Vale! Vale! If there is one thing that stood out from my experiences in Barcelona (besides, of course, the exceptional food, beautiful city, and friendly people), it is the slang word vale which means anything from okay, to I understand, to I agree. It is a slang word heard frequently and its very, very easy to pick up (especially when cab drivers are firing off in rapid Spanish in the cab
just agree with them and say vale!).
February was my first trip to Barcelona and my first time at Mobile World Congress. The venue for Mobile World Congress is Fira Montjuic, built at the beginning of the 20th century. It is one of the most difficult venues to walk within if wearing heels, as the cobblestone sidewalk makes a rough go if it and no doubt has broken one or two heels. With 60,000 attendees, Mobile World Congress was a huge success for both the industry and TWI.
I have always enjoyed exploring new cities and Barcelona was no exception. My down time found me walking the city, visiting the Olympic park, riding the open top tourist bus, and visiting La Sagrada Familia, a beautiful cathedral designed by Catalan architect Gaudi.
One evening in particular stood out, involving Italian food and friends. I practiced my Spanish with the owner, a lovely Italian woman. We all had such a good time that at some point late in the night, the owners closed the restaurant so that we could all continue having good conversation and lots of laughs.
I look forward to my next trip to Barcelona!
-- by Kerrie Calderon, Import Sales Supervisor at TWI Group, Inc. Kerrie has an MBA from Indiana University and has worked for TWI Group for over eight years. To contact Kerrie, or to find out how TWI Group can help with your upcoming tradeshow shipments, please call our Las Vegas Headquarters at 702.691.9000.
