Getting the chance to study abroad is a wonderful experience. It can seem daunting at first it’s difficult leaving everything you know so well for a foreign land with no familiar faces. However, once you immerse yourself in the experience you learn so much and create many memories. You often come back a changed person even if it’s in a small way.

Spain is an Active Nation

One thing I noticed right away since being in Spain was that people are much more active. Walking and public transportation often the preferred option. Especially in larger cities. Both Madrid and Barcelona have an extensive and efficient transportation system. You can virtually get anywhere you’d like with the metro, bus and a short walk. Even if you’re traveling to the outskirts of the city or cities hours away you can get there often without a personal car. Unlike the US where having a car is essential in most places, I started to really appreciate a good public transportation system like those in Barcelona and Madrid. Not only was it healthier to use public transportation but it was a great way to see the city and the world around you.

No Such Thing as Personal Space

In the US personal space is something acknowledged. Even when we are in public places like buses and parks you try to leave some distance between you and the person next to you. Unless its absolutely necessary you try to avoid entering someone’s space. In Spain, things are completely different. I remember one of the CIEE staff telling us “In Spain, there is no such thing as personal space”. This statement was basically true. Spanish personal space is very small. You find that when people are talking, they get really close to you. When riding public transportation people sit very close or stand right next to you. This experience at first was a little awkward but over the duration of the trip, I adjusted and was something I no longer thought about.

Gateway to Europe

I really felt this trip to Spain broaden my worldview and helped me grow as a person. I was able to learn more about myself and be put into situations that I did not prepare for. I was able to expand my communication skills to try to talk to people who did not speak the same language. I got a taste of Europe and learned a lot about the history of not only Spain but the different regions as well. Since this was my first trip to Europe, I think Spain was a perfect gateway for me to explore the rest of the continent.

Make a List of Activities Before Leaving for Spain

Although its good to be spontaneous our trip short so it’s important to have a plan for what you’re going to do each day. I personally enjoyed our time in Madrid because I made a list of places I wanted to visit before we left for Spain.  Since I did research beforehand, I was able to maximize my time in Madrid. I was able to visit numerous places in a single day and even squeeze in an activity after a site visit. However, Barcelona was a different story. I never finished my list for Barcelona before leaving for Spain. Thus, I was very inefficiency and wasted time trying to find activities to do in Barcelona. Had I planned well as I did in Madrid maybe I would’ve had a more memorable experience in Barcelona too.

Buy a Prepaid Plan in Spain

One thing I regret not doing sooner was buying a prepaid phone plan just for the data while I was in Spain. Before leaving for the trip I did not want to get an international plan with my carrier since it was expensive. I planned on using the hotel WIFI and WhatsApp to make calls. However, most of the day we are not at the hotel except for when you want to sleep. I realized the importance of having an internet connection when I got lost once, I couldn’t call an Uber or use Google Maps. I had to walk around and look for places that offered free WIFI. The next day I want to Orange a major cell phone carrier in Europe. Vodafone is another major carrier both companies have locations all over Spain. Orange had great rates for prepaid plans. All you need the plans that come with data since you can use WhatsApp to make free calls and texts. I purchased their €19.95 plan which came with 15GB of data and 80 minutes of calling. 15GB of data was more than enough for me and ended up not using all the data for the week and a half. Again, you do not need to use the calling minutes. Orange also has cheaper options like €14.95 for 7GB and €9.95 for 5GB. The whole process is quick and convenient. Orange has kiosks in store where you select your plan, pay and receive your sim card. The kiosk has an English language option, so you do need to even talk to the store employees.

Take Advantage of Sundays

Spain has some world-renowned museums and galleries, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. Most days there is an entrance fee. Luckily in Spain, most museums are free on Sundays and some the first Sunday of the month. However, make sure to visit each museums website to confirm the day you visit is free. Also, be aware that since the entrance is free the lines to get tickets will be long so going early is best to get a ticket.

Subordinates Talk Less Than Superiors

One cultural dimension I remembered reading from Erin Meyer’s Cultural Map was power distance. It was interesting to experience from our very first site visit, El Corte Ingles. Power distance is how people who belong to a certain culture view superior and subordinate relationships. This relationship comes from the society we live in. Compared to the United States the nation of Spain is more of a hierarchical society. So those that are in a higher position in a company are expected to have all the answers and lead from the top. During the presentation portion of the El Corte Ingles site visit, the communications manager did most of the talking. This would not be an issue except that the manager’s English was not as good as her subordinate. The manager would sometimes interrupt her subordinate when she was speaking. However, the subordinate never spoke unless she was asked a question. Even though the presentation would have been better if the person who speaks the best English spoke often. However, in Spanish business, the manager is expected to lead even if they are not fully qualified.

Spain Very Collective Compared to The US

The United States has a unique trait the nation tends to highlight the individual and usually links success on how hard an individual worked. That’s why the United States ranks the highest when it comes to individualism. However, Spain, when compared to Asian countries, is more individualist but when compared to European countries it’s collective. So, working in groups and having teamwork is very important in Spanish society. This was evident to me when we visited Tetuan Valley. Although it was a business, they really emphasized community and relationships more than money. They chose which projects and entrepreneurs to work with and train based on relationships.

Even if you’re not a soccer fan, a visit to Camp Nou is a must when in Barcelona. Camp Nou is the soccer stadium of FC Barcelona. This stadium is the largest in Europe and 2^nd largest in the world with a capacity of 99,354. The construction of the stadium began in 1954 and was opened for use in 1957. The Camp Nou stadium not only hosts FC Barcelona games but has hosted various major events. The 1982 FIFA World Cup was played at the stadium. Hosted two UEFA Champions League finals and various musical events.

The Camp Nou Experience  

Camp Nou has a great program called The Camp Nou Experience. This program gives you the chance to go behind the scenes at FC Barcelona, allowing you to get the full experience and the opportunity to see things only for Barcelona players and employees. You get access to the team dressing room, press conference room, stadium seats, and the actual field. Finally, you visit the museum, where you get to learn about the team history and view real trophies the team has won.              

Getting to Camp Nou

When we are in Barcelona, we will be staying in Hotel HCC. This hotel is only a fifteen-minute drive away from this amazing stadium. So, you should be able to get there without any trouble. Look below for a map.

Pricing and Hours of Operation

The tour and team museum are open every day of the year, expect New Year and Christmas. However, the tour is closed in there is a game that day. In terms of pricing, the Camp Nou experience has three main tickets. The cheapest is called the Basic Tour costing 26 Euro. This includes museum and stadium tour. The most popular is called the Camp Nou Tour Plus costing 35 Euro. This includes both the museum and stadium tour but includes virtual reality experience and audio guide.  Finally the most expensive is called the Camp Nou Guided Tour costing 55 Euro. This includes a tour guide to explain things. All these tickets can be purchased on the FC Barcelona website.

Hewlett-Packard Co. or HP the American technology company relocated its printing division from San Diego to Barcelona in 1985. The division started out as the large format printing business but has really expanded over the years. Now they include R&D, Marketing, 3D printing, Graphics Business, Customer Support and much more. HP’s campus in Barcelona has become the largest and most important location outside the United States. The workforce is Barcelona is also large. HP has more than 1600 employees from 61 different countries. The fields of study are even diverse, they have scientists, engineers, and even economists which HP believes is critical for the company to keep developing new technologies in order to stay ahead.

Center of Innovation for HP

The Barcelona campus prides itself as an innovative center, trying to always be ahead of the market needs and trends. Unlike any other the field, the technology field requires constant innovation. That’s why HP Barcelona has more than 500 research and development engineers continuously evolving products. This campus alone produces more than 150 patents every single year. That’s truly perpetual innovation. One innovative product the Barcelona campus has produced is the HP Jet Fusion 3D Printer. This was considered a game changer in the 3D printer market. A market worth over 7 billion in 2018. The HP Jet Fusion 3D Printer was launched in 2016. HP claimed the printer was 10 times faster than existing 3D printers and would cut manufacturing costs in half.

Challenges of Changing Consumer Expectations

Some of the challenges that HP faces are similar to most technology companies. Consumers standards constantly change and a company like HP has to keep up or else a competitor will take advantage. Consumers are always looking for low prices and high quality. Unfortunately, HP’s products suffer from Moore’s Law so things like speed have to double and cost must keep going down. So, HP must find ways to satisfy their customers with newer and better products.

Questions for Visit

• Why did HP choose Barcelona over the other Spanish Cities?
• When do you see 3D printing becoming a common consumer product?
• What do you think is the best product you ever worked on?
• As the world becomes more digital do you think printing will be as important in the future?
• How often do you collaborate with HP workers in the US?

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In Spain, Catholicism is the largest religion, but things are starting to change.

The Catholic Church has played a significant role in the history of Spain. However, for the younger generations who still identify as Catholic no longer even attend religious services. The decline of believers became more apparent after the reign of dictator Franco came to an end in 1975. Franco had a close relationship with the Church which gave them more influence over policies. After Spain become more democratic the country become more secular. The Church had no longer as much power it once did. A great example is the number of marriages that were religious ceremonies. In 1992 almost 80% of the Spanish were married in a church. Last year, less than 20% of marriages were in a church.

Today nearly one-third of the Spanish population is atheist. This figure is even more apparent in the youth of the nation. According to one study, nearly 50% of people between the ages of 18 to 24 are non-believers. While the older generation those aged 65+ are near 90% believers. The sharp contrast between those two generations shows how policies played a role to some degree.

What is causing this decline?

With this sharp decline in believers, one must wonder what is causing all this. One Spanish sociologist believes that the younger generation’s lack of belief is because of modernization and education. People today are more aware and can think more rationally. In general, young people are more open to change than those older. Even though this is a problem for the Spanish Church it seems to be a problem for Churches across the rest of Europe.

Is there hope?

Francesc Romeu, a Catholic priest in Barcelona still holds out hope for the young generation to return to the Church. Romeu believes that this is a generational thing. When young people age, they will return to the Church for solace.