Something to write home about

For the last four months, I have been living in Barcelona, Spain, studying the Spanish language and culture. Barcelona is an international city filled with magnificent architecture, a vivacious nightlife, tourists and pickpockets galore, a breath-taking mountainous backdrop and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. The people speak Spanish and Catalan in conjunction, and, of course, English is a close second. I have had a handful of experiences that made me forget I’m outside of America, but I have also experienced plenty of authentic Spanish moments.

As stereotypical as it may seem, one of my favorite aspects of Barcelona is the nightlife. It is not just because I am a true, party-loving IU girl, but because of the people I have met. Yes, of course, there are sketchy clubs and bars where you have to watch your purse like a hawk, and there are dark side streets to avoid on the way home. But besides all that, a night out in the city can be just as informative (if not more) than going to class. The diversity and welcoming atmosphere of the clubs makes for an eye-opening experience. And I’m lucky because everyone speaks at least one of the two languages that I do: Spanish (as I am, in fact, in Spain) or the world’s “most-universal” language, English.

Outside of the clubs, I have met a few people who have undoubtedly changed my life forever. I am living in a homestay here in Barcelona, with a woman named Betty (short for Beatriz) and her 2-year-old grandson.

Betty’s house is untidy but cozy; she is eccentric but down-to-earth; and she does not speak a word of English. Her life story is long and complicated and always makes my problems seem like child’s play. But despite the lemons life has thrown her way, she is one of the most caring and compassionate people I’ve met. She has taught me to be more self-confident, vigilant and aware of my surroundings; to conserve electricity more thoroughly; to sew on a button; to speak the Spanish language fluently; and to treat others with compassion, no matter how they have treated you.

Perhaps to you, the reader, I may seem naive because of my self-centered American sentiments, or perhaps I have opened a whole new perspective of a non-American, non-English-speaking world. Either way, it is important for all people, especially those native to the United States, to understand the diversity of the world.

When I return home next month, I will have spent over five months in Spain, traveling, studying and learning. I have noted entirely too many differences between the lifestyles of Americans and Europeans than I could possibly mention in one article. The education system, the politics, the language, the customs and traditions have all provided me with eye-opening knowledge of the world. During the course of this semester, I have learned more about the world and myself than I could ever have done if I had not made the choice to study abroad.