As I sit between gates E78 and E79 in Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, it is very clear that my semester abroad has come to an end and I must return to the United States of America. I will be back in my home state of Iowa just in time for Christmas. I arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, after an overnight flight from Chicago, Illinois.

Right from the beginning, I knew I was in a different place, which meant taking on different things. To begin, the street signs I saw in Europe are written on the walls of buildings as plaques instead of as a corner post or above traffic lights. What that looks like is being at an intersection and needing to get very close to a building in a corner in order to see which street is which. That’s challenging when learning your way around a new city. Additionally, the apartment building that served as my homestay did not have an elevator, meaning I needed to take the stairs. Of course, that wasn’t so fun when it was hot outside nor with large loads of things. I adapted to both of those challenges quickly.

​Of course, Spain and the U.S. are two very different countries. The biggest cultural difference I picked up on while in Barcelona was the way people took their time with their days. For example, I constantly saw people, both residents and tourists, enjoying some tapas, a drink or two, or coffee without being in a major hurry during both the day and night. What that meant for me was an overall better quality of life that people in Spain are able to enjoy.

Spain wouldn’t truly be a part of Europe if fútbol, soccer, wasn’t a huge pastime. In October of my semester abroad, I went to an F.C. Barcelona fútbol game and it was absolutely amazing from beginning to end. There was a lot of camaraderie surrounding the entire game and it was very clear that the players on the field absolutely adored the fans.

​While Spain observes Christmas and New Year’s just like many of its international counterparts, the holidays both on a national and autonomous community, regional, level that build up to Dec. 25 are very different from the United States. For example, Sept. 11, a day of mourning, grief and remembrance in the states, is known as the “national day” of Catalonia. If I remember correctly, Sept. 11 was the historical date that Catalonia fell to the Spanish crown after a lost war. A lot of people in Barcelona engage in a major protest demanding Catalonia’s separation from Spain and independence on Sept. 11.

The national holidays following that are Fiesta Nacional de España, National Celebration of Spain, on Oct. 12, which celebrates the spreading of Spanish culture around the world, Christopher Columbus being one of those perpetrators, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1, Constitution Day on Dec. 6, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8. With Spain being one of the most Catholic countries in the world, it makes sense that holy days of obligation in the Catholic church are used as days off.

Of course, Christmas is on the way. To name a few Spanish Christmas traditions, a food called turrón is a very common Christmas dessert, Barcelona observes a tradition called Tió de Nadal, which is basically a decorated tree log that acts as Santa Claus providing gifts for children, and there are plenty of Christmas fairs and markets to check out.

​As opposed to the U.S., public transportation is a lot more widespread in Europe as a whole. While in Barcelona, I got around the city by either walking or taking the metro, Barcelona’s subway system. One of the great things about Europe is the ease of use and accessibility of public transportation. I recommend avoiding the metro in Barcelona during rush hour, on Saturday nights and the list goes on in order to not ride in a crammed train.

Another thing about Europe is the way that it lets its history live on. Anyone who has been to Europe before knows, as I learned, that a lot of pride goes into its history. While in Barcelona, I could clearly see the historical designs of each building I passed by.

Additionally, going back to the streets, the fact that a lot of streets in both Barcelona and Europe are named after important historical figures means that Europe will never let its past die. As for Barcelona, places that are very important are called Casa Mila and Casa Battló. Both houses were designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. What Gaudí did when he designed those buildings really set Barcelona apart from its competitors. The construction is very focused on the nearby Mediterranean Sea and it is a design that I could never have imagined anywhere else. Plus, no one can forget about La Sagrada Familia, the very famous and internationally known cathedral in Barcelona. La Sagrada Familia is an extremely central part of Barcelona’s skyline and it is a true sign of just how far its designer, Antoni Gaudí, was willing to go thanks to his Catholic faith.

​Finally, the variety of food I ate was quite immense. Living with a host mother who was an amazing cook, I ate all types of meat, seafood, cheese, fruits and vegetables. Something that I learned and was quite surprised by is that Spaniards are not people who eat spicy food. Considering that I’m not one to go after spicy food myself, it wasn’t that big of a deal. What is an important dietary observation in Spain goes as follows. One of my favorite things to eat while in Barcelona was pan con tomate, bread with tomato. How to make it is to take a piece of bread, rub the open half of a tomato on the bread to place tomato flavor on it, put some olive oil on the bread and use salt if you like. It is simple and absolutely delicious.

Also, Spaniards consume a lot of olive oil in general. Another thing I was served in Spain was plates of ham and cheese. I had never seen that many types of ham nor cheese before. As I learned, the ham has different flavors and tastes based on the type of pig it came from and the types of hooves, feet, said pig has. As for the cheese, I think it was simply about whether it came from a cow or a goat.

Finally, wine is something I had quite a bit while in Spain. In Spain, you can have it with any meal, for any occasion, and the list goes on. Plus, the climate of Barcelona allows for many vineyards to thrive and that is how wine is always available. In short, the food Spain had to offer was amazing.

​Of course, studying abroad is something I highly recommend and encourage. I feel like everyone needs to do it, whether it’s for a semester or a whole school year. I think studying abroad is important because it opens one’s eyes to a new version of everything in a way that could never be achieved on the home turf. Obviously, if one wants to get better at a second language, then studying abroad, depending on how it’s done, is a great way to do so. I think that studying abroad is very important as the world becomes more and more diverse in every way possible. Plus, it can also help expand horizons in many forms.

In short, to anyone who might read this, if you’re thinking about studying abroad, you have to do it, if you have the means and resources. I promise you will not regret it, Missouri will welcome you back with open arms, and it will be an experience that can’t compare to anything else. 

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: IES Abroad: Liberal Arts and Business in Barcelona