“Acacia, I am an American. I would never live in another country.” I remember my Dad telling me when I asked him if he ever saw himself living outside of the United States. My Dad was always proud of our country. Sure, it came with its flaws, but he couldn’t imagine himself living anywhere else in the World. He showed this pride through barbecues, learning about Black history and celebrating the Fourth of July. I, on the other hand, was very curious about what life was like outside of the United States. It was part of what drew me to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
When I came to Barcelona, I immediately noticed the differences. Not just the obvious differences like the language but cultural differences as well. For one, everything seemed to be slowed down and intentional. Meals were no longer just a quick thing to stop being hungry but a sort of event. I had to learn to call over the waiters to tell them that I was ready for the check, rather than be constantly asked like I had experienced in the States. I also saw how sleep was valued differently. Stores did not open until noon and a lot of the city would be sleeping in the early morning. Living in Washington DC, I felt like the city was awake and alive no later than nine am. I even felt like people took their time walking! One day, I even found that the Fedex was randomly closed on a Wednesday. I guess the workers took the day off. This would never happen in the States. These changes took a long time for me to become accustomed too but after a while, I got used to it. I slowed down myself. I tried to enjoy the simple things without being plagued by guilt or worry about accomplishing the next task.
Then one day, my parents surprised me and told me that they would be visiting. Like me, it would be their very first time in Europe. When they got to Barcelona, I met them at their hotel. I knocked on the door to their room and felt a rush of emotions. It had been months since I last saw my family and it suddenly dawned on me how much I had missed them. Moving to a new country without knowing anyone was exciting but also scary and new. When the door swung open and I saw my parents’ excited faces, I immediately felt safe.
That day, I took my parents around the city. I was proud to show my dad how I could navigate with no directions. We walked past the Arc de Triomf and into the Gothic Quarter. My mom wanted to stop in every shop, so my dad explored on his own. We would meet up with him after a while and he would show us the new food that he had found.
“I’m not even hungry.” He would say.
However, the excitement of trying everything was overpowering. We walked to the Cathedral and my parents stood in awe. They marvelled at the beautiful architecture and commented on how alive it felt here. After that, we made our way to the beach. At this point, my parents were jetlagged and tired so we sat by the water and enjoyed some drinks.
“I can’t believe you actually live here.” My dad turned and told me. It was moments like this where I couldn’t believe it either.
That week with my parents, we had a full itinerary. We spent a day enjoying the beach town of Sitges, took a cable car ride over Port Vell, enjoyed a Flamenco show, went to Casa Batllo, explored Park Guell, took a tour of the Sagrada Familia, and even stopped at the Picasso museum. Throughout that week we were constantly busy seeing new things and experiencing change. But what I saw change the most was my dad.
I watched as his eyes were opened to a different way of living. A slower pace where one could truly appreciate their environment. He fell in love with Barcelona.
That week with my parents went by quickly and soon it was time to say goodbye again. We stood outside of their hotel that morning and waited for a Cabify to bring them to the airport. I pushed down the feelings of sadness and put on a brave face for my parents. Even though I was so blessed to be able to experience this opportunity in Barcelona, I was still going to miss them. When the Cabify got there, my dad spoke to the driver in Spanish and put the bags in the trunk. My mom turned and gave me a hug and a kiss before getting into the car. My dad finished unloading the car and gave me a hug too.
“I’m so proud of you.” He told me.
I smiled and watched as he got in the car. Then before I knew it, they were off to the airport.
When my parents got back to California, my dad wasted no time before telling everyone about the life changing experience he had in Barcelona.
“Your father talks about this with everyone.” My mom said a couple weeks after they had left.
I was really happy he had such a good time, but I didn't understand the gravity of it until one day when we were talking on the phone.
“I really think I could live there.” My dad said to me, “And I would have never gone there if you didn’t. I want to try to go to Europe again.”
That's when I realized, studying abroad is not just for me but it is for my family as well. By being brave enough to leave what I knew behind and embark on a journey in another country, I had brought my family there too. When I traveled to places like Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany, I was bringing a part of my family as well. My experience was changing how they perceived these places. It felt like a privilege to experience something that my family had not even been able to yet. Now my brother talks about studying abroad in London, my aunt feels like she can travel to Italy and my Grandpa is trying to go to Switzerland. Even my dad, who I had always thought of as an American at heart, feels encouraged to leave the United States and travel the world.
My study abroad experience was not just for me, but for my entire family.
Acacia Tripplett
Fall 2024
IAU - Barcelona, Spain
Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Political Science & Psychological and Brain Sciences Double Major