Choque Cultural

When we first arrived in Barcelona, each of us were given CASB agenda books, filled with calendars, important contact numbers and tips, and a strangely technical graph. The red squiggle line depicted the evolución emocional of "culture shock" — something we had been warned about during study abroad orientation at Brown. Paige and I found the chart so hilarious we copied it and taped it to our wall for easy reference.

As we spent our first few weeks traipsing around Barcelona, taking in the local culture, food, sights, etc., it was hard to imagine how we could ever hit the low point on the graph. What in Spain could possibly stress us out that much, or make us that homesick? We're practically on vacation!

Well, this week I have probably heard 15 different people reference their "choque." The dip has come. Spain's inefficiencies are nothing new to us — we've been laughing about them for weeks. But the frustrating nature of trying to organize a schedule when no one speaks your language — not even the one you supposedly are here to study — is a lot more stressful than I anticipated it could be. Here the attitude is, "Don't worry, it'll all work out," and I'm a trying, trying, TRYING to be open to whatever comes my way, but... it's a bit choqu-ing.

The good news is that after this, emotions evolve back upward. So my schedule is not exactly what I was hoping for? I'll adapt. So the students in my Spanish-taught lecture class are allowed to ask questions in Catalan? I'll calmly wait until the professor answers, and try and be ok with the fact that I will definitely not understand everything that happens around me.

I'm about to set out for Day 2 at UAB. I'm not expecting miracles, but maybe this episode will feature fewer ups and downs.