Submitted by Angela Kalesis on the 2018 spring semester program in Barcelona, Spain…
Since being in Barcelona, I have been trying to understand the identity of the locals here. My time in this city has been not only an adjustment to Spain, but also Catalonia, and the differences among the two. Catalonia has a very distinct culture from that of the rest of Spain. I did realize this in the midst of the independence efforts, however I did not quite realize the extent.
I finally witnessed the most immense pride and unity among the citizens of Catalonia, last night at the FC Barcelona game. It was simply the best way to get a look into the heart and soul of the residents of this beautiful city. The stadium, just like the city, is massive. It was incredible to look around and see just how many people were surrounding me all there to cheer on their team. Independence flags were flying all throughout the stands as the fans cheered the entire time. I have been to a few professional sports games before. I’m a Philadelphia sports fan so I have seen my fair share of dedicated fans, but the feeling in this stadium was unlike anything else. All of the people in Catalonia truly feel connected to each other. Their culture is one that they have worked very hard to preserve and it can be felt, even by an outsider. The cheers when Messi scored the game winning goal were something that can only be heard, not explained. This man and this team represent so much more than soccer, “futbol” here. They tie the city together. I saw it in the fans waving flags, the men in the bar outside my home, and even the four-year-old in my homestay who sings “Barca Barca Barca,” every time he’s watching a game. With the Super Bowl on the horizon, it is easy to know that sports really do bring us together, but in Catalonia, Barca is in your brain from birth.