I grew up in Barcelona and live in the US. I'd love to go home, but tourism is making life unbearable for locals.

• I really enjoyed growing up in Barcelona but moved away 10 years ago.
• I'd love to return to my home city, but the cost of living and many tourists make it difficult.
• There have been signs of change, but I still feel Barcelona prioritizes visitors over residents.

I loved growing up in Barcelona.

There's nothing like the shimmering Mediterranean Sea at the foot of the Collserola mountain range, its monuments celebrating Spanish and Catalan culture, the festivals steeped in centuries of tradition, and even its scars of the 1936 Civil War— bullet holes in walls and alleyways that stand eerily at chest height.