"There are a million stories I would love to tell you about, but I was recently reminded of a particular day while I was in Caceres. Our passion in the US is for a variety of sports - but in many other parts of the world, soccer is by far number one. I was only an outside observer of just how involved some people get when it comes to something that many of us see as "just a sport". For years I'd wanted to go to Barcelona, so when I found out I was going to Spain, that was the one place I was determined to go. I finally made it there during our spring break, attended an F.C. Barcelona game, the team that quickly became my adopted favorite after I arrived in Spain, and bought a team jersery.

I really didn't think it'd be that big of a deal if I decided to wear my F.C. Barcelona shirt to class one day. I hardly reached the end of my own street when it all began. I started to notice people staring at me, and then making comments. I figured it was the shirt, but I just shrugged it off and kept walking. I got to the main business part of town, and the same thing happened. A few things were yelled at me - like "Barca no!" and "que camiseta mas fea!" ("what an ugly shirt!"). The comments kept coming - from two older men down a side street, and another man from a store doorway. The funniest part was when, among all this, one man standing along the way took a step toward me as I walked by and said quickly in a low, hushed voice - so as not to be lynched by his neighbors, it seemed - that he, too, liked Barcelona.

When I went to my earlier classes, my professors looked at me funny and told me I should be careful wearing that shirt, especially in Caceres - good advice, only a little too late. :) Finally, I thought I was through most of the ordeal. Then my last professor came into class, took one look at my shirt, and immediately told me to get out of his classroom! I knew he was kidding, but the look on his face seemed to indicate otherwise.

I learned my lesson. I never wore that shirt in Spain again."