This is a guide for the truly ambitious language-learners, culture-seekers, adventure-pursuers, and any one looking for an experience of a lifetime in Barcelona, Spain.
BE different
BE excited
BE adventurous
BE changed
BE spontaneous
BE free
What will your experience BE?
We hope you utilize your time here to make as many relationships and practice your language skills as frequently as possible. With bilingual staff and a city full of Spanish-speakers, we hope that you find ways of staying out of English-speaking circles.
The best place to start is the city center and work your way out until you know Barcelona and the surroundings in its entirety. There are no boundaries with this one: ditch the maps and the tours and find the off beaten paths that wander through Barcelona’s undiscovered secrets.
You want to do is meet locals and see businesses. Maybe you want to make connections and develop your networking abilities to make yourself a more valuable candidate for a job back home. Learning to work in a multi-cultural environment is a skill that will take you though life.
We have found that the students who truly feel they have made the most out of their experience are those who set small, achievable goals for themselves throughout their time abroad. We suggest that you take some time to write down your goals, based on these categories and any others you can think of. (p.s. people who write down their goals are much more likely to achieve them!)
5 Places I want to visit in Barcelona
5 Places I want to visit in Spain
Language goals
Other goals:
Take a moment to jot down your first impressions of the city. What did you think Barcelona would be like before you came? What do you think you’ll miss the most about home? What are you most excited about? What are you most nervous about?
Could you call this place “home?” Is this starting to feel like a new home to you? How do you see your new life differently than when you first arrived? What are some things that surprised you? Any challenges you’ve faced so far?
Try a new food that you wouldn’t normally eat. What was it? How was it? Why do you think that people at home don’t eat this and people here do? What new foods have you discovered while in Spain?
Break out of the “guiri” (tourist) bubble. Join a local club and go to an event. Meet locals! How many Spanish or Catalan people do you know? Do you count any of these as a “friend”? If you were to return to Barcelona next year, who would you call? Why do you think it is difficult for many foreigners to meet locals?
Part I: See a Catalan event (Gegants, Castellers, Calçotada, Sardana, Barça game, etc).
Part II: Ask a local about this event, how they feel about it, how they relate it to Catalan identity. What language does this person speak at home and with friends? Does this person want Catalonia to be independent from Spain? Why or why not? What do you think?
Attend an intercambio night to practice your Spanish (you can find many through meetup.com). How were your language skills when you arrived and how have they improved? How often do you speak Spanish here and with whom? Do you think you have a strong accent? What are some of your favorite words you’ve learned?
Get lost. Ditch your friends and your phone and just stray from the center. When you wander with no destination in mind, you’ll encounter several new things you may never have found. Find a cool bar or café, get a coffee and absorb the world around you. What do you notice? Notice any cultural differences? How does the culture here compare to your culture back home? (Challenge: Regardless of your level of Spanish, try ordering in Spanish, it’s not too hard! Try this for starters: Hola, un café con leche, por favor. ¡Muchas gracias! See, that wasn’t too hard, was it?)
Get your groceries from the local market. Not the supermarket, the big open marketplace near your house. Can’t find it? Try Santa Catarina in the born. Buy veggies at one stand, eggs at another, and don’t miss the variety of cheeses and meats. What did you think? Is there anything like this in your home country? Why or why not? What was the most difficult part of this challenge?
Barcelona’s unique energy is electric and the experience often means something different to each and every person that’s set foot in this city.
With that said, we want to hear from YOU and what incredible the Barcelona experience has had on your life. If you would like to be featured on the “My Barcelona Experience” section of our website, just complete the following form…it’s as simple as that!
Thank you and we look forward to sharing your story!