Hola! There are many cultural differences between the United States and Spain. There are even cultural differences between Barcelona and other areas in Spain, just like in the USA. Barcelona is in an area called Catalonia. This area has its own rich history, traditions, and even language. This was a shock to me when I arrived here. While everyone here speaks Spanish, and the vast majority speak English, seeing an area of the country have its own language was interesting. This aspect was not difficult for me to assimilate to at least. 

The most challenging aspect to assimilate to in Barcelona was the slow pace of life. People here take their days slower which I was not used to. The walking pace is a lot slower which makes me feel awkward passing people on the street because I tend to be a fast walker. The residents here also eat later and longer. It is a cultural thing to sit and talk for a while after eating which is not the most common in the USA. The longer I have been living in Barcelona, the more I am adapting to this lifestyle. It is nice to have a different change of pace than studying at the University of Pittsburgh. 

I have also had a bit of a challenging time in the classroom. I am accustomed to clear directions on what is required in assignments. Here, the directions are a lot more vague. On my midterm paper for my Art and Gender class, I had a really hard time figuring out what to write that fulfilled what the professor was looking for. For the exams I have taken here, what they want us to study is also less clear than at Pitt. Overall it is causing me to struggle in my courses more than I thought I would. 

Although, interacting with the locals here is a lot easier than I assumed it would be. I thought when coming here people would automatically dislike me because I am American and the world’s view for us isn’t the best now, but this hasn’t been the case. Everyone has been very kind and welcoming. I have not had many interactions with locals in my classes because they are specifically for study abroad students. I have met many locals from just exploring new places and talking though. This has made me change my viewpoint on life. Seeing how other people live their lives in an environment different from mine has changed the way I will interact with people in the future. Thank you!