When I moved to Barcelona to start my International Master in AI for Business at EADA Business School, I expected new friends, new places and a completely new routine. What I didn’t expect was how much cultural differences would shape my everyday experience.
Visiting new places, meeting new people, trying different food, walking through unfamiliar streets, and admiring new architecture are all part of discovering a new city. When you decide to move from your home country to study abroad, these points are usually part of the decision process, but people rarely talk about how cultural differences can shape your experience as an international student in a new country.
When I started my Master's at EADA Business School in Barcelona, I imagined how many friends I would make and how much fun we would have, but I never really considered how multicultural Spain is and how that multiculturality is seen in my Master program and the school in general, or how much interactions can vary simply because of different cultural upbringings. At EADA Business School, the classroom itself reflects this diversity. My Master’s in AI for Business brings together students from many countries, which means every discussion includes different perspectives. That realization only came later, through small, everyday moments.
How can you adapt to all these differences? How can you make your experience easier and more enjoyable?
1. Discovering Barcelona on Foot
Barcelona is a very walkable city. You can wander through the streets of Eixample and suddenly find yourself in El Born without even noticing how far you have gone. Because of that, I started to let myself get a little lost. I explored new streets, small plazas, and busy corners where different languages mixed in the air. Seeing the city this way helped me truly notice its multicultural side and how people share the same spaces in very different ways, from how close they stand to each other to how loudly they speak in public. Little by little, walking became more than just transportation, it became my way of understanding how life in Barcelona flows and where I might fit within it.
2. Community is Part of Everyday Life
You often see large groups of people spending time together, whether they are exercising, having a drink in a bar, or simply strolling through the city. It is common to see families, friends, and even colleagues staying out longer than I was used to, just talking and enjoying each other’s company. Watching this made me realize how important it is to have people who share similar interests, even if they come from completely different backgrounds. Fortunately, my master program offers a lot of group work and experiences in teams organized by the teachers, so you end up connecting with people that perhaps normally you wouldn't and it opens your horizons to create new and different experiences. Once I started joining classmates for a quick coffee after class or a spontaneous walk by the beach, exploring this new stage of my life became much more enjoyable. If you are into sports (which I’m trying to be), there are so many Student Clubs related to that from football, running, padel to chess. Community here is not just a concept, it’s part of daily life, and learning to say yes to more social plans helped me feel less like a visitor and more like I belonged.
3. Learning the 'Work to Live' Mindset
One of the biggest cultural differences I noticed is the work to live mindset. People in Barcelona take their work seriously during working hours, but once that time is over, they really disconnect. During winter, you might expect the city to feel quieter, but even on cold or rainy days, you still see people filling terraces, walking with friends, or enjoying a late dinner. Although being a master student does not equate to working, the baggage and responsibilities from all the work you have to do still creates a sense that you have to always go the extra mile. At first, I felt guilty if I wasn’t always studying or ‘being productive’ especially as a new masters student in a foreign country. Over time, I started to understand that enjoying life after work or class is not being irresponsible, it’s part of a balanced lifestyle here. This shift in perspective has slowly taught me to protect time for myself, to enjoy the city, and to see rest and social life as something valuable, not as a distraction from my goals.
There is so much more that words cannot fully capture about how these first months have changed the way I see life. This experience has pushed me to reflect on myself, my habits, and the way I understand the world around me. Living and studying in a new country challenges you in ways you don’t always expect, but it also helps you grow in ways you might not imagine at the beginning.
So if you are thinking about starting your master’s program abroad, ask yourself if you are open to change and experience different cultures. Studying is important, of course, but so is embracing the people, the lifestyle, and the everyday moments that come with living somewhere new. If the answer is YES —if you are ready to learn, adapt, and make the most of both your academic and personal journey— then studying at EADA Business School in Barcelona may be the right place to start that experience.
Author
Nereid King
Participant - International Master in Master in Artificial Intelligence for Business 2025-2026