AJ Rudin's Blog
Program: Consortium for Advanced Studies in Barcelona
Majors: Spanish & International Studies
Class: WCAS 2010
Email: a-rudin@northwestern.edu
August 21, 2008
My name is AJ Rudin. I am a junior at Northwestern University in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying International Studies, Economics, and Spanish. I hail from Lenox, Massachusetts, and originally Boca Raton, Florida. I love life at Northwestern and in Chicago, but I am ready to take off for a bit and do some exploring and learning in a different part of the world.
So, I’m studying abroad. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for, well, just about as far back as I can remember. I’ve been abroad many times. However, I have never studied abroad. Ever since high school, I’ve always been asked if I was planning to “go abroad” in college. And, even to this day, just one week before I jet set out of the country again--this time to study abroad--it seems that the meaningless word go has been replaced by the word study. It is certainly understandable that many students can lose sight of why they are going abroad in the first place, as the cultural experiences tend to become so rich that they oftentimes overshadow the days spent in school and in the library.
I’m about to embark on what will be the first experience of its kind for me. I’m going to be studying at a Spanish university in Barcelona, called Universitat Pompeu Fabra. To be frank, I have no idea what to expect. But, I think I like it that way. I’d rather have no expectations at all than a long, detailed list of hopes. But, I do hope to always keep in view why I’m actually there—to study. It’s not every day that the opportunity to study as an enrolled student at a university in Spain, or any foreign country, comes along.
I don’t really have any fears about going, but I guess that’s probably hard to believe, so I will come up with something. My biggest fear, I’d say, which I’m fairly certain I share with most students preparing to study abroad in a non-English speaking country, is that I will have difficulty with the language. For me, I have studied Spanish for about six years, but the type that is spoken in Latin America, not Spain. As is normal whenever I throw myself into new experiences in foreign countries, there is always that underlying sense of panic at first, but I’m always surprised by how quickly the adjustment is made.
Now, on the brink of a new experience, I consider my past experiences abroad invaluable. I’m certain that my past experiences of going abroad have given me the self-confidence I need to study abroad—far more meaningful than simply going abroad. I look forward to sharing my experiences, perspectives, and reflections throughout my time in Spain, and hope to provide you with insight on Spanish (and, more specifically, Catalan) culture.
September 15, 2008
Today marks exactly one week since my arrival in Barcelona. I’m sitting at my desk right now in my residencia, located in L’Eixample district, overlooking the Arc de Triumf and Montjuic. Just a short walk from the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea and La Rambla of the downtown gothic quarter of the city, the location can’t be beat. These first seven days have been nothing short of a whirlwind of excitement, fun, confusion, panic, and of course, a fair amount of culture shock. Yes, culture shock, or choque cultural as they call it here. No matter how well you educate yourself about a foreign country and prepare yourself for your arrival, there is no substitute for actually being there. No matter how much you brush up on your Spanish before coming to Spain, when you step off that airplane and are greeted and questioned in Spanish, you suddenly become tongue-tied. When you go to pay for that first meal, and realize that you are paying nearly twice as much here as you would have paid for the same thing back home in the United States. When you find yourself wandering down seemingly endless narrow cobblestone streets, map in hand, and still cannot seem to find your way out. These are the things that no amount of pre-arrival preparation can help to ease. But, hey, what would living in a different culture be without a bit of shock? As far as I’m concerned, that would just be boring.
The pace of life here, amongst most everything else that is Spanish, is extremely different and certainly a cultural aspect that takes some getting used to. The daily schedule here is totally different from that of the U.S. Not only are there two breakfasts followed shortly by a somewhat large midday meal, there is then a siesta that lasts for several hours in the afternoon, during which time basically the entire city shuts down. I had to learn the hard way that if you don’t eat before this time, your hungry stomach will be out of luck—until at least 10 pm when the restaurants first open up for dinner. Barcelona stays up late. I better get used to this whole siesta thing. Forget about jet lag—this sleeping schedule is the real hard part.
