It was September 29th 2012 when I took a Vueling flight from Zurich to Barcelona. I had never been to Spain before, and I didn’t know much about the city. I was so upset to move away from home and so scared to start an independent life that my first thought was “I am going to hate it”. The first couple of weeks were hard, without knowing many people. My parents told me I could come home if I didn’t like it, and that’s what kept me going. Coming from International schools I have always been used to cultural diversification, but here it is taken to a whole new level. From the very first day onwards I understood how international Barcelona is.
As an attractive city for tourist, it is also very popular among students from all over the world for study abroad programs.There is always people coming and going, speaking different languages and with different backgrounds. You might end up saluting your group of friends with “ciao”, saying “bon appétit” before meals and “tschüss” for bye. Besides the cultural differences between the international students, there are also the cultural differences between the Spanish people themselves. In Barcelona, mainly the independence wishes of Catalans, as opposed to the Spaniards, and also the students from other regions such as Galicia and Paises Vascos that speak different dialects. The cultural diversification can also be noticed in the food. There are over 6,000 restaurants in Barcelona. That is one restaurant a day for 16 years! And there are so many choices. Ranging from Thai to Brazilian, you can literally find food from any country in this city. I never thought I could say I had the best pasta of my life in Spain, but in Barcelona it is possible. You can travel the world in three meals: croissant for breakfast, sushi for lunch and parrilla for dinner. And don’t forget the best gelato for dessert!
Today it’s been 2 years, 6 months and 5 days that I’ve been living in this amazing city. In those 2 and a half years I have learned so much besides my academic duties and could not imagine my life if I hadn’t come to Barcelona.I have met so many incredible people and had uncountable experiences that have made me who I am today. I have created an emotional bond with this place, and a part of me will be missing when the time comes for me to leave. I guess I don’t need to say I liked it, or better, loved it. Barcelona is a city that makes you fall in love with it. The art, culture, people, beach, parties, everything!
Name: Helena Carreras
Age: 20
Country: Brazil