An American’s View of Catalonia
- Book: No Regrets: A Life in Catalonia
- Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Figueres, Gerona, Tarragona
- Author: Dvora Treisman
In 1999 Dvora Treisman and her new husband, Manuel, moved from California to Catalonia. Dvora was 52. Her husband had to return to California for work, but she stayed on into 2000. Alone she battled with setting up home in a strange city – organising gas, phones, and electricity. In early 2000 she ‘gave up’, and returned to California with her pet cat. Then in 2001 she, her husband (and aforementioned cat) made the complete move. Divorce followed a couple of years later, but Dvora stayed on, and moved several times within Catalonia over the next years. She became increasingly comfortable with the language and the way of life.
No Regrets is an interesting book. It tells the story of adjustment to a completely new environment, and the reader learns a lot about that new environment. Catalonia is not at all like Northern California. Some things stand out as being mundane but fascinating. For example, the concept of ‘coffee to go’ / ‘take away coffee’ doesn’t exist in Spain. You drink coffee in the cafe where you bought it – and you frequently sit down to do so. And Spanish / Catalan attitudes to animals are strange by US or UK standards. Dvora, an animal lover, once rescued a dog who had been shot in the leg – and many pets were simply abandoned as they became too big or two expensive to look after. She once tried to take her pet cat to see a vet, but was told – because of the trauma the experience would be for the animal – to simply report the symptoms so suitable medication could be prescribed!
No Regrets is a book that takes you to the heart of Catalonia. It is recommended for anyone who wants to find out more about the area and its customs.
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