The first thing that caught my attention about the city of Barcelona is the architecture. Every building is so unique, and so different from anything I’ve ever seen. Of course, this is Gaudi’s city, and the architecture is an eclectic blend of Gothic styles and Modernism. I try my hardest not to walk the streets with my eyes constantly looking up at the buildings so that I don’t stick out as an American, but it is almost impossible not to. The juxtaposition of the Mediterranean and the distinctly European feel of the city streets and the delicious smells of Catalonian cuisine that fills them make this place incredibly exciting and relentlessly alive. The cosmopolitan Catalan, Spanish, and European personalities give Barcelona an energy of an all-embracing street party. I feel like I have so much to see, so much to do, and so much to explore. And just think—I haven’t even begun to tell you about my university experiences so far. I guess I will have to save that for next time.
September 19, 2008
Catalan. It’s the name of the language that made me second guess my decision to come to Barcelona in the first place--time and again. Why? Well, most of my friends and family would always question my choice of Barcelona, because as a student who loves and studies the Spanish language, everyone’s first reaction would be “Well, you’re not going to learn or practice Spanish there—they speak Catalan in Barcelona!?” The official language of the Spanish province of Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital, is indeed Catalan. What does this mean? As far as I am concerned, it simply means that all government-related things in the city (i.e. street signs) are written in Catalan. However, let’s be serious--this is Spain (this assertion is quite bold and one that any Catalonian would vehemently dispute, but that can be an entirely different post in itself). Contrary to what I expected, I have been pleasantly surprised that everyone here speaks Castellano (Spanish). However, since Catalan does have a very visible presence in the city, we are taking a seminar on Catalan.
This is where it gets interesting. On the first day of the course, which takes place at the Universitat de Barcelona, we sat down in the classroom, the professor walked in, and she started rambling away in none other than Catalan. This came as quite a shock to all of us. So now here we were, in a foreign country, being taught a foreign language. Lucky for those of us who know Spanish well or who have at least studied a Romance language, Catalan is not terribly different from Spanish. Of course, in just four weeks, we don’t really know much more than the basics. Undoubtedly, our main linguistic needs being at a Catalan university are related to teaching: a good understanding between teacher and students, and a good enough command of the language in order to be able to read specialized required texts. At the universities I am attending here in Barcelona, Catalan is used in institutional announcements, and is also the language used in personal relations between most professors and students. I have certainly run up against some frustrating situations where I will speak to someone in Spanish and will be spoken back to in Catalan, but the number of times that this has happened is small—certainly not great enough to have ever caused me to second guess my choice of coming to Barcelona.
The discussion about language is one that dominates in the city of Barcelona. Many of our own discussions have to lead to a greater understanding of this age-old story of political repression. The desire for Catalan universities to be international in outlook, which has led to an increasing number of exchanges with other universities around the world, means that Catalan universities are becoming increasingly multilingual. Having had the opportunity to come into contact with ways of life, academic systems, and languages different from my own in just these first few weeks, I have had the opportunity to not only practice my Spanish, but also learn a new foreign language and have new experiences; in other words, enrich my cultural knowledge and, without a shadow of a doubt, become aware of the advantages and disadvantages of European diversity.
October 6, 2008
Last week in Barcelona, we celebrated La Mercè, the city’s annual festival, which is the festival of all festivals. With the arrival of democracy in Spain, La Mercè became a popular celebration thanks to the participation of organizations from all over the city. Today it is a festival held in a large number of public places with a program centered on Mediterranean culture. In less than a week Barcelona brought together a huge program of events which forced me to choose between them: street art, street processions, concerts, and traditional dances. I had the privilege of getting to see the annual closing ceremony of “musical fireworks,” which was certainly the most spectacular fireworks presentation I have ever seen. Set at the foot of Montjuic over the large fountain between the castle on the mountain and Placa Espanya, the setting was as incredible as the perfect synchronization of the music with the fire dancing across the sky. It was really fun to be a part of the festive and theatrical spirit that transformed Barcelona for a week, and gave me a great taste of traditional activities and popular culture from all over Catalonia.
Equally enriching was the field trip I took with my program this past weekend to La Costa Brava, the beautiful coastline that stretches from the city of Barcelona to the Pyrenees Mountains that lie on the border with France. We used this setting to study economic development, the environment, and sustainability in the Mediterranean region. With an increasingly degraded environment, the Mediterranean is in grave danger of losing the main assets which make it unique: agriculture, tourism, and its historical, archaeological, and natural heritage. In the Costa Brava, we studied a model of contested spaces that are representative of many other regions throughout the world facing similar environmental challenges. In this region of the Mediterranean, responses to possible threats to coastal and wetland zones have been short-term and decisions have been retroactive, rather than focusing on the implementation of long-term adaptive management strategies. This type of ad hoc policy-making has produced a dramatic increase in political territorial conflicts and a general degradation of the environment, with significant threats to the future sustainability of the cultural and natural heritage. Having the opportunity to see first-hand the diverse terrains of the Mediterranean landscape, as well as the staggering affects that tourism and industry have taken on the land, was an eye-opening experience.
