As a college student, I love partying and Barcelona is one of the best places to do so. There are endless nightclubs and bars to choose from; you just have to choose wisely. My favorite places are the ones that are more local that play great Spanish music. Due to covid, the nightlife didn’t start until a month into my time abroad, because there was a curfew. Once that lifted, I saw a whole new side to Barcelona that made me love the city all over again. The nightlife starts very late around 10pm - 12am and can last till 6am, as opposed to the USA where we go from 8pm - 2am at the latest! I love getting to start later though, because I get to nap and prepare myself well to last the night with enough time to get ready too. A typical night out consists of partying until the club closes and heading to the beach to watch the sunrise. It’s truly my favorite part. <3
My favorite clubs include Razzmatazz and Wolf. They play a mix of American and Spanish hits and are always packed with people. Razzmatazz actually consists of 5 different levels with each floor playing different themes! I also need to make sure to buy tickets for entry to these clubs because of covid and a capacity limit. Tickets can vary from €7 to €15 (so roughly $9 to $18) and they usually include 1-2 free drinks. I also need to show my vaccination card to every club that I attend. This isn’t a big problem for me because in exchange I get the best nights of my life. The music is fantastic, the people are so fun, and the whole experience is euphoric. I dance all night and get to meet so many locals. I tend to be safe by making sure I am always with someone and not to drink too much in order to get back home and overall enjoy the night. The only problem I have run into is getting denied entry to a club. Last weekend, I tried to go to a club named Sutton and was racially denied. The bouncer tried to say I had the wrong shoes to get in, yet let all my friends in who had sneakers as well. Then proceeded to let in a girl behind me with the same exact shoes as me! That's when it became clear and obvious that I simply could not get in due to the color of my skin and I was shocked. My friends backed me up and we ended up going somewhere else. However, I was filled with anger at that moment and amazed at the lack of support I got from others around me because if this would have happened in the USA, many would have never let it slide and there would have surely been an uproar. It made me realize that racism is very much alive in Spain and different than the states because at least in the USA it is a public concern. Here in Spain, there aren’t many Black people and it is easy for people to look past it and just accept it. I still enjoyed my night out, but it definitely made me look at Spain differently. Every weekend I stay in Barcelona, I make sure to go out at least once with friends. The best part of school here are the 3 day weekends, so going out on Saturday is enough to satisfy the party in me. Besides taking in the nightlife, I usually like to explore new parts of the city during the weekends and take the time to hang out with friends. I also like to sleep in and relax. Since everything is so close in Europe, I try to make weekend trips every chance that I get and so far I have visited 6 countries. So staying in Barcelona for the weekend is always a highlight and a much needed break from school and traveling. I’m going to really miss this new lifestyle, but in the meantime I plan to get as much partying and traveling done as I can to get it out of my system!
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Even though I came with enough clothes that I needed, I still can’t help shopping. I wish I would have listened to those that told me to pack very lightly and just buy everything here. My problem was that I was almost over packed and still shop for more. I plan to send a box back over home because everything is definitely looking like it’s either not going to fit or exceed the weight limit. So, a huge tip to anyone studying abroad: Pack lightly! Your suitcase should ve practically empty because you WILL buy more clothes when you get there.
However, I don’t regret my shopping choice because I had to take advantage of these deals and the great fashion they have here. My favorite stores are Primark, Lefties, and Mango; my new obsessions are equivalent to H&M, Forever 21, and TJ Maxx but better! They have better clothes for cheaper prices. I do take into account the conversion of euros to US dollars, however it still comes out at a more reasonable price. Back at home I am more of an online shopper, because I tend to find better deals and everything I want, but being away I have become more of an actual shopper again. People dress very modern and casual, but trendy and chic at the same time. During warmer days, you’ll find casual outfits with pops of color and comfortability. Winters consist of boots, short or tall, bomber jackets, ankle length trench coats, and scarves. I think a staple trend here for girls are wide pants. Everyone, in fact, has a pair and they make it look so good too! I had to buy a few myself! Another big piece is the leather jacket. Everyday, I see someone rocking a brown, black, long, or short leather jacket. They are definitely in style here and make any outfit you wear POP. I am naturally a very loud person and can’t help but to raise my voice with excitement and emotion when I communicate. However, I never knew how loud I really am until I came to study abroad in Barcelona. I was warned that a big stereotype abroad about Americans is that we are very loud and I am living proof of it everyday. My voice being the loudest one in a room or even outside on the street is still so crazy to me because back in the USA, I feel like everyone’s loud. It’s not something I’m embarrassed about either, it's just surprising because I think I am genuinely talking at a good volume. However, the weird stares I get from people or my friends asking me why I’m yelling, shocks me every time because I assume I’m talking normally. Talking a little lower has to be one of the biggest things I have been working on here and it’s a struggle because on top of being American, I am Dominican too, one of the loudest Latin American countries ever. Luckily, it’s not something I’m too worried about changing. In fact, this whole experience has made me embrace my loudness for what it is and so far it’s actually worked in my favor because I always tend to attract people into conversation. I’ve even met a lot of fantastic people because of it.
What surprises me the most about every interaction I have is that everyone I come across knows English! Every person I come across speaks English. I’m always prepared to talk in Spanish, and when they realize I’m American they whip out the “I know English too.” English is taught in schools from a young age, so most Spaniards really know it. Not only Spain, but most of Europe learns English. So far, I have visited Morocco, Rome, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris and the locals always talk to me in English. Since Europe consists of so many countries, all very close to one another, it is easy to pick up more than one language. However, English tends to be the main language that everyone knows next to their mother tongue, which is so impressive to me. It makes me wish I knew other languages besides Spanish and English too. I wish the states would encourage more languages in their schools. It also made me realize how much of a powerhouse the USA is! Everyone knows English because it’s one of the main languages for business, tourism, science, entertainment, and so much more. Even though English is the official language of 53 countries, I feel like the USA is such a huge influence on why the world knows it. Just looking at movies and music alone; the majority of what the world watches and listens to comes from the USA. I value where I come from a little more knowing how much we impact it and am motivated to learn a new language too! |
Author"I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t know if life is already planned out or if the butterfly effect really determines the future, but I am almost certain that the universe works to fulfill a purpose. Part of my purpose is to go to Spain. So many things could have stopped this trip, but yet I'm still here, writing about the trip that the universe could not stop..." Archives
November 2021
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