Amazing exchange in Barcelona

I truly looked forward to our trip to Barcelona as I knew it’s a great city with bursting city life with a lot to see and explore. I was also happy to be able to see my exchange pair again and to meet her family.

The school premises were well maintained and beautiful. The daily schedule is quite different in Barcelona compared to Finland. School starts at 8 am and breakfast is served at 10.30 am which is the only meal offered. After that the classes continue non stop until 3 pm. One big difference is the school fees as the upper secondary education is free in Finland. It’s hard to say after such a short time how the school or the classes differ from Finnish ones as we spent a lot of time on excursions around the city.

Architecture in Barcelona is very unique and amazing. It’s a blend of Modern and Gothic architecture, very old and newer buildings and surroundings. There are buildings from medieval times and Gaudi’s masterpieces. The visit to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia was fascinating and memorable. I also enjoyed the Gothic church with the ducks though I have visited it before. Casa Batllo was different and beautiful.

There were no bigger challenges during the trip. I managed to get my feet really sore during the first day of walking as my snickers didn’t fit properly and I got hurting blisters. As we were going to walk a lot during the stay, I needed to get new shoes quickly and that was a challenge.

I truly enjoyed staying with my Spanish host family. They were so nice and I felt very welcomed throughout my whole stay and they took very good care of me. I like the Spanish way of life and rhythm, their attitude towards everyday life which is more easy going and less restricted. In Spain the dinner is served very late, almost midnight which is much later than in Finland which I like even though we didn’t have a siesta. I like Spanish food a lot, especially paella, patatas bravas, croquetas and churros.

When going to Barcelona, bring a pair of very comfortable shoes and be ready to walk a lot since walking is the best way to explore the amazing city. An exchange program is a great opportunity to see new places and learn about different cultures and ways of life. You are able to experience much more than when traveling just as a regular tourist. If you have an opportunity to participate, go!

Matilda Manninen