Weekend trips outside of Barcelona have added a dynamic and educational aspect to my study abroad experience. For example, I took a trip to Madrid, and that give me a far more profound understanding of the nuances that have come to define the region of Catalonia in the greater context of Spain. This coming weekend, I will be traveling to the southern region of Spain, Andalusia, which will give me an even deeper insight into the profound differences that distinguish each of the different provinces of Spain. Despite overnight bus rides and early morning flights, it’s all worth it, if only for the invaluable education such experiences provide.
October 28, 2008
One of the hottest topics of conversation in Barcelona is gastronomía, or in English--gastronomy. If you like food, you’ll love Barcelona. I’m certainly no culinary expert myself, but it is hard to live in Barcelona for an extended period of time without paying attention to all the talk about why gastronomy is such a topic of interest to locals and tourists alike—mostly due to Barcelona’s location between mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, and not far from the border of France. Catalan cuisine is the product of a vast array of influences, and is more eclectic and cosmopolitan than in other parts of Spain.
Just like all things in Barcelona, food here is an art. Whether it’s a hearty mid-day meal in an old-style tavern, a late dinner in a new cutting-edge eatery, a tapa or two taken leaning against a bar, or seafood paella on the seaside, Barcelona is very accommodating when it comes to food choices. Not only does it have a culinary tradition far different from the rest of Spain, but the city has been recently attracting some of Europe’s most acclaimed chefs.
There seem to be two buzzwords when it comes to food in Barcelona: “eclectic” and “fusion,” which (from my own experience) usually means a blend of two dishes from different regions, or a very unlikely and unexpected combination of two foods, such as the mixing of pigs’ trotters with cranberries. The wildest of my dining experiences so far was at a restaurant called Moo, where the chef really took these buzzwords to heart. The mix of foods and flavors was outrageous, including a molded crescent of foie embedded with figs and covered with a gelatin of Pedro Ximénez sweet wine, followed first by a lobster, rose, and licorice curry, and then by a filet of wild sea bass on a bed of snow peas and pine nuts. On the more simple side of things, if there is one food that symbolizes Catalan cuisi
ne, it is the pa amb tomàquet. In the simplest form, it consists of a slice of rustic white bread that has been rubbed with the pulp of a cut tomato and drizzled with olive oil.
The diet here is not only delicious, but is certainly good for health (stressing olive oil, garlic, wine, vegetables, and fish). One of the best parts about eating out in Barcelona is the quality and freshness of the food. Barcelona is filled with fresh marketplaces, my favorite of which is the famous La Boqueria market off of Las Ramblas. The diverse selection of fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables is incredible, and having had the opportunity to become a regular shopper in this and other colorful markets like it has been a great experience. Well, now it’s time for me to start doing some culinary experimenting of my own! Adéu!
November 17, 2008
In this week’s blog, I’d like to talk about two of my favorite Gaudí buildings in Barcelona. After all, it’s almost impossible to have gone so long living in Barcelona, his very own city, without discussing the unique and individualistic architectural style of Antoni Gaudí. También, voy a escribir en ingles y español. Also, I am going to write in English and Spanish.
Casa Battló
Después de vivir ahora en Barcelona por más de dos meses, finalmente decidí que yo ya no podría pasar por delante del exterior de los edificios de Gaudi y no ir adentro. Cada vez que paso delante de uno de sus trabajos arquitectónicos famosos, hay siempre colas largas de personas que ansiosamente esperan a entrar. La Casa Batlló es uno de los dos grandes edificios diseñados por Gaudi en Paseo de Gracia, el otro es la Pedrera. Ya que me gustó el aspecto vistoso de Casa Battló del exterior, elegí este edificio como el que que yo visitaría.
