Barcelona is a very special and historic city located in Catalonia, a region in Spain. I fell in love with living there while studying abroad in Spring 2024. However, there were definitely many things that took some getting used to. Before studying abroad, I'd gone on vacations to Greece and Italy for a few weeks. Those trips were unforgettable and introduced me to the beauty of Europe. But that's all they were, an introduction.
Living in a place is completely different than visiting it, staying in a hotel, touring a few famous spots, eating some food, and hopping back on a plane. All this goes to say that I definitely had a baseline of what to expect while living in Barcelona, but I didn't grasp the full picture. Hopefully reading this will give you a better idea of what to expect when studying abroad in Spain.
Culture
The culture is the most different thing between the U.S. and Barcelona. Barcelona has a slower, more relaxed pace of life, with different values. I’ve found that Barcelona locals are very focused on enjoying the simple pleasures of life, like food, friends, and family. The U.S. also has these values, but puts a larger focus on work and money.
This can be seen very clearly in restaurants. The pace at the restaurants in Barcelona is much slower, and the server will not bring you your check unless specifically asked. This is due to value being placed on the enjoyment of a good, leisurely meal in good company. In the U.S., people are often kindly rushed out of restaurants in order to accommodate more customers. The other major difference is that tipping is not expected at restaurants in Spain, as it's not part of the culture.
In terms of the food itself, it is also very different. Firstly, Spain places a lot more emphasis on using real, unprocessed ingredients. There are many foods and ingredients that are legal in the U.S. but banned in Europe. For example, the soda in Europe tastes less artificial to me. In my opinion, this leads to better flavors.
The food in Barcelona certainly has its own identity. It generally follows the Mediterranean diet but with a lot of Catalan influence. Common staples of the Mediterranean diet are olive oil, lots of fruits and vegetables, and seafood. The Spanish take on it includes the famous jamón, Manchego cheese, local tapas like patatas bravas, and more. I fell in love with all of the food and really enjoyed trying all of the tapas, which are like little appetizers to be shared. In general, the portions throughout Europe tend to be smaller as well.
Transportation
New York City is commonly known as being the gold standard of public transportation in America. I spent this last summer living in NYC and I can safely say that it does not even remotely compare to the public transportation in Barcelona. Everywhere I visited in Europe had great transportation, but Barcelona had the best. The buses and metros in Barcelona are more organized, frequent, accessible, and also much cheaper than in NYC. I was paying less than $25 a month to have unlimited rides on the metro and bus, which I used to get to class at the School for International Studies (SIS), the airport, and anywhere my heart led me to in the city.
Another thing I noticed while abroad was the size of the vehicles. In Europe, the cars tend to be smaller than in the U.S., and scooters (smaller versions of motorcycles) are very common. This is due to the roads being smaller and there being a big emphasis on walking in Europe. I also noticed that the manufacturers are not the same as in the U.S., with Peugeot, for example, being popular in Spain, but almost non-existent in the states.
Architecture
The architecture in Barcelona is absolutely beautiful. Some of the buildings in Barcelona have been around for over 2000 years, which is jaw-dropping considering the U.S. was founded less than 300 years ago. There are many famous monuments such as the Cathedral of Barcelona and La Sagrada Família. A very cool thing to notice about the city’s architecture is that there have been many different cultural influences over the years, as Barcelona has been conquered and ruled by various communities throughout history. This has created a unique fusion of different styles of architecture, like Roman, Gothic, Modernist, and many more. Another interesting difference between the U.S. and Barcelona is that there are really only skyscrapers in one specific part of the city, Poblenou.
Climate
The climate in Barcelona is very dry, as the region of Catalonia is currently in a drought. However, there are still seasons. During the spring semester, it was a bit chilly to start out but over time it became closer to summer weather. Overall, it never got too cold or hot throughout my time there.
Something to take note of is that the outfits in Spain are generally more put together than in the U.S. You will rarely spot someone wearing gym or athletic clothes out and about. Also, people dress based on the season, not the weather, so during the winter season, even if it's relatively warm out, you may still see locals wearing jeans and a jacket.
Conclusion
Overall, I had an incredible, life-changing experience in Barcelona. Immersing myself in another culture was very fun, although a slight challenge at times. Throughout the semester, I appreciated all the special parts of Catalan culture more and more. However, it also made me appreciate all of the special parts of American culture that weren’t as present in Spain. I feel as if the entire experience helped me learn more about this great world that we live in.
