WEEK TWO

SUNDAY:

I had a super chill day today. My roommates and I showed each other music from our home country and listened to Spanish music with the host family. We all called home and talked to our families/boyfriends. Honestly, hanging out with my roommates is so fun because we are all pretty similar and get along well. We also got a new roommate today named Mary and she’s from Texas! I love being introduced to people from other cultures, but hearing Mary’s accent was so refreshing. My host mom made us chickpeas with chicken for dinner and it was actually so tasty. 

MONDAY:

Today my roommates, Madeline and Maria, and I went to Badalona. We had to take a ten minute subway then a twenty minute train to Badalona. My teacher recommended we go there because it’s a small town with a beautiful beach and hardly any tourists. This was the best recommendation! The beach was so so nice and there was clear water with hardly any other people. We went swimming and laid out for several hours, then went to eat at a restaurant by the beach. This has probably been my favorite day so far because it was such an amazing experience with my friends.

TUESDAY:

Class today was fun because we got new students. It’s crazy to be reminded of how much better my Spanish has gotten in just one week of being here. I feel like I am a better Spanish speaker now, after one week, than I ever was after three years of Spanish classes. Part of this is because it’s necessary to speak Spanish with my host family and in most stores. I feel as though the structure of the class is the most impactful part of learning Spanish though because the school has a great way of teaching.

WEDNESDAY:

“Las Ramblas” is the busiest part of the city, as it is the area with the most tourists and close to the beach. I walked there today from my house and window shopped. Eventually, I got so tired of being around so many people and I found a small passage that led to a very small shopping center that was so cute. The streets were dark because the buildings were so close together, but there were lights strings hung across the path. It was so beautiful. Also, a lot of people here speak Catalan and it’s so confusing because it’s very similar to Spanish but not quite the same. I feel like I’m learning two languages here!

THURSDAY:

I walked around the outer part of the city today and into the mountains. There is so much graffiti here that the city has actually allowed for small graffiti parks to be placed in the mountains. I went to a park and had a small picnic as I did my homework and studied. Being out in nature when the weather is this nice (around 70 degrees fahrenheit) is so calming. I saw “Tibidabo” from the park that I was at and was able to see a lot of the city.

FRIDAY:

Today I had a test, so I stayed at home and studied for it for most of the day. My classes didn’t start until 2 today and lasted until 6:20, so I didn’t have much time to do anything else. I think that my test went really well though!! After class, I went home for dinner that lasted until around 9, so Madeline and I just had a movie and pj night before going to sleep.

SATURDAY:

After two weeks, I finally made it to the laundromat to wash my clothes. It was a new experience, especially seeing as how all the instructions were in Spanish. We totally deep cleaned our rooms and I finally feel like I’m getting settled in here. I know my way around the city and feel comfortable in my room. Once we got everything situated at home, Madeline and I walked to Park Guell. This is a park created by the architect Gaudi and was truly one of a kind. Everything was so detailed and beautiful. We had a view of the whole city and walked through the park for around three hours.