From GT to ES: New lifestyle, different culture.

Back in to 2016, Rosario Bercian, a guatemalan student who recently graduated from school, decided to undertake the trip of her life, leave his hometown and went to live in Spain. There, she study a Degree in Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Navarra, in Pamplona. Four years later, she has come back to guatemala for a period of time, so we were able to talk with her to tell us about her decision, the cultural barriers and the impact this change has had on her life.

When did you leave Guatemala?

I traveled to Spain in mid August to start the University in the first days of September.

Have you traveled to Spain before?

I traveled to Pamplona 2 years before I finally went to study. The reason I first went was to

take my sister to the same university.

How did you make the decision to move to another country? What motivated you?

Since I can remember, I always had in mind studying abroad. I wanted to experiment living

by myself and meeting new people from around the world. Likewise, as I mentioned before,

My sister had already made the same decision and was already living in Pamplona

What was your first impression?

I loved it, I loved the country, the freedom of walking around with no fear and the many

different people I got to meet.

Was it hard to adapt to a new lifestyle? Why?

I really think I didn’t have any problem adapting to my new life style. There was so many

people around me that I could talk to and so many different friends that it was easy to live

as if that was your usual life all along.

Describe the differences between a day in Guatemala and one in Spain.

I believe all goes around a main element: traffic. There was no traffic in Pamplona, or at

least you didn’t worried about it because you walked everywhere you wanted to. Besides

that and taking into account I lived by myself, (and my roommates) some of the things I did

in Pamplona that don’t usually do here in Guatemala are: going to the supermarket twice a

month(because I couldn’t carry too many heavy bags from the store to my apartment),

meeting my friends all days and at all times, walking all around the city.

What Guatemalan customs would you like in Spain? And vice versa?

I would definitely want Fiambre as a tradition in Spain (I really, really missed it while living

there) and opening the stores and banks almost all day and on Sundays. On the other

hand, I would wouldn’t mind talking to everybody with “tú” in Guatemala as everybody

does in Spain.

What do you miss most about Guatemala?

I really missed the food! Tamales, chuchitos, platanitos with beans, rellenitos, etc. However,

I always took some cans of Ducal beans and Tortrix chips with me.

What would be the advantages and disadvantages between the two countries?

Well, as I mentioned before I believe a big disadvantage for Guatemala is traffic and the fear of walking around by yourself or even by someone’s side. And a disadvantage for Spain,

mainly Pamplona, is the lack of certain food chains and food products.

If you had to choose, would you stay or come back? Why?

Thats a difficult question because whenever I’m in Spain I want to come back to Guatemala because of my family and friends. However, once I’m already living in Guatemala I want to go back to Spain because of my other friends and the freedom. Right in this moment of my life I think I want to go back to Spain but at the same time I know I will miss my family.

What would you recommend to someone who wants to move there?

To go! I think no one regrets going to Spain, at least I haven’t met a single person who has.

However, you need to be open minded but wise, friendly and open to new people.