When I first stepped foot outside of the Barcelona airport, the moment for which I had been waiting for so long had finally arrived. My first moments in Barcelona were similar to those of many when they first arrive in a new city. I was outside the airport terminal, waiting for a taxi in a swarm of people, restless and marred by jet lag. After being on a plane or waiting in an airport for nine hours, with little more than an hour of sleep, I was overwhelmed by this hectic environment. However, after waiting in line for around 30 minutes, I finally boarded a taxi and embarked on my journey to my apartment in L'Eixample, one of Barcelona's largest neighborhoods.
At first my surroundings looked quite similar to the United States. I hadn't made my way to the city center and was on a highway surrounded by billboards. However, once I made my way into the city my surroundings began to look quite different. The highway transformed into long arrays of stunning buildings. Each one was a work of art, with ornate facades of arched windows and stone buttresses. I was awestruck by this beauty, and my restlessness was overtaken by an uncontainable urge to explore the city.
My taxi ride provided me with an excellent opportunity to get a first impression of Barcelonans as well, as I conversed with my taxi driver in both Spanish and English. He told me of the upcoming Catalunya Day and we discussed the intricacies of the dual national identity of the Catalan people. Unknown to many, Catalunya is a distinct region of Spain, with its own customs, traditions, and language. They speak Catalan as their mother tongue and have a great sense of pride in their culture. This unique cultural identity living in conjunction with Spanish culture is what makes Barcelona such a unique city. You will walk down the street, sit in a cafe, and listen to people speaking in both Spanish and Catalan. Barcelona is a melting pot of cultures, where you will find people from all parts of Spain and all across the world. It's a city where 20 percent of the population is foreign-born, and people of all backgrounds come together.
Eventually, after a 30-minute taxi drive, I arrived at my apartment. I was immediately greeted by a member of the CEA CAPA staff, and was welcomed into my new home. My apartment was in a relatively old building, as L'Eixample was built in the late 19th to early 20th century. I immediately felt like I had found a new home, and was beyond excited for more than three months of studying abroad in this beautiful city. We made our way into the elevator, which was no bigger than a closet, and rode up to the second floor. Once we had reached my floor, we exited the elevator and entered my apartment. It was there I got to meet my flatmates, and we all introduced ourselves to each other. After 30 minutes of talking and getting to know each other, we embarked on a tour of our neighborhood.
We walked the streets of the L'Eixample, and I was stunned by the beauty of the architecture that surrounded me. Along the streets were long arrays of buildings, decorated with stone pillars and large windows, with balconies reaching outwards above the street. I had only been in Barcelona for little more than an hour, but I had already fallen in love with the city. It is a city of surreal energy and unparalleled beauty. An endless maze of stunning buildings, stretching from the Middle Ages to the modern day. There is the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, and Park Guell, all lying between the Serra de Collserola mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. It really is the perfect place to study abroad, and I am more than happy to be spending time here for three and a half months.
