It's February, so that means I've been living in Spain for a whole month already! I'm not sure how I feel about that realization. On the one hand, time has been flying because I am constantly traveling or exploring, but on the other hand, time seems to have slowed down. Sometimes it feels as if it has been weeks since I've called my mom, but I realize it has only been two days. The days are just so chock-full of adventure that a single day can seem to last forever. But hey, I'm not complaining. Just from a month-long experience, I know that I will never be ready to leave to go back to the States, so the days can take all the time they want!
I'm going to sound cliché for a moment and say that this month has been truly life-changing and eye-opening. I know, I know, cue eye-roll, but it's true! Every single day, I am constantly learning and discovering something new, and I'm not just talking about the history, art, and literature that I learn about in class (although those are all wonderful). I'm talking about culture and independence and sense of direction (who knew you could learn not to get lost??).
The culture in Barcelona is so rich with language, food, and history that it can sometimes be overwhelming. The language itself is pretty daunting. In Barcelona, most people speak Spanish, but almost all speak (and prefer) Catalan. This can make conversations with locals a lot more difficult because Catalan is similar to Spanish, but way too different for me to decipher even the gist of what someone is trying to say. However, I've gotten a lot better at asking people to speak to me in Castilian Spanish. Even that is different than the Spanish I've been learning in school for years! (People here do not like when you refer to juice as "jugo," to them it is only "zumo"). Regardless of the gazillion different dialects of Spanish, I am definitely improving and understanding much more than I did when I arrived just a few weeks ago!
I've discovered a few Catalan dishes that I don't know if I'll ever be able to live without now. I love love love tortilla de patatas, Fanta Naranja (Similar to Fanta in the States, but so much better), all sorts of tapas, chocolate con churros, and, my favorite, pan con tomate. The food and drinks in Barcelona are not only delicious, but they are also way healthier than anything you could ever find in the States. Although I miss my processed food, Panera, and Noodles & Company, I've never felt better. Therefore, I'm learning a lot about the type of lifestyle I want to live when I go back to Illinois. I want to start healthier eating- less processed foods, more fruits and veggies, and more lean meats. In addition, I want to walk to more places in the States. I never realized how refreshing it would be to live life without a car. Of course, this lifestyle isn't practical in central Illinois, but I still want to try to drive less often. The exercise is not only good for the body, but it's also therapeutic and relaxing for the mind.
Being alone in a foreign city, I've learned a thing or two about being more independent. The first couple of days, I was hopelessly lost because I had never taken a metro on my own in my life and my data (meaning my Google maps) didn't work without huge international fees. By some great amount of luck, I found my way to where I needed to go. Since then, I've learned the art of public transportation and crazy nonlinear city streets. When I recently traveled to Paris, we only had a single instance where we got "lost". Even this moment was incomparable to my first days abroad because we had only taken a train a stop too far- nothing that wasn't easily fixable. I've also grown in more ways than just transportation. Buying plane tickets is no longer a breakdown-worthy moment and I've become naturally aware of all of my surroundings to avoid pick pocketing. In addition, my confidence level has skyrocketed. I can only imagine all the ways in which I will grow by the end of April when I head back home.
