I came to Spain with limited Spanish, no travel experience, no experience with cultural differences, and no idea what to expect. I honestly thought that Catalan was just a subset dialect of Castellano! I have learned more and changed more than I will ever be able to iterate. I know a completely different person is going to return in Chicago. How do I begin to describe living in a foreign country for four months and being completely submerged in a different culture? I truly can’t. I can simply note significant events that have changed my perceptions and my understanding of Spanish culture.
This farm-raised girl who has never traveled outside of the Midwest has seen more and experienced more cultures than everyone in my town combined! I believe the fact that I have never experienced anything other than the Midwest make me truly appreciate every little detail. I have never seen saltwater before, or even seen a real mountain. Within my first week in Barcelona, I saw them both at the same time. I remember soaking up every smell, every cloud, every taste, every single thing. Because I have only known one culture, it was fairly easy for me to be introduced into a new environment. I didn’t have any “cultural baggage” that I felt particularly attached to.
I came to Spain with the intentions to keep the essence of myself, but also allow the new culture to mold me into a more understanding, cultural woman. Upon reflection, just days before I leave this beautiful country, I believe I have achieved everything I wanted to do. I now fully understand and appreciate other cultures, especially Catalan. When I flew back to Barcelona from my last weekend travel, I realized that I AM home. Barcelona is my new home. And it is here that I have developed into the person that I will be for the rest of my life. Gràcies per tot, Barcelona.
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