To drink or not to drink (Week 11)

To Drink or not to Drink?

The Nou Camp is strictly alcohol free. yes, you read that right. alcoholic drinks are banned from being served or brought into the stadium. But not to fear, to cater for you beer loving fans out there, the Nou Camp serves non-alcoholic beer and thus far they have sold a total of zero. The random drunken shout of support is frowned upon by the fans and supporting crowds, to them these acts ruin the environment of the game.

Here in Australia, the half-time beer and pie is an absolute must. The footballing experience is incomplete without having a round of beers shared around a good group of mates. having a few drinks helps us let go, be more outgoing and vocal in our support of our team. And oh do we love and anxiously wait for that old man who had a bit too much to drink, and is making sure everyone knows how passionate he is about his football team...typical. I would find very difficult to enjoy a game and enthusiastically support my team whilst drinking orange juice.


By looking at these practices more closely, you can appreciate that they are reflective of the respective cultures of the different countries. With Australia day being all about sharing a beer and snag with friends and family, it's no secret that alcohol forms a big part of Australian culture. Banning alcohol at stadiums would make no sense if you try understanding it using Australians' beliefs and way of life. however, alcohol does not play as big of a role in Barcelona's culture. but also, going to the stadium is more of a family activity than as here in Australia, and so alcohol being banned makes complete sense.

This is a perfect example of cultural relativism, which is the idea that a person's acts and beliefs can only be understood in terms of that person's own culture. the importance of alcohol at football games in Australia, can only be understood by a person from Barcelona by considering it in terms of the Australian culture.

However, its also important to note that when traveling, a person should act based on their own moral beliefs but at the same time avoid judging others cultures based on the values and standards of their own.

Catalinian Independence (week 10)

What Catalonia's independence means for FC Barcelona

Catalonians would never refer to themselves as Spanish, and for many they are still waiting for the catalonian independence. Many political parties in catalunia support a break away from spain, and wether or not this will happen will have great economic, social and political consequences.

But this will also have big consequences on European football. FC Barcelona currently competes in the Spanish League ( La Liga). however Barcelona wont be able to comepte in la liga if catalonia gains independence. thiss means no more Classcio ( only the biggest game in modern football). this could lead to barcelona not becomming a major force in european football, due to players preferring playing in higher ranked leagues and transferring to other clubs.

For me, this would mean the club that i love will no longer play in major european competetions, so their games would lose the intensity and passion from both the fans and the players perspectives, meaning that watching the games would be less exciting, and not as enjoyable as they used to.

this is a very selfish and narrow minded approach to this issue, catalunian indpendnece means so much more, to the people of barcelona and spain, for them, football is just a 'game' and is not even a consideration in these decisions.

Barcelona essentialised (week 9, assessment)

Football is Barcelona and Barcelona is Football

The picture above perfectly captures what most people, or at least what I was lead to believe, Barcelona was all about. "Architecture and football"- said every travel agency ever.

Try googling the term "Barcelona". This is the first result you'll get:

The popularity and the overwhelming media coverage of football, means that football overshadows other sports in Barcelona, giving the misrepresentation that Barcelona is all about football. 

During our lecture on essentialism, I realised that I myself have essentialised Barcelona in this way. For me, Barcelona and football were always linked together. Determined to rid myself of this essentialisation, I conducted an on-line search and spoke to my friend from Barcelona to uncover the truth.

Barcelona, the city of many sports.

Barcelona is the home of the Formula One World Championships and the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. It also hosts the prestigious Barcelona Open, that has tennis fans from all over the world flocking in every year. Hockey and Basketball are also relatively big sports that the people of Barcelona particularly enjoy. 

Formula one

Rafael Nadal in the Barcelona open

Arriving in Barcelona with the idea that everything revolves completely around football, could led to my disappointment when I realise that the people aren't as football mad as i was lead to believe. It could also mean that I, blinded by this essentialisation, will miss out on experiencing the local Catalan culture.

This essentialisation could also mean that football is being forced upon the people of Barcelona by the expectations of the tourists. They're probably sick of hearing, football this and football that all the time. Football even plays a role in their politics for crying out loud!

I've learnt that in order to avoid disappointment and travel 'smarter', one must always do their homework about a place so as to avoid surprises and get a more realistic view.

Culture Shock (week 6)

Culture Shock! 

Culture Shock!

Yes it's real. 

When i moved to Australia from Dubai I experience a pretty electrifying culture shock. 

I spent 3 or 4 week in my honeymoon phase, definitely a very short period. and then I went through a very lengthy shock phase. (I wish it would've been the other way around).

Driving on the left, use of many Australian terms that make absolutely no sense to a foreigner and the biggest struggle for me was the sense of humour. Everything that i though was hilarious turned out to be lame, and jokes that i would get hit for making back at home, would make people tear up. good luck fitting in when you have 'no sense of humour'.

but all that's behind me now, having adapted to the sense of humor here, the only downside is that my jokes no longer work when I'm back in Dubai.

having already experienced this first hand, I was determined to not go through it again during my visit to Barcelona.

so my research begun, here's what i came up with

Maleck's List to avoid culture shock:'

1) always stay positive and active

2) eat and sleep well

3)experience the new culture

4) actively build new friendships

I think as long as you're flexible and open minded there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to cope with anything that's thrown at you. 

while researching and looking up other travelers experiences with culture shock in Barcelona, I came across one aspect of life there that was going to be a big struggle.

they don't have dinner till 10:00 PM...

A typical day meal routine starts off with breakfast which is often a small pastry and coffee.

two hours later it's time for "real" breakfast.

