Submitted by Kaitlin Vienne on the 2017 winter session program in Barcelona, Spain sponsored by the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship…
On arrival, all students were given a metro path valid for one month. The metro system in Barcelona is very similar to the subway system in NYC, but it is cleaner, simpler and calmer. Every time I have used the subway system in New York, I have felt overwhelmed, nervous and lost. In such a big city, it seemed impossible for me to figure out which line goes where and to what part of the city.
Using the metro everyday and everywhere in Spain, I have gained a huge appreciation and like for the system. It is incredibly easy to get around the city. There are metro stops in countless locations and switching lines is seemingly effortless. I find it insightful that viewing a system that I have disliked for many years in a new location can change my whole perspective on it. It is eye-opening to see how fast the system takes you across the city, virtually anywhere one would like to go.
It is calming to me to walk through the underground subway system through the sea of locals. It is almost effortless to tune out the language of the people taking the trains, as it is not my first language. I can sit on the metro and have locals speaking all around me, but the atmosphere allows me to relax and enjoy the ride in a serene silence.