European Adventures

Two weeks in to my semester abroad and thus far I have to say it has been everything I was expecting and more. This is my first time in Europe so I was really looking forward to immersing myself not only the people, but the culture as a whole. Even though Barcelona is a large, cosmopolitan city a la a New York, Chicago, or Atlanta, there is still a big transition in terms of moving from the US to European- and specifically Spanish lifestyle. The biggest transition has had to be just the general structure of the day here. Obviously I am used to the three big meals that is common in the US, but here the meals are structured more with five smaller meals spread throughout the day. While this is a transition, you don't have to tell me twice to eat, and I've loved trying all kinds of new meals that are native to Spain - plus the seafood has been delicious! As part of my program I was really looking forward to practicing and furthering my Spanish skills, and I can already tell that my conversational Spanish continues to grow. And this isn't a knock on my Spanish education in the States, but there is just a certain flow and jargon that can't be emulated in the classroom. My Business Spanish class has definitely helped, but the biggest aid has simply been living in a homestay and having conversations with my family about the past day and what I am looking to do in the near future. Each night I can tell that I am more comfortable and willing to push my abilities.

This past week I had my first European Soccer experience, and I can say it did not disappoint. For "El Día de los Reyes", my homestay family got me a ticket for the Copa del Rey match between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. Knowing that Barca lost the first leg 1-2, I knew that they would come out looking to force the issue early and Messi, Neymar, and Suarez et al would not relent until the job was done. The match atmosphere was unmatched to anything I've ever been to in the States, and the performance on the pitch equaled the atmosphere. Barca went up 2-0 early in the 2nd half thanks to goals from Suarez and Neymar, but Bilbao came back with a header to make it 2-1 and tying up the aggregate at 3-3. Barca had to kick it back into high gear, but Bilbao proved to be a tough outfit. It wasn't until late on that some Messi Magic on a free kick put Barca up for good. I was lucky enough when I was younger to see the greatest of all time Michael Jordan play a game, and even though it was past his prime it was steal incredible to see the GOAT play at all. That's how it was with Messi as well, there was just something about him that even when he was not on the ball he seemed to be calculating the perfect run to stretch the defense- even if the run would set up a teammate rather than himself. Messi wasn't the only Barca play that impressed me. There is a certain amount of the game that I think you have to be in the stadium to see, and the way that Pique and Iniesta play lends itself perfectly to this sentiment. Every step they took, every pass they played, their communication throughout the match, it all seemed perfect. They controlled the match from their respective positions, and if they were ever put under any pressure they calmly dealt with it. It was really a sight to behold, and it is clear why those two are consistently among the best in the world for their respective positions.

The last thing that has amazed me, and I'm not sure why in 2017, but the relative ease at which I can follow everything else that is happening around the world. I joked with Will one day that I was in a cafe in Spain, drinking an Italian coffee, listening to a podcast about American Politics, and texting my brother in Tennessee. It was really cool for me to realize the ease at which people around the world can communicate and stay informed about things that seem so far away. Hell- I can FaceTime anyone I want with a touch of the button. And maybe it was my ignorance, but I don't think I will ever get over how cool that it. Plus all this technology lets me follow along with my Falcons who are just 60 minutes away from the Super Bowl, if you aren't on the Falcons Bandwagon by now I'm not sure what's going to get you on- granted I've been optimistic about Atlanta teams who have fallen short, but this team feels different (I also say this a lot, but in this case I actually believe it).

With that being said, I'll sign off for now. The next two weekends I will be Porto, Portugal and Sevilla, Spain so look out for more stories and pictures to come.

Adios,

Duncan Hensley
Indiana University
Kelley School of Business '18