Sorry I am going to try to get into a habit about writing on this blog more.
First of all this is the most incredible experience of my life and I am so glad I did it. Barcelona is an amazing city with a very interesting history and culture. I have gone to mostly all the tourist sites such as Parc Guell, the Sagrada Familia, Mont J'uic, Barceloneta etc. I have found the classes interesting but also much easier than those at GW. I have learned most by experiencing what it is like to live in Barcelona, by traveling in Europe, and speaking with members of these communities. I have traveled to Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Cadiz, and Venice. I have seen the Prado and the beautiful Aquarium in Valencia. I have also experienced the Royal Palace in Madrid and Carnaval in Venice and Cadiz. It has been a whirlwind of a time so far and the forecast only seems brighter.
What I have learned:
The Origins of Tapas: Tapa came from the plate that waiters used to put on the top of their coffee cups to block flies or other particles from falling in. On top of the plate would be a piece of food. Now tapas are served at nearly every restaurant in Spain.
Spirit of Barcelona: I heard before coming to Barcelona that they considered themselves "different" than the rest of Spain and certainly Madrid but I never understood the extent of the nationalistic spirit. It seems that this nationalistic spirit has become so ingrained in the very fabric of Barcelona that it would be nearly impossible to try to understand life in Barcelona without experiencing the sentiment. Every class minus one I have taken there has been a talk of the history of Barcelona and their separate identity from Spain. The soccer team FC Barcelona is the people's military and voice of nationalism. The slogan plastered on the seats of the legendary Camp Nou is "Mes que un Club"Which in Catalan means "more than a club." The team's biggest rival is Real Madrid or Royal Madrid in (English). The game is dubbed "Il Clasico." The people pledge full allegiance to the region of Catalunya and speak of their differences from the rest of Spain. The people of Barcelona feel that they have always been self efficient and a center of commerce. Throughout the history of Spain, Barcelona has prospered while Madrid and the rest of Spain hurt. Many feel that the government of Madrid have enjoyed the prosperity that Barcelona provides but they don't represent Barcelona as well as the people of Barcelona deserve. Most of the advertisements are published in Catalan. Barcelona's citizens believe that bull fighting is backwards and reject the flamenco as their national dance. They even claim to have an independence day although this is illegal in Spain.
The law for pick pockets: It allows pick pockets to steal under 400 euros without a serious punishment. Robbers can avoid jail altogether if they steal under 400 euros and have a grace period until the pay fines. Thus "carrteristas" are all over the place.
More to Come...
First of all this is the most incredible experience of my life and I am so glad I did it. Barcelona is an amazing city with a very interesting history and culture. I have gone to mostly all the tourist sites such as Parc Guell, the Sagrada Familia, Mont J'uic, Barceloneta etc. I have found the classes interesting but also much easier than those at GW. I have learned most by experiencing what it is like to live in Barcelona, by traveling in Europe, and speaking with members of these communities. I have traveled to Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Cadiz, and Venice. I have seen the Prado and the beautiful Aquarium in Valencia. I have also experienced the Royal Palace in Madrid and Carnaval in Venice and Cadiz. It has been a whirlwind of a time so far and the forecast only seems brighter.
What I have learned:
The Origins of Tapas: Tapa came from the plate that waiters used to put on the top of their coffee cups to block flies or other particles from falling in. On top of the plate would be a piece of food. Now tapas are served at nearly every restaurant in Spain.
Spirit of Barcelona: I heard before coming to Barcelona that they considered themselves "different" than the rest of Spain and certainly Madrid but I never understood the extent of the nationalistic spirit. It seems that this nationalistic spirit has become so ingrained in the very fabric of Barcelona that it would be nearly impossible to try to understand life in Barcelona without experiencing the sentiment. Every class minus one I have taken there has been a talk of the history of Barcelona and their separate identity from Spain. The soccer team FC Barcelona is the people's military and voice of nationalism. The slogan plastered on the seats of the legendary Camp Nou is "Mes que un Club"Which in Catalan means "more than a club." The team's biggest rival is Real Madrid or Royal Madrid in (English). The game is dubbed "Il Clasico." The people pledge full allegiance to the region of Catalunya and speak of their differences from the rest of Spain. The people of Barcelona feel that they have always been self efficient and a center of commerce. Throughout the history of Spain, Barcelona has prospered while Madrid and the rest of Spain hurt. Many feel that the government of Madrid have enjoyed the prosperity that Barcelona provides but they don't represent Barcelona as well as the people of Barcelona deserve. Most of the advertisements are published in Catalan. Barcelona's citizens believe that bull fighting is backwards and reject the flamenco as their national dance. They even claim to have an independence day although this is illegal in Spain.
The law for pick pockets: It allows pick pockets to steal under 400 euros without a serious punishment. Robbers can avoid jail altogether if they steal under 400 euros and have a grace period until the pay fines. Thus "carrteristas" are all over the place.
More to Come...
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