After having lived in Barcelona now for more than two months, I finally decided that I can no longer pass by Gaudi’s buildings w
ithout going inside. Every time that I walk past one of his famous architectural works, there are always longs lines of people anxiously waiting to enter. Casa Batlló is one of the two large buildings designed by Gaudí on Paseo de Gracia, the other one being La Pedrera. Since I always admired the very cool-looking exterior of Casa Batlló, I chose this building as the one I would visit.
De afuera la fachada de la Casa Batlló parece como si estuviese hecha de calaveras y huesos. Las calaveras son en realidad balcones y los huesos son pilares. Gaudi usó colores y formas encontrados en la vida marina como inspiración para su creatividad en este edificio, y los colores escogidos para la fachada son aquellos encontrados en un coral natural.
From the outside, the façade of Casa Batlló seems as if it is made of skulls and bones. The skulls, in reality, are balconies, and the bones are pillars. Gaudí used colors and forms found in marine life as inspiration for his creativity in this building, and the colors chosen for the façade are those that would be found in a coral reef.
Este edificio es un obra original e impresionante además de bien merecedora de una visita. Este es un gran modo de aprender sobre Gaudí y no sólo quién él era como un artista, pero como él afectó la ciudad de Barcelona en general.
To say the least, this original work is very impressive, and definitely deserves a visit. Going there was a great way to learn about Gaudí and not only who he was as an artist, but also how he impacted the city of Barcelona in general.
La Sagrada Familia
Habiendo visitado una de las obras maestras de Gaudi, yo tenía el deseo de ver más de su trabajo. Tomé un viaje hasta Parc Guell, y fui fascinado no sólo por la belleza natural, sino también por el trabajo increíble de Gaudi, de nuevo. De allá arriba, es imposible no admirar la iglesia que sube sobre el horizonte—La Sagrada Familia.
After having visited just one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, I had the desire to see more of his work up close. I took a visit to Parc Guell and I was not only fascinated by the natural beauty of the park, but also by the intricate work of Gaudí, yet again. From high up in the park overlooking the city, it was impossible not to stand there in admiration of the grand church that soars into the horizon- La Sagrada Familia.
La visita a la Sagrada Familia es una que cada persona que visita la ciudad de Barcelona debe hacer. La Sagrada Familia es una de las obras de Gaudi más famosas en Barcelona. Hay mucha controversia acerca de la iglesia y su construcción. Hoy en día se están usando nuevos materiales de construcción que algunos creen el mismo Gaudi no habría usado. Cuando visité el edificio, vi un contraste entre el color de la piedra de la parte frontal y la parte posterior del edificio. También parece que el estilo de la construcción cambia de la parte nueva a la antigua del edificio.
Visiting Sagrada Familia is something that every person who visits Barcelona should do. The Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous works of Gaudí in Barcelona. There is a lot of controversy that surrounds the church and its construction. In its construction today, materials are being used that many people believe Gaudí himself would never have chosen. When I visited the building, I noticed a contrast between the color of the rock used on the front side and the back side. Also, it is apparent that the style of construction changes from the old part to the new part of the structure.
December 31, 2008
Trying to explain Barcelona to a person who has never seen it is like trying to explain what the sea looks like to a person who has lived their whole life in a desert. Barcelona cannot be defined as a city where tangled, narrow streets lead to a grid-like Eixample that stretches to a mountain at its very end. It is a city made up of corners that preserve the feeling of the people who pass through it. Barcelona is, to me, a city filled with memories that are tied to every street, every corner, every building, and every open space.A study abroad experience is whatever you make of it. For me, Barcelona was exactly what I wanted it to be. Having been given the opportunity to study at a Spanish University was a dream come true for me. My experience in Spain served, in one of many ways, to build on my already well-fortified foundation of cultural awareness. In hindsight, my understanding of my new environment in Spain depended terrifically on Spanish, and was consequently the best souvenir I took away with me. To this day, I have not and will never again look at my surroundings through the same two eyes I had done so with for the years prior to my semester in Barcelona. Spain gave me enough distance to look at my own country through objective eyes, and it awarded me the ability to look inside myself and discover my true passion.
Back home now in my familiar environs, I look back on the past four months and all that I experienced with a profound feeling of pride and accomplishment. I have not yet started to see exactly how I am changed, but I know that I am a different person today than I was the day that I boarded the plane in New York headed for Barcelona. For now, I have a heart and mind filled with memories of a city, a people, a culture, an experience so rich which I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
