I have been settling into my new home for the next few weeks. I am in Barcelona, Spain living in the Gracia neighborhood in a shared apartment. Barcelona has been my dream city so far. The city is large and diverse, and there is something for everyone here. In twenty minutes (on the metro I am learning to use!), I can make it to the beach. In ten minutes, I can make it to the Gothic Quarter, one of my favorite neighborhoods. The Gothic Quarter is historic and full of beautiful buildings, great shopping, and delicious food. There are also so many beautiful buildings. Just five minutes from me is the famous Sagrada Familia as well as other iconic sites like Park Guell and Casa Batllo.

Within my new neighborhood, I have loved walking and finding fun stores and new restaurants. Just below our apartment is a cute cafe to get salads and sandwhices. On my way to the metro for class, I have found my new favorite coffee shop, that also offers delicious gluten-free treats. I think I enjoy that my neighborhood is walkable and local. Learning my neighborhood’s culture and overcoming the language barrier has been both inspirational and exciting for me. In my apartment, I have four roommates, but the entire building is full of students in my program. We have a lovely courtyard, that we invite our apartment friends to hang out in as we get to know each other. I am adapting well to my apartment by getting to know my roommates and spending time exploring Barcelona together.

My experience with CIEE has been great so far. We have class for three hours everyday, but the classes are engaging and often involve field trips or guest speakers. At Pitt, in my marketing class we participate in a lot of guest lectures, a similarity with my marketing class here in Spain. However, one difference I have noticed is the class size. Classes here are ten-twenty people, sometimes with only five people in one class. I have liked the smaller class size because it allows me to engage with the professor and my classmates on a more personal level.

I am taking International Marketing here in Barcelona. As I mentioned, my class size is small so we do a lot of small group work and discussions. We have done a lot of group presentations, which I appreciate because it helps me to connect with my classmates. Additionally, we have done a field trip to the Estrella Damm factory, the leading beer producer in Barcelona. This field trip was really fun because it got us out of the classroom and immersed in a real factory in Barcelona. So far, I have already developed my collaboration skills. Working in a group successfully has been vital to my success. Additionally, embracing the culture around me is necessary. I have been trying traditional Spanish dishes outside of the classroom and learning about the business culture in Spain within in the classroom. These skills will continue to be developed throughout my (too) short time left in Barcelona. Thanks!