After just a few months in Barcelona, I have learned so much about myself and the world around me. Here are three main takeaways so far.
1. Embracing Change
Although I’ve always been someone who gravitates toward familiarity, the past months have transformed the way I view change. Moving to Spain has been one of the biggest—and most meaningful—leaps of my life. It’s a country that is entirely new to me, from the culture and food to the language and daily rhythms. Nearly everything feels different from what I’ve always known.
After spending almost twenty years in school, I’m also learning what it means to navigate adulthood in the “real world” and to hold my first “real job” post-college. One of the most challenging adjustments has been transitioning from a place where I understood everything to a place where I often catch only half the conversations around me because they’re in Spanish. No pasa nada. Each day, I’m embracing the opportunity to learn, listen, and improve my Spanish alongside native speakers—an opportunity I rarely had back home.
These weeks have taught me that “different” doesn’t mean “bad.” Instead, it opens doors—to growth, adventure, new connections, and a better version of yourself.
2. Trying New Things
In addition to becoming more open to change, I’ve also had to learn to embrace trying new things and stepping outside my comfort zone. Take food, for example. I normally don’t enjoy eating eggs, but one of Spain’s most popular dishes is tortilla con patatas—basically a thick omelet served at room temperature. Even though I’m not usually a fan of eggs, I actually love this dish! Another surprise has been my new appreciation for tuna, which is also very common in Spain. I can’t remember the last time I willingly ate tuna in the U.S., but here I eat it almost every week, usually in a sandwich. Trying new meals has even become a hobby.
Saying “yes” more often has also led to some unexpected adventures. For instance, I never hike at home, but last month I agreed to go on a hike with my host family. We spent seven hours walking through the forest—something I never would’ve done on my own, but I’m so glad I said yes!
3. Learning Spanish
Although I had studied “textbook” Spanish for more than five years, I quickly realized that real-life Spanish is an entirely different experience. During my first month, even the simplest conversations felt difficult, and I was terrified to speak out of fear of conjugating a verb incorrectly or mispronouncing something. However, being immersed in Spanish every day has slowly helped me let go of that fear. It’s so easy to freeze up at the thought of making mistakes, yet those very mistakes are the reason my Spanish has improved so much.
Learning a new language while navigating a new country is not always easy, but embracing that challenge has allowed me to grow personally and build more meaningful connections with the people around me.
Author: Kameryn D.