Submitted by Ashley Tedesco on the 2024 Winter EDUC program in Barcelona…
My first week abroad has officially come and gone, and my time during this month-long adventure in Barcelona is certainly flying by! It feels as though only yesterday all of my fellow elementary education students were arriving at our apartments and enjoying each other’s company at our welcome dinner at El Glop. Since then, I have taken full advantage of the opportunity to learn about the culture here in the Catalonia region of Spain, and have met a fair few challenges. One of the most significant is the fact that in Catalonia, the primary language is Catalan, rather than Spanish, and it is a major source of pride for the people living in this region; this encouraged me to take some time learning common Catalan phrases to help me navigate conversations with native speakers when the opportunity presents itself!
Additionally, my first night here during the welcome dinner was a source of culture shock for me. For dinner, I had ordered the fish option, not expecting what I would find being placed in front of me when the main courses arrived; on my plate was an entire baked fish – head and all! While initially I was surprised, and unsure how to go about eating my dinner, once I got past the initial discomfort and how to properly eat the fish (particularly avoiding the bones!) I found that the meal was delicious and was glad that I gave it a chance.
One of my favorite excursions I have participated in thus far has been the day trip that our whole group went on to Montserrat Monastery. This mountainous destination, located about an hour outside of Barcelona was a majestic reminder of the natural beauty that exists all around us. As someone who is minorly fearful of heights, hiking up a mountain was certainly something that made me nervous, but once I started I was overwhelmingly grateful that I pushed myself to climb higher. The views were breathtaking and I knew it was one of those experiences I will never forget. As I head into the coming weeks of my program, I am looking forward to more once-in-a-lifetime experiences, especially those that come with my participation in St. Peter’s School as part of the ETE program! (Submitted on January 17, 2024)
