Catalan/Castillano by blint
Many will tell you (mainly the Catalans) that Catlalunya (Barcelona being the Capital city) is a separate country to Spain. They are very proud of their language and have great food. Apart from this, why is it that Catalans feel so proud of their 'nation'? well it is largely because under the dictator Franco, who ruled Spain until the 1970's, they couldn't even speak their own language and were pretty much repressed. To this day most Catalans feel very defensive about this topic and you should tread carefully if you wish to talk to people about it. I found people were only too willing to talk to me about it if asked in the right way. The problem here is not so great as in Pais vasco, but when I left Barcelona for Castilla I did feel like I was entering into enemy territory after hearing too many negative comments towards the rest of Spain. Though not all Catalans feel this way, especially not the younger ones. Of course the ones who were suppressed by Franco are going to have stronger feelings on the topic.
In fact the rest of Spain then begin to recent Catalunya as they say during Franco's time he put lots of money into the area to build up Barcelona and it's port and that it is unfair that, if they want to go to university in Barcelona they have to speak Catalan as that is the language in which the classes are given. Many have expressed the same concerns about getting a job there.
I am not taking sides here I'm just putting forward the views expressed to me by both sides.
I very much liken the situation here to that of Scotland in the UK.
