I have always known that I wanted to study abroad. Traveling has been a large part of my life and now, my major and career has allowed me to continue this passion. As a Hospitality and Tourism Major at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, I have had the opportunity to expand my knowledge of the Tourism industry by traveling, staying in different hotels, and going on and giving tours.
All these experiences have sparked an interest in really understanding how people live in other states, countries, and even continents. Deciding where to study abroad was probably one of the harder decisions I had to make when first starting the abroad experience. Working here has allowed me to fully immerse myself into the Catalonian culture and learn more than I would have just taking classes.
However, in the month that I have been here, I have learned and experienced so much that I was not expecting. Here are somethings that I knew before coming and things that have surprised me while being here:. When coming to Spain you would think that everyone speaks Spanish and they do. However, in Catalonia, where Barcelona is the regions capital, they also speak Catalan. Fashion in general in Europe is a lot better than in America. Rolling out of bed and going to class in your pajamas in not an option.
Leggings are rarely worn and oversized sweatshirts are hard to find. In Barcelona, high fashion clothes are easy to find and usually priced very reasonably. For school, most students wear jeans, skirts, or a dress. For work, depending on the career, people wear anything casual jeans and a blouse for women and jeans and a polo for men to business professional. If you think getting used to the time difference, getting used to the meal schedule is even more difficult.
Coming from the US, I was used to three good sized meals. I would eat breakfast before going to class, around am, consisting of eggs and toast or cereal. However, meals here in Spain are completely different.
