CLC Year Abroad Podcast - Barcelona

Welcome to the CLC Year Abroad Podcast - a podcast series that aims to provide a deeper insight into what it’s really like to live abroad, whether that be for students currently planning their Year Abroad or for those fascinated by the cultures and customs of other countries. There’s lots to consider when planning a Year Abroad, which is why this series has been made to help break down living abroad into a less abstract concept. Featuring interviews with students who have already completed their Year Abroad, this podcast asks questions that help to paint a picture of life in a specific part of the world and yield valuable pieces of advice learnt through the experiences of those who have already lived in these places.

In this episode, Alex Fice interviews Bertie Broomfield about his time living in Barcelona, where he undertook a placement working in a Spanish-speaking law firm, giving him a useful introduction to law as a possible career path in the future. Offering a comparison of what it’s like going to university versus working abroad, this episode covers some important ideas that may be useful to anyone trying to decide between a work placement or study placement for their own Year Abroad.

See below for episode highlights.

La Sagrada Familia. Credit: Bertie Broomfield.

View over Barcelona. Credit: Bertie Broomfield.

Football match at Camp Nou. Credit: Bertie Broomfield.

Episode Highlights:

2:05 - Why Barcelona?

5:36 - What was it actually like? / What was the placement like?

7:47 - Experience of having a fixed work schedule

8:34 - Work placement versus study placement

13:45 - First impressions and experiences in Barcelona (where to live, making friends via Erasmus groups)

17:37 - Hidden gems

20:20 - What were the people like?

21:22 - Is there a noticeable divide between the Catalan identity and the Castilian identity? Is it a problem if you can’t speak Catalan?

24:43 - Local customs

28:57 - Opportunities to travel

31:56 - Quickfire round (Montjuïc, Camp Nou, La Rambla, Parc Güell, La Sagrada Família)

Credits:

Created and edited by Alex Fice

Music by Shaolin Dub (Ketsa), ‘Some Thoughts’, licensed by Creative Commons