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.