Is anyone familiar with Barcelona, Catalun~a? ?

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SUE

Okay, linguistically: All you need to know is that they use vosotros in Spain. That's really about the most important difference. You will broaden your knowledge of the language, and the slang. You will also probably learn some CatalÃ¡n. You will certainly figure out how to understand written CatalÃ¡n, very quickly. Everything is signed in it, and all announcements are made in it, first, then Spanish, then English in some places.

And they theta...soft c and z sound like th in English. So you are actually going to Barthelona. Learn how to pronounce it, now, and you'll fit in better.

Spanish from Spain is to Mexican just like British English is to American...'K? You'll have no trouble there, really.

Don't listen to your parents. They are afraid. They are either afraid for you, because they just don't realize how safe Europe is, they probably hear about terrorism and bombs and scary things that happen in isolated places and once in a great while, and assume you could get caught up in something deadly. Remind them that all of Europe is about twice the size of the US, so, the occasional violent incident really doesn't amount to a whole lot compared to the incidents here.

Or they might be afraid that you'll find yourself so in love with Europe, that you'll wind up staying! And deserting them! You might want to reassure them that that is unlikely to happen.

And as for the best time to go. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! in June, but they have a big festival on June 24th. I think it's St. John's day, and there's fireworks, and all. Spring is GORGEOUS in Spain, so that is another thing to keep in mind, if your timing doesn't work out as planned. I would guess that most of Summer might be unbearable, there, but then, I'm from the mountains, where it is cool and dry all summer, so, if you are used to more heat and humidity, you might not be as affected.

Go for it! Don't let your parents hold you back! Have a great time!

Molertolga

Barcelona is great at any time of the year but I think you can have more fun in summer to enjoy the weather and the beaches.
Barcelona is not extremely cold in winter but it's still winter anyway (between 8ÂºC and 18ÂºC of temperature) so you will need a coat and forget about the beach!
Maybe the best time of the year to fully experience Barcelona is between march and october (like any city in the world) but you'll have a great time anyway! Good luck.

Tony W

Hello L.C.E. I'll keep it short. The best time to go to Barcelona is NOW!! You have Spanish, You have all the prerequisites to make a success of it!!

Just go ahead and give it a try. I'd recommend trying to get a place around Port Vell. Its pretty quiet at night, and is such a nice area.

Oh, and despite what people might say, The beaches (by Port Vell) are rife with thiefs; predominately at night. So be cool,careful, and get that damn plane ticket b4 its too late.

xxtubularbellsxx

I just came back from Barcelona. It was a really fun vacation. A lot of nice people there. Plus, the air is much more cleaner(since everyone either motorcycles, bikes, or take hybrid/"green" cars to work).

The best time to go is August(when everyone is at the beach enjoying themselves or just simply walking around, if you have trouble speaking Catalan(their language) some of them can speak English, most of them can speak Spanish). Usually, when everyone is on vacation in August, alot of people from other European nations come, (when we were there, we saw alot of Germans around) or basically, any time is good, just avoid the rainy months.

BarcelonaMan

So you're going to be there from November 2008 to the end of December 2008, correct? Just about 2 months.

December is a more festive time, that's true, but the weather isn't very good, it rains (hopefully!!!) a bit, it's cloudy sometimes, it's rather cold at night and cool in the day. Plus, in mid-late December you get A LOT of activity. There are often long lines at bars and restaurants because everyone's on holiday/vacation, getting together with friends and family, and taking advantage of their time off.

The best months to be in Barcelona, in my opinion, are late September to mid-November, and March through May. The weather is more pleasant, there's more light, the temperatures are cool but not cold and a few days are somewhat warm. You have all the flowers out still and less tourism during this time than during summer and Christmas.

Enjoy Barcelona - no matter what time of year you go. And no, you're not "mental" for wanting to study there. It'll change your life and your mind and your perspective on the world. I promise. Too bad you can't stay longer.

Barcelona City is definitely a city unto itself. You'll love it. Don't think it's Spain (CatalÃ¡ns will be quick to point this out). But the art and architecture is some of the best in the world.

Saludos, BarcelonaMan(.com)

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