Our cultural exchange participant, Anđelija, who is wrapping up her month-long stay, wrote to us from Mollerussa, the capital of the Pla d’Urgell district in the province of Lleida, Catalonia.
Ever since I arrived in Spain, something fun has been happening nonstop, which is why it took me a while to finally sit down and share my experience.
The family I stayed with is lovely. We go places together often, and the days just fly by. They have two kids—a four-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl. The area is absolutely beautiful, and by now, I’ve gotten used to my surroundings.
Of course, everything felt a bit strange at first. When I landed, I had no idea what I was walking into. I had taken a Spanish course in Belgrade, but surprise—everyone here speaks Catalan (which I still don’t understand 😂). Luckily, the family and neighbors speak to me in Spanish (or castellano), so that’s no longer a big deal.
This experience has been amazing, but it’s helpful to prepare ahead. In this region, no one speaks English, so when I go to the store, I rely on hand gestures and facial expressions. The first time I walked into a market, I genuinely thought I might die of confusion! I started speaking English, and the man behind the counter looked at me in total shock while replying in Catalan. That’s when I realized all I had to do was stay calm, smile, and explain—in Spanish—that I’m a tourist and don’t understand Catalan.
Things have gotten a lot easier since then. I’m improving my Spanish, exploring as much as I can, and best of all, I’m meeting so many kind and generous people.
To anyone still on the fence about joining this program:
Leave your fears behind. This is an experience you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life—just go for it!
English 
Español 
Italiano 
Deutsch