Lunch tends to be much later in the day and is the biggest meal, its like the entire city takes a break for a few hours to eat, relax and socialize. 

lunch has to be quite large to hold everyone till the very late dinner.

This works well given the crazy night life that Barcelona is famous for, having dinner that late gives you the right amount of energy to party till sunrise.... literally. Clubs don't close till around 7 a.m. in Barcelona, perfect for a quick breakfast before you crash. 

I don't know about you guys, but this sounds amazing to me. 

My body is going to need some serious conditioning before I can take part in all of that.

so, a few weeks before i leave, I'm going to try this new meal plan (luckily I'd have summer holidays so doing is this completely feasible, except instead of clubbing till 7.a.m I'll just play FIFA.) 

I'm also going to incorporate a sneaky nap, or as Spanish people call it, a siesta.

Siesta's definition is literally 'the traditional daytime sleep of Spain'. 

Being a university student, I'd kill for the opportunity to take a mid day nap, but the immense work-load makes this impossible.

So, I don't think a siesta is going to be a culture shock for me, but a blessing.

Sagrada Familia (week 5, assessment)

The Sagrada Família

A trip to Barcelona would be incomplete without visiting the overwhelming architectural marvel, the Sagrada Família. The Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona and with 2.5 million visitors a year, this UNESCO World Heritage site, is the most visited monument in Spain!

With entry being $23, I might have to sacrifice a few drinks in my next few outings, but it'd definitely be worth it.

A greatly admired and respected architect, Antoni Gaudi, assumed responsibility for the Sagrada's design in 1882. Realising that he could not finish the construction before his death, Gaudi planned for each part of the Sagrada Família to be constructed separately, so that each generation of architects, using his designs as a framework, could bring their own style to the construction.

The building of the Sagrada Família was solely funded by private donations, and this continues to be the case. Indeed, construction of the Sagrada Família is still in progress, with only 8 of the planned 18 towers completed!

One of the mysteries of the Sagrada Família, and one that I know I would easily overlook next to the large number of intriguing architectural oddities, is the presence of a magic square on the cathedral's Passion Facade.

The "magic" of the square is that the sum of each vertical, horizontal and diagonal line equals the same number… 33. This is assumed to represent Christ’s age at the time of his crucification. However, the true meaning of the square is buried with Gaudi in his resting place inside the Sagrada Família. 

This hidden story teaches us to always look for the obscure and go to where all the tourists aren’t going, there you’ll find the most interesting tales. By discovering the hidden stories, you'll end up forming stronger links and memories to the sites that you visit and thus, truly make the most out of your travels.

The Nou Camp (week 4, assessment)

The Nou Camp

In the centre of Barcelona lies the largest stadium in Europe, the Nou Camp. Since its opening in 1957, the Nou Camp has been the home of FC Barcelona and is the source of the football fever that can be felt radiating throughout the city. Thousands of fans (and soon me!) from all over the globe visit the Nou Camp to unite and celebrate the wonders of football.

This cheerful layer of the Nou Camp is what most tourists and outsiders tend to be familiar with. The club, however, has seen some dark times, as during the Spanish civil war, club president Josep Sunyol, a representative of the pro-independence political party, was murdered. This was a defining moment in the history of FC Barcelona and Catalan identity.

After the Spanish civil war (1936 - 1939), extreme repressive measures were taken against Catalonia. Catalans weren't allowed to even speak their language! Going to the Nou Camp to support FC Barcelona during games against other Spanish clubs, was a way of expressing patriotism and autonomy. This is why the club and the Nou Camp have become a symbol of Catalan culture and independence. The video below further explains the way FC Barcelona lead the Catalan social feeling during Franconism.

These days, FC Barcelona still plays a role in the call for Catalan independence. However, Catalan independence is not something that all of the people of Barcelona want. Therefore, there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the club, with many fans calling for the separation of football from politics. As a result, the FC Barcelona museum and merchandise store have slowly started to transform their presentation to be more focused on football and less about political history. 

The club's social importance and the joy football brings to the people of Barcelona is unmistakable and with entry being just $25, my wallet agrees visiting is a must.

Nou Camp images

About Me (assessment)

A Culé, A Barcelonista, A poor poor student. 

At the NGV

Being a 20 year old student in Melbourne with four more daunting years of studies ahead of me, I have decided that I need to spice up my life a bit and hopefully make another addition to my list of unforgettable experiences along the way.

As the influential writer pico Iyer says - 'we travel, in essence, to become young fools again — to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.'. Slowing down time and disconnecting from my surroundings and responsibilities is exactly what I need to... well, refresh myself in preparation for the coming years. 

So traveling it is!

Choosing Barcelona as my destination was a very easy task, the city is defined by eccentric architecture, innovative food and a vibrant street life...oh and did I mention Barcelona Football club?!

Nou Camp

I am a BIG Barcelona fan, I've supported them since I was 7 years old, so visiting the club and getting to meet the players would be a dream come true for me. Barcelona,  the city, has an incredible football atmosphere that can not be found anywhere else in the world. With futsal courts around every corner and great matches lined up every week, it is every football fan's paradise. 

I plan on getting lost into this new world, relax and just take my mind of things, and what better place to do this than the spectacular beaches that Barcelona is famous for.

and not to mention its history-rich, breath-taking architecture.

Sagrada Familia

Sadly, but nonetheless true, being a student is synonymous with being poor. Therefore, my angle is that of a football fan exploring and enjoying the wonders of Barcelona on a limited budget.