Local Living
Out of all the countries that I’ve visited, Spain has some of the nicest people. The French were a little too sassy for my liking, the Irish a bit too beer infused, and the Italian a little too hands on. The Spanish are this amazing combination of sassy, drunk and in your face, but in a completely tolerable, and somewhat adorable way. Of course the easiest way to meet the locals is to go out at night to local places. However, one unique thing about the journalism program is our interaction with the locals. Through our research, interviews and final write ups, we are communicating on a daily level with the locals.
My first news story in Barcelona was about an artist colony in a somewhat abandoned part of the city. I walked through the neighborhood, ringing doorbells and making frantic calls in my broken Spanish, begging for an interview. By the time I was writing up my story, I had interviewed over 15 locals, all interesting and vibrant in their own way. It was possibly one of the most enlightening journalistic experiences I’ve had. I had to force myself out of my comfort zone, but what I got out of it wasn’t just a great story that I’m really proud of, but the chance to meet a group of amazing people I wouldn’t have ever met otherwise.
One place you don’t meet the locals, is at Barceloneta, the touristy beach. However, it was on the beach that purchased possibly my favorite item thus far. Although we were told not to, I took a risk and bargained with one of the men selling items on the boardwalk. I ended up getting a tapestry for half of what he was asking, and now I have the perfect gift for my roommate back home (I hope she’s not reading this!) In my past trips to Spain, I’ve bought my fair amount of touristy gifts, but this one means a bit more and that means a lot to me.
Luckily, the currency exchange from dollars to euros is relatively close, so I didn’t have much trouble attempting to bargain my way to a better sale. My budget is also doing reasonably okay for this reason as well. I don’t need more Spanish t-shirts or bags, this time my budget is explicitly for groceries and museum visits. In the past I’ve been quick to waste all my money on touristy goods, but when I got home I rarely ever looked at them, they all ended up in a mysterious box somewhere. This time, I’m trying to spend my money on basic necessities, and then of course memories worth breaking my budget for.
