My Barcelona Experience

Cultural shock is defined as “a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment,” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Although this definition paints culture shock in a somewhat negative light, culture shock is a positive occurrence. Culture shock can promote personal growth and open one’s mindset about diverse culture. This is the experience I had while doing an internship abroad in Barcelona, Spain. The internship I pursued in Barcelona was with a company called La Manual Alpargatera. I had the opportunity to learn how alpargatas, or espadrilles in English, are traditionally made. I even got to handmake my own pair of alpargatas, which I also hand designed. During the two months I spent in Barcelona, I was subjected to a way of life that was completely unfamiliar to me. I noticed many cultural differences between Barcelona and the United States, mostly comparing these differences to Michigan.
In the United States, being punctual is the expectation – you arrive when you are told to arrive and being late is frowned upon. In Barcelona, being late is the norm, even at workplaces. Being late to work is seen as a big of a deal as it would be in the United States. Actually, many people were advised to show up 10-30 minutes late because that is when things are viewed as “actually starting”. Everything in Barcelona is set on a later schedule compared to the United States. For instance, many clubs do not up until at least 1 a.m., or even 2 a.m., and don’t close until 7 a.m. Although the latest I stayed out was 5 a.m., this was still a major change for me.
One cultural difference that many people are aware of is Spain’s famous “siesta”. Siestas refer to a nap or break that is typically taken after lunch. Many businesses actually close for a 2 to 3 hours in the afternoon to allow for siesta. This break is usually taken anywhere between 1:00-5:00 p.m., or 13:00-17:00 on a 24-hour clock. Using a 24-hour clock was a major change for me, but something that I got very used to by the end of my internship. Public transportation in Spain especially tends to use a 24-hour clock.
Despite being one of the most famous cities in Spain, Barcelona is actually a smaller city. Thus, Barcelona is considered a very walkable city. Locals especially walk everywhere, anywhere under an hour-long walk is considered walkable. One of my favorite activities to do in Barcelona was simply city strolling and discovering new markets, restaurants, and shops.
However, my overall favorite activity in Barcelona was thrifting. The thrift and vintage shops in Barcelona were remarkable. The most popular thrift shop in Barcelona is Humana Vintage, which has several locations all around Barcelona. One interesting fact I noticed about the Humana stores in Barcelona is that the music tended to match the “vibe” or era of the clothes. For example, the Humana stores that had more modern clothes and brands, such as Bershka and Mango, played current pop music. On the other hand, Humana stores that had vintage clothes played older music. Overall, fashion in Barcelona was extremely diverse. You could observe people wearing designer brands walking down the same street as others wearing sweatpants. Compared to Paris especially, Barcelona tended to be a more city in terms of fashion.
Overall, my experience in Barcelona was something that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Along with the personal growth and cultural awareness that I gained, I also met so many wonderful people and made memories that I will never forget. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would without a doubt. I highly recommend studying or doing an internship abroad to anyone who is even slightly considering it.