Dear Spain, I still want to be a soc major
Bon dia a tots i totes! Soc la Delia i benvinguts a la segona part de Delia a Espanya.
See? My Catalan isn’t that bad! After a diligent two weeks of Duolingo and some spirited debates with my Tesla’s voice recognition, I officially have the essentials down. I can order a coffee—or as we say here, un cafè amb llet. My pronunciation still needs work (scroll down to see the video of me losing an argument with my car over how to say the number four), but I am ready to walk into any café and confidently say:
“Em poses un cafè amb llet, si us plau? Per aquí… amb targeta.”
For those of you who aren’t Spain aficionadas like myself and are confused why I am learning another language, Spain actually has four official languages: Spanish, Catalan, Galician, and Euskera. In Catalunya, where I am headed, they speak Catalan… and also Spanish.
I honestly think it would be hilarious to walk into day one of my internship and start speaking exclusively in Catalan. Since all our correspondence so far has been in English, it’ll be the ultimate plot twist. It makes absolutely no sense to go to Spain just to speak English—en Espanyol o en Català, si us plau!
Before getting too far into it, look at that nice new header!!! Exclusively for our new summer season! Thank you Gemini for your diligent work. Also, some important information about the blog:
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It’s wild to think I leave in three days and have zero plans. Well, minus the cafè amb llet the second I hop off the plane and a mandatory pilgrimage to Mercadona. No big sites to see, no curated food tour… I seriously need to start figuring things out.
Actually, that’s a lie. I have one major anchor: I’m taking an intensive Catalan class while in Barcelona—three days a week for all eight weeks. Where am I taking this mysterious class? TBD. But at the end, I’ll have a certificate. The internet claims that as a Spanish speaker, I only need 30–80 hours of instruction to reach a B1 level. That feels doable if I commit. Challenge accepted.
While my list of plans is short, my “NOT to-do” list is extensive. Topping the list of things I am absolutely not buying: clothing, sunglasses, or books.
I haven’t finished a single book I bought last summer, so I’ve officially banned myself from bookstores until further notice. I also barely wore half the clothes I bought last year, so there will be no new additions to the wardrobe—and specifically, zero colorful pants.
I also plan on not getting robbed and not getting on any wrong buses. Honestly, the number of times I’ve had to retell that bus story (or have it retold to me) is reaching its limit. For the record: I’m actually quite good at navigation, especially in Barcelona!
That being said, my two roommates might have other plans. I met them a few weeks ago, and the vibes are… interesting. One asked me if they sold clothes in Barcelona (no, obviously, we all just walk around in the nude), while the other candidly admitted she is terrible with directions and even worse at keeping her belongings from being stolen. For context, we are living right near the Sagrada Familia (the big famous church) where pickpockets are common. To make matters worse, todo el mundo is going to be in Barcelona this summer because they just topped off the church and the Pope is coming on June 9th. Oh, and when I confirmed that Spain does, in fact, have retail stores, the first roommate decided she just wouldn’t pack any clothes and would buy a whole new wardrobe upon arrival. What?!
I’m starting to think this is karma for last summer. Do we think they’ll survive the 9:30 PM dinner culture? My money is on no.
Entering My Influencer Era 📸
Expect more video content this season! I felt like the blog was falling a little flat, and we need more flavor. Speaking of flavor, I’ll be documenting my culinary adventures. I am fully serious about attempting pulpo (octopus). I have no idea how one actually cooks an octopus, but we’re going to find out together.
The menu for the summer is strictly Spanish and Catalan. Think tortilla, cocido, and an endless rotation of bocadillos. I’m snapping photos of my recipe books now because once I land, the kitchen becomes my lab.
Packing has been a total nightmare. I went for an eye exam last week and—surprise!—all that intensive reading this semester finally caught up to me. I need glasses. Getting a prescription filled in under a week is a Herculean task. The first pair didn’t fit, the adjustments are a rush job, and my prescription sunglasses won’t arrive in time.
Who goes to Spain without sunglasses?! It’s ridiculous.
Delia from the future here: the sunglasses DID in fact arrive on time!
On top of that, adjusting to the new lenses feels like living on a permanent roller coaster. If I look a little dizzy in the first few vlogs, now you know why.
As I get ready to head out on this next adventure, I can’t help but reflect on my last trip to Spain. The person who arrived was completely different from the person who left. I landed as an engineering major and returned home a sociologist. I arrived searching for clarity and came back on an entirely new quest.
But this time feels different. I have clarity—quite literally, thanks to these new glasses—and for once, I don’t feel lost. I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I’m meant to do. Life is great.
I’m not looking for a life-altering epiphany this summer. I love sociology, and my only goal is to come back still majoring in sociology. So, Spain, I don’t know what you have in store for me, but the major is off-limits!
Maybe what I really need is to just be. While last summer was a fast “passionate romance” as I put it in that cheesy final Princeton in Spain project, I think this summer is an actual relationship. To live in the moment, slow down, and savor every sip of Fanta Naranja under the endless sun. But, Spain… if you happen to have a little extra clarity on what I should write my senior thesis on, that would be great. Thanks! 😊
Oh, and if anyone has any Spain recs, let me know! I’m trying to keep this a low-cost trip (saving up for Oxford next spring!), so if you have any budget-friendly tips for Barcelona, Madrid, or maybe a weekend in San Sebastián, drop them in the comments!
Nos vemos en España,
