that reason alone.

Now I'm in the middle of seeing a lot more cities in Europe, and I feel like I have a much better understanding of them. Because of the in depth knowledge that I have about Barcelona and its evolution as a city, I felt like I appreciated Rome that much more. After all, I saw a mini-version when we went to Tarragona. I feel like I had the real experience of getting to know a city inside and out, and I have Chicago, Raleigh, Boulder, Santiago, and Barcelona all as models to compare the rest of the places I see against.

I think my biggest take-away from this whole experience would be my 'insider knowledge' to the Cataluña vs Spain dilemma. I spent a good deal of time in the interior of Cataluña, listening to only catalán. It was frustrating at times because, while I have a pretty good grasp on spanish, I could not say that I speak catalán by a long shot. After my time in Barcelona I understand it much better, but I couldn't take part in a conversation. My listening was important, though. Before, the conflict between catalanes and españoles seemed to me like a distant and nebulous current events issue. Now I have had the opportunity to see it and hear it and touch it for myself. Really, there aren't words for how lucky I feel to have lived something firsthand like that. It is privilege enough to even go to Barcelona, or Spain, and see all of the tourist attractions. It is another thing entirely to feel that I've really lived in a reality different than my own.

I guess that's all I have to say about that, other than maybe another "I am so, so lucky."

Adios perro-casa (goodbye homedog)

Barcelona has changed me. Before the trip I never expected how much of an impact the city would have for me. I not only made amazing friends and ate amazing foods; I also learned how important it is to experience other cultures. There were American ideals I had never questioned, simply because they were all I had know, that now I look at in a new light. Simple things, like why do we use clothes dryers in Colorado, when they would dry almost as quickly on a line. Or why do we buy our food so far in advance, when stopping by the store on the way home would mean our food would be fresher and we would waste less. The most important thing I have learned is the value of knowing another language. While my Spanish is far from good, the ability to communicate is invaluable. I am currently in Paris and I do not know any French, therefore I feel as if I am only here to see buildings, and am unable to truly experience French culture. Knowing Spanish in Barcelona meant that we could go to more authentic restaurants where they don’t know English, and talk to people in the streets. While living in Barcelona doesn’t appeal to me, due to the unreasonable amounts of tourists, I hope to return again one day, fully fluent in Spanish, and see how much more of the city I could discover.  I also intend t use everything I have learned back in the United States. I purchased a small Catalan cookbook that I am so excited to use! I will undoubtedly have to suffer through a few bad attempts before I can make anything as good as my host mom’s cooking, but I will never stop trying! We are Facebook friends so I am going to message her when I also have a new appreciation for art after this trip. I have questions! I have always loved art, but being able to see famous paintings and learn the history and impact of them has caused me to look at them in a new light. I have always thought of art as a personal thing. I always thought of the artist having an impact on an individual painting. But here, the city would impact the artist, who would then paint, and then the painting impacts the city. I also have discovered new artists, like Ramon Casas, that I love and other artists, like Joan Miró, that I do not enjoy. Barcelona is a beautiful, vibrant city and I will miss it very much. I also have a new appreciation for art after this trip. Art, food, language, architecture, nightlife, and traditions all make Barcelona what it is, and in my opinion Barcelona is a beautiful, vibrant city that I will miss it very much.