WEEK FIVE

SUNDAY:

Even though Madeleine and I are both a bit sick, we decided to go visit “Casa Vicens”. It was the first house that Gaudi created and it was so amazing. The details in every room are all so intricate and beautiful. It’s really cool because it’s like a museum/house so you get to know the house really well. All of Gaudi’s creations are so amazing and I’m excited to visit more of his well-known sights.

WEEK DAYS:

I am so sick this week :(. I have still been making it to school but I have a high temperature and feel bad. On Monday I hardly had any voice and it was so hard to talk in school. Other than not feeling great, I’ve had a pretty decent week. I had a sub teacher and I really liked the way he taught. I have a test coming up soon for college credit that I’m worried about though so wish me luck!

FRIDAY:

Madeleine and I went out to the EF bar called Summum. There were probably 40 or 50 EF students there hanging out. We just had a chill night and talked with our friends there. I really enjoy nights like this where you have fun just relaxing.

SATURDAY:

Today was crazy. We all went out to Summum then went to the club, Opium, around 2:30. Luckily, we got free entry from some guys that had tickets! The club was so insane. There were strobe lights everywhere and a DJ and SO many people all squished together. I was super mindful of getting pickpocketed because the clubs on the beach are the touristy ones. When Madeleine and I got too hot, we went out and laid on the beach just talking for a couple hours. After that, we met up with Maria and got food then headed home. We didn’t get home until 6:45. I was so exhausted by the time that we got home that I just fell asleep as soon as I laid down. Overall, it was a super fun night and a memory I know I’ll have forever!

 

 

SUNDAY:

Madeleine and I really wanted to go to the Picasso Museum today, but all the tickets were sold out by the time we got there. Instead, there was a Culture Museum across the street that was free so we ended up going there. It was actually pretty interesting for a museum. It took us so long to make our way through the whole thing because most exhibits were in Spanish. It was a really good way to practice our Spanish because the pictures made it easier to understand.

WEEK:

I had a test this week, so sadly I spent most of my days studying. I really want to go to the next level so that I can possibly gain college credit. Other than school and meeting with friends for lunch, I really just explored the city more by going on runs. I feel like I’ve seen so much of the city, but everyday I find new beautiful places. This city is so big and so beautiful!

FRIDAY:

Today was crazy. Madeleine and I went out with about 30 other people to a bar. We were there for nearly two hours before the group split up. Most of the people went to the clubs on the beach, but Madeleine and I decided to just go swimming in the sea. We hung out at the beach for around an hour and a half before Madeleine lost her glasses in the water. I also lost one of my favorite rings which I’m pretty upset about. But, luckily we didn’t go to the clubs with the rest of the group because one of my friends had her phone stolen, another had her wallet pickpocketed, another had to get stitches in her knee. To say the least, it was a rough night all around for everyone, but we had some great laughs and it was 100% worth it.

SATURDAY:

After last night, we needed a very chill day today. We spent the day just cleaning up our room, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and running some quick errands. I think I’m getting sick which really sucks, but Madeleine has been doctoring me. I really miss my mom. I wish that she was here when I feel sick like this or have a bad day.

 

SUNDAY:

Maria, Madeleine and I went to lunch today at a super cute restaurant and I got really good nachos that reminded me so much of home and Tex-Mex. Of course, they had a bit of a Spanish spin on them, but they were still homey to me. I think it’s so frustrating that I have to pay for my water at a restaurant and don’t get any refills with that. After eating, Madeleine and I walked for about 1 and a half hours to the beach. We went to the one that’s just here in Barcelona, so of course it was filled with tourists. We hung out there for nearly three hours before we took the metro home for dinner.

MONDAY:

I found a store today called “Taste Of America” and I think I’m in love. They have normal, American food and I bought so much stuff. When I first arrived to Spain, I was surprised that they don’t eat peanut butter. I found some JIF at the store and I’ve already eaten so much of it (oops). My roommates joined me at the store and were so fascinated by the food and the sugar in it. I let them try some PopTarts, Flavor Blasted Goldfish, and some other snacks, but none of them tasted quite the same as they do back home so it wasn’t a great representation of American food.

TUESDAY:

I’m sooooooo homesick today. I’m not sure if it was the reminder of American food or just the fact that I know I still have 10 more weeks until I see the people I love. I skipped school today because I had early classes, and I had no motivation to get up. I called home to John instead and he made me feel a lot better. Today was probably my worst day yet here in Spain, but now that I’ve had a day to be upset, I’m motivated to enjoy my experience and move on. My roommates decided to cheer me up and we had a movie night watching scary movies together. We all cuddled up and fell asleep watching Sinister 2.

WEDNESDAY:

I had a pretty busy day today full of running errands. First, I went to the “Libreria” so that I could buy envelopes and stamps. They didn’t have either of those, so then I went to the post office and they didn’t have any either. They sent me to the tobacco store and I finally found some stamps that were crazy expensive because of the international pricing. Then, I went to four office supplies stores to find envelopes until I finally found some. After that, I went to school and had a really good school day. When I got back to the house I wrote letters to home and went to the “Correos” to send them.

THURSDAY:

Today was a day all about school. I had class at 8:40 until 1, grabbed a quick lunch with some friends, then went home to do a lot of homework. At 5:30 I had to go back to the school to go to a conference. This one was focused around photography and was somewhat fun. We learned a lot of vocab about photography and had a contest for who would get posted on the EFBarcelona Instagram. The conference ended around 7:50 so we rushed to make it home by 8 for dinner. Pina made us chicken with tortellini and it was so good!!

FRIDAY:

I found a Creperie today on my run that reminded me so much of John because it named “Georges”. Then I got ready for the day and went to school at 2. I had school until nearly 7, so I just went home to get ready for dinner at 8. After dinner, my roommates and I spent the night talking and watching youtube videos.

SATURDAY:

My day today was a bit frustrating because I had to go to the post office to talk to customs. They speak super fast and difficult Spanish and I have a really hard time understanding them. I was there for over an hour trying to understand why my package was in customs and how I could get it out to receive it. They just sent me to an online