What is Massachusetts?

        When I chose Spain for my study abroad experience, I chose it to for the language barrier. I wanted to challenge myself and learn a new language. My goal, however ambitious, is to be able to say I am bilingual by December. Last week was the first time I actually started moving towards that goal.
       I signed up for a program here at Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, called Program Tandem. Basically, it is a program that sets you up with other students who want to learn a different language. For half of the time, you speak in Spanish; the other half, in English.
      I had my first meeting with my intercambio last Thursday. His name is David and he is from Mexico (the irony of learning Spanish from someone not from Spain is not lost on me). But Barcelona is extremely diverse, and it's actually better that he is not a native Catalan, because quite frankly Catalan is a language I did not expect to be so different from Spanish.
        Anyways, I met him at Plaza Catalunya and we went to a place for coffee (which I drank, despite my feelings about coffee...but I didn't want to be rude since I had heard previously that Spanish guys always pay for girls when they go out, dating or not. This fact proved to be true). He also gave me the double cheek kisses upon meeting me. He asked if in the States we did one or two, since in Mexico apparently it is only one and in Spain they do both. I told him in the States we like our personal space.
      I think talking with David might be one of the most enriching experiences I have while I am abroad. He didn't know what Massachusetts was, or Boston, which was more surprising. Most Europeans know California, New York City, and Boston for the Yankee history. Some have heard of Texas. In fact, one Spaniard thought that was where I was from. There's a sure sign of someone who has never heard a southern accent!
      Anyways, meeting with him was a huge step for me. In America, never, ever, ever would I have met a strange guy in the middle of a city at a metro stop to get coffee. But being abroad is all about saying yes to things that scare you.
          I said yes to this, and I met a really cool person who helped me out a lot with my Spanish in just a couple of hours-but I ended up learning a lot more than some new words. Things I learned from David:

1. I still don't really like coffee.
2. I have a very thick American accent.
3. The equivalent of the name "Matthew", Mateo, is an ugly name that no one uses in Mexico unless you are essentially a hillbilly and country bumpkin. HA!
4. They only do one kiss on the cheek in Mexico.
5. It is going to take years before I am okay with virtual strangers entering my personal space.
6. Apparently not every country ships their kids off to college at 18. In Spain and Mexico, you don't move out until you get married.

And most importantly, not everyone knows what Massachusetts is.
Something to consider.