CAPA WORLD

In her first vlog of the semester, Victoria Irra prepares to depart for a semester in Barcelona and has been packing away! From portable chargers to 3 months worth of spices - you'll want to watch more for Victoria's tips on what to pack and how to pack for a semester abroad. 

When you study abroad, there are some things you can prepare ahead for and tips you pick up along the way through experience. Fresh from finishing her semester in Barcelona, Maya looks back on her time abroad and lists 6 things she's realized over the last few months. She shares this and more practical study abroad advice in her last post—from balancing time in your host city to becoming more independent while doing things alone.

I wrote this blog post at 4am because jet lag is NO JOKE, and a six-hour time difference makes a big impact on your sleep schedule. Back in Barcelona, it is 10am. I would be up on my way to my favorite cafe, next to my flat, for a freshly squeezed orange juice and croissant before class. Can you tell I miss Spain already?

Studying abroad was one of the scariest and most exciting things I’ve ever done, and even though four months feels like forever, it went by SO fast. My housemates and I have been talking in our group chat since we left, crying about how much we want to go back! Being in Spain was a rollercoaster of opportunities, emotions, and never-ending new experiences. With that, here are my top takeaways from spending a semester in Barcelona.

Meet Victoria Irra, an official CAPA Vlogger in Barcelona, Spain for Spring 2019:

University: Riverside City College
Major: Interpreting
Study abroad location: Barcelona, Spain
Internship or volunteer placement: N/A

One of the many things you can pick up while studying abroad is a new language! In this week's post, Maya broaches the topic of the language barrier in Spain and how she overcame her doubts to learn and practice Catalan and Spanish in Barcelona. She shares several tips and strategies to grasp a new language and make it one of the highlights of your study abroad experience. 

One of the biggest skills you can gain from studying abroad is a better grasp on a new language. For me, one of my goals is to be bilingual and Barcelona was a perfect place to do so! However, I did not know going into this that Spanish is not actually the main language spoken in Barcelona—it’s actually Catalan. While this is very similar to Spanish it is a completely different language and can really confuse you, especially if you had no idea this language existed.

In this week's post, Maya and her fellow CAPA Barcelona students get a chance to witness a Flamenco dance show up close at their farewell dinner. They were also treated to a dose of Barcelona culture in the form of dance lessons, live singing, and a traditional Spanish band. Goodbyes are hard, but they surrounded themselves in the warm company of friends and professors and made memories together!

Our final days of Barcelona were bittersweet, and we spent our last moments taking advantage of this wonderful place. CAPA planned some events for us to enjoy and spend some time together before taking flight back to our home towns. The first event was a mini party with all our professors, office staff, and classmates. We had snacks and drinks, and it was a great moment to take pictures and spend time with everyone before heading home.

Yes, CAPA global cities are bursting with people from around the globe and are inevitably busy places. They're also home to some pretty amazing quieter spaces too that give the introverts among us a chance to recharge and perhaps discover another, more peaceful, side of a bustling metropolis. We recommend picking up a copy of a book called Quiet Barcelona by Siobhan Wall before you go. It’s packed full of ideas, but here are 10 of our personal favorite ways to recharge in the city.

In this week's post, Amaia Rioseco reflects on her past 4 months studying in Barcelona, discussing her takeaways from this semester, particularly what she got from her classes in Barcelona and how she'll miss the life she built in a new city. 

In this week's post, Amaia Rioseco and visiting family have a conversation in the city center of Barcelona. Amaia's mother and grandmother discuss the ways they've noticed Amaia has changed, grown, and developed (Spoiler Alert: this will give you all the feels).

In this week's post, Maya sheds light on the reality of being a minority in Barcelona and shares her views on living in a country with a completely different language. She also opens up about her identity as a black woman and contrasts her living experience in Boston to her semester abroad; and expresses her commitment to improving her Spanish conversational skills.

Studying abroad has really given me a chance to reflect on who I am as a person, and what I identify myself as. I am an American black woman from the inner city of Boston, my only fluent language is English, and I am currently working on my Spanish. These traits made me incredibly different from the population of Barcelona. When signing up for study abroad, I expected a lot more diversity than what is really here. I thought it would be a bit like England, where there is a mix of many different looking people. I was very, very wrong. Majority of Barcelona is white, there are little to no black people which made me a big minority, which I am not used to.

Pick up a book or two to read before you study abroad in Barcelona and, of course, choose one for the journey. We’ll share 10 of our favorite recommendations below, but we’d also love to know if you’ve discovered any you love. If you have, mention @CAPAStudyAbroad on social media with your own suggestions.