I have always been fascinated with my Cuban background and the Spanish language. My aunt once told me, “Go to a Spanish-speaking country for a few months and you’ll come back speaking Spanish fluently.”

I never really thought it would ever happen; I didn’t think I’d have that kind of opportunity or the courage to move away from home for months at a time -- that is, until I came to Ithaca College. After two years, I started to explore the numerous study-abroad programs offered at IC.

I could study anywhere in the world for about the same as what I was paying for a semester at Ithaca. I knew I had to seize the opportunity, and I knew I wanted to explore Spanish culture. So I went to Barcelona -- known for its art, its blue skies, and its pickpockets.

It was scary, difficult, and amazing to be there for four months. I was surprised and fascinated by the culture, the architecture, and the art that made Barcelona a jewel on the Mediterranean Sea. Located on the border of Spain and France, Barcelona actually resides in the autonomous community of Catalonia (or Cataluña in Spanish) --  a culture with a language, flag, and traditions separate from those of the rest of Spain.

I arrived knowing that the locals spoke two official languages: Catalan (derived from a mixture of the Romance languages) and Spanish, or Castilian as it’s referred to in Spain because it is spoken in the central region of Castile. While I focused on perfecting my Spanish (or Castilian), I also picked up a few Catalan words along the way that helped me fit in and understand the people of Barcelona.

Everything in the city was written in both Castilian and Catalan, including the menus, which didn’t always give the Castilian translation, so my vocabulary changed and grew with each passing day.

While juggling the two languages and cultures, I discovered the influence of Catalan culture on famous artists and architects that have influenced our art today. One of the most beautiful things about Barcelona is the architecture, which is primarily the creation of Antoni Gaudi, a Catalan architect and artist. Among his famous buildings are the Sagrada Familia -- a grandiose church still in the making and funded completely by donations; Park Guell -- a Candyland natural fantasy with manmade features including the serpentine bench made of a mosaic of broken tiles; and Casa Milà or La Pedrera -- an imaginative house built for the Milà family and now serving as both apartments for the general public and a museum. All of these buildings are unique and modern, and they add tremendous character to a city already full of life and culture.

Gaudi isn’t the only artist who was inspired by the vistas and people of Barcelona. Picasso, Miró, and Dali are among the many artists who’ve painted on her shores and frequented her cafés. I visited Els Quatre Gats café/restaurant where Picasso spent his free time and congregated with other artists in the early 1900s. He undertook his first commissioned work at the café, designing the front cover of the menu.

I took several art history courses while abroad to fulfill my undying interest in the arts. The best parts were the field trips to these great spaces in Barcelona. I was even able to visit the Dali Museum in Figueres, about an hour’s drive outside of the city. Actually seeing these famous paintings in person was unforgettable. As much as I had studied these artists and their works in the United States, nothing compared to seeing them in person and living in the environment that inspired artists to create masterpiece after masterpiece.

Although terrified at first, I stepped outside of my comfort zone, out of the only culture I’ve known and into the unknown. I quickly learned that Spain is not one entity but fosters multiple cultures living peacefully side by side. Those four months living and studying as a Spaniard and a Catalan taught me to appreciate life at home, to slow down and really enjoy the little things, and to embrace diversity.

But above all, I realized the importance of languages. In the end, we’re all really the same; we are all people with the same desires and needs. Communicating with other people from around the world is the only way to knock down walls and build bridges. I left Barcelona feeling enlightened with a greater understanding of the world. I found a second home on the other side of the Atlantic. And I came home nearly fluent in Spanish. I guess my aunt was right.

See a clip from the Barcelona-Madrid "futbol" game: