Succession.

Barcelona is in an autonomous region in Spain, which happens to have their own language called Catalan. Catalan is a combination mainly between French and Spanish, but I believe there’s a bit of Italian thrown into the mixture as well. Regardless, unlike here in Pais Vasco, Catalan is spoken on the streets. Basque, the language where I live, is written on every street sign, menu, and government building; however, I have yet to hear it spoken. Whereas in Barcelona I was approached more than once by Spanish men speaking Catalan, who had the impression that I understood them. I suppose they were half correct, as I could understand that language, I would have no idea where to start attempting to formulize my own responses. I am glad for various reasons that I am not in Barcelona for the semester, because as rich as the culture is, not only is it too big for me, but the English (due to tourists) and use of Catalan would have detracted from the experience that I would have hoped to have.
Here I get to experience the nationalism of the Basque country, while seeing its effects through its written language (and the occasional riots as well). I much prefer that trade as I am still completely perplexed by the Basques, who all seem pro-succession, a concept I’m hoping to understand before I leave. The rational for nearly everyone whom I have talked about nationalism with is different, and perhaps that is why they have no real solid political grounds to carry through their plea for independence. They cannot agree with each other on why. If they intertwined their arguments, perhaps they’d have a leash that could be given slack, but for now, they are on the Spanish noose remaining a country.