Rags To Riches: Story Of Barcelona

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Piecing Together the Narratives

An Analysis of Barcelona from the Eyes of a Foreigner

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Coming to Barcelona, I knew that I wanted a more real, perhaps more local

experience than many who come here to visit or study. I have always liked

experiencing the true culture of an area, even if it may be uncomfortable or different

for me. Now, only four short months later, I feel very accustomed to the culture of the

city, and I dread going back to the states. I have so much more to learn about this

wonderful place! I think to read a city properly, a newcomer must combine research

with personal experience. When you try to experience a city without learning about

any of its history or culture, you miss out on extremely important nuances and

insights. You might notice cultural differences in daily life, but not know why people

sit at cafés for hours on end. You might know how to get around, but have no idea

why your metro stop is called ‘Vila Olímpica.’ In the same way, you cannot

experience a city inside a classroom or a library. You might know the historical

significance of the Raval, but would never have the experience of asking an

immigrant their story. Combining these approaches, and adding a decent level of

Spanish to the mix, I have tried to read the city the best I can for the time that I am

here. I’ve discovered more than I ever thought I would.

What brings people to Barcelona? Around the world, Barcelona carries a

positive connotation in conversation, pictures, advertisements, and facts. For

foreigners, the city boasts a relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle accompanied by

unparalleled architecture and charm. This, without doubt, is largely due to Barcelona’s

massively successful branding campaigns, but is not solely a corporate scheme. I find

that many of the elements that make Barcelona so attractive to outsiders are true, and

can be found in the city with a little effort. Of course, there are false stereotypes and

hopes of Barcelona that can be exaggerated or simply incorrect as well. So what have

I noticed in my short time here of four months? Well I, accompanied by most tourists

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in the city, had very little knowledge about the ever so important concept of Catalan

culture. Before arriving, I had heard only once about Cataluña’s attempts to secede

from Spain, but without being here or understanding the cultural differences, I had no

idea what it meant. Unfortunately, I think many tourists come to (and even leave) the

city without fully appreciating the differences between Spain and Cataluña. Because

of this truth, tourists often bring Spanish stereotypes to Barcelona, hoping to see their

first bullfight, watch flamenco, and eat [proper] tapas. These stereotypes, of course,

we all know now to be untrue, but they are perpetuated through the media, not only by

cultural ignorance, but often for financial gain. Many also see photos of Parc Güell,

imagining themselves lounging on Gaudí style terraces across the city, overlooking

the Mediterranean. The reality of the matter, as we all know, is that the view is one-of-

a-kind, extremely crowded, and costs money to see. One particular stereotype

commonly heard in the US is that Spanish are lazy, they don’t like to work, and they

take siestas all day. I was particularly happy to find out that Catalans are not lazy, they

only embrace a more relaxed lifestyle. They value time with their family and friends,

and their pace down the street might be a bit slower than our own. However,

Barcelonan’s often work longer office hours than Americans, so the lazy stereotype is

out the window.

Barcelona’s attractiveness as a city stretches far beyond tourism, though.

Students, like myself, are drawn to the city as a wonderful place to study and learn,

with a central European location easy for travel. Barcelona also attracts people from

all over Cataluña, the rest of Spain, and much of Europe as a place to live and work.

The massive amount of tourists often overshadows the city’s opportunities for work

and entrepreneurship, despite the current pause on this attraction due to the economic

crisis, which I will elaborate on further into the paper. Nonetheless, according to the

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study Guardian Cities Global Brand, “the Barcelona brand is the third in Europe (after

London and Paris) and the sixth in the world (ranking led by Los Angeles and New

York, and where Seoul holds the fifth position, before Barcelona)” (Miquel Barceló,

InnoPro Consulting). It is no wonder we learn so much about the way Barcelona

brands itself, since for such a small city, it claims the sixth best city branding in the

world. Take a moment to think about how many iconic world cities are behind

Barcelona on that list. Time and time again, Barcelona has exhibited excellent skill in

attracting people from all over the world for tourism, work, art, and lifestyle.

So, being in the city for four months, and having left initial stereotypes far

behind me, I feel that I have gotten a taste for the true identity of the city. I say taste,

of course, to highlight that I don’t know the city as a local would. But I do feel like I

know more about what the city really stands for than the average visitor. For me,