Barcelona is part of an autónoma (autonomous community that has its own laws while still being a part of Spain) called Catalonia. In this region of Spain, as well as down the coast toward Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and a bit of France and Italy, there is a language that derives from vulgar Latin, making it a sort of brother language to Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian.
This is Catalán. It is not a dialect, but a language that was once spoken in courts when the Roman Empire stretched its arms over the Mediterranean. However, it has come into some tough times because Franco banned the use of the language in order to promote his Madrid-centric ideals. Catalonia (or Catalunya, as the Catalans spell it… it feels weird to right it in the English way) had always been a bit of a rebel child, with its ports and modes of communication to the Mediterranean, the fact that it was always on the outskirts, and its rich, unique history that extended long before the region was conquered by the rest of Spain. I think it’s a lot more similar to French than Spanish in some regards, but either way, it’s a very different language than Spanish with completely different pronunciation and spelling.
Catalán is everywhere. We’re talking street signs, menus, instructions, advertisements… everywhere. You cannot get by without learning some of it, so they are giving us a crash course in ILP. I am a language person and pick up on these things quickly, plus I took a quarter of Catalán prior to ILP, so I find it fascinating and very interesting. Other people are definitely struggling with it, but a little Catalán gets you a long way.
People like it when you make an attempt to speak their language, especially if you aren’t expected to know their language. So with Catalán, we say good-morning and good-bye, please and thank you, and simple things like that. It isn’t difficult to make that extra effort and worst case scenario, the person starts babbling away in Catalán and then you have to tell them that you only know una mica catalán.
Actually, the worst case scenario is if you stumble across a catalanista. It is important to note the differences between catalans and catalanistas. Catalans are the people of Cataluyna. They have great pride in their culture and language, but also recognize that yes, they are a part of Spain, and should also acknowledge and understand the worth of castellano (the general dialect of Spanish spoken throughout the country). Catalanistas will refuse to speak in Castellano and refuse to understand you if you do. My professors have said that they think it is a bad thing and a sign of ignorance, but it’s not my place to say here or there. Nevertheless, I think I would rather be friends with Catalans.
Catalán is simply something one has to deal with while in Barcelona, but I think it adds another interesting layer onto the culture. Then again, it’s not something to “deal with.” Catalán and the cultura catalana is something to embrace. I knew it would be an obstacle going into my journey, but I prepared myself and was excited to take on the challenge of another language. And never fear, UB (la Universitat de Barcelona) offers free mini-courses on Catalán for foreigners.
Onto the next “c”: carpe diem
Latin for “seize the day,” immortalized the amazing movie Dead Poets Society, blah blah blah, we got it.
It’s sort of the Spanish motto and I think it’s what makes the Spanish people and the lives they lead so magical. They don’t care if they forget to make dinner until super late at night because they have stayed up watching a football game. Bars don’t fill up until after midnight and no one goes to a club till after three. They take naps because they can. They sit down and eat lunch in the early afternoon and don’t get up for at least an hour. They go on walks when it cools off and do nothing when it’s hot. These people live in the moment with little care of the consequences as long as the detriments don’t eclipse the benefits. This is carpe diem.
That, and they eat croissants and pastries and sweets for breakfast. And who wouldn’t be a morning person when you can shove crispy, sweet, buttery goodness down your throat with a cup of coffee every single morning?
So, we’re at Saturday the 27th, but that was a beach day and beach does not start with a “c.” So, we’re going to skip ahead to Sunday, which was when I saw the Castellers at the Festa de Sants.
The festa began the week before and a group of us had gone to check it out on Friday night. It wasn’t as cool as the Festa de Gràcia, but still quite nice. All locals, beer and mojitos all around, fun bands, and some delicious crepes.
Sunday was the close of the festa and the castellers always showcase that day in the big park near the Sants Estació. I’m not sure if “castellers” refers to the people or the towers they make, but it’s not a detail to get hung up on. What is fascinating is that these people stand on each other’s shoulders and make a human tower. No safety net, no ropes, just people. You have people of all sizes and ages, from burly men at the base to tiny primary school children all the way at the top.
Another milestone: a woman approached me and asked where the team of Castellers was from. In Spanish. Because she thought I was Spanish. ¡Qué chulo!!!
Anyway, watching the human towers build and fall was absolutely amazing, as well as seeing the trust and camaraderie between the members. They had learned to fall without fear—a good life lesson, I suppose. When they fall, they fall on each other because those not climbing create a huge base around the foundation. In this manner, their people are their own safety nets. It’s kind of beautiful to think about metaphorically and amazing to watch in person. Pictures below, and I will add videos once I figure out how to flip them...
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