The world of international news and world affairs has recently been rocked with news of Catalonia, Spain, a region's fight for independence, and Spain's adamance against allowing such an occurrence from happening.

Now, I am going to be honest: I am new to this news. I am by no means an expert on Spain's regional politics and am not attempting to take "sides." But, this is a monumental issue in foreign affairs and deserves attention, regardless of my prior knowledge. And with that said, I am going to attempt to break down the situation in Catalonia and Spain for you as well, in hopes that we can all come out of this situation a little more aware of the world around us than before.

So, before we start, a little backstory. Catalonia has been a part of Spain since the 15th century. Catalonia has its own language, and since the 19th century, there has been a surge of Catalan patriotism in the region, with campaigns for autonomy from Spain and secession making way.

When Francisco Franco became general and dictator of Spain, nationalism in Catalonia and the Catalan language has been restricted.

All of these factors have fueled fervent nationalism and a desire for independence among the Catalan people.

Then, it happened. On October 1st, 2017, the Catalonia government declared independence from Spain, against Spain's wishes. The world watched in awe as Spain responded by dismissing Catalonia's president, Cabinet, and Parliament. On October 21, Spain said it would reestablish direct rule over the region on October 28th.

With two European regions now battling in a fight of autonomy versus control, secession versus unity, countries all over the world are taking sides and watching intently, unsure of what will happen next. With news of Brexit and Greece's worrisome financial crisis, Europe is getting ready to battle yet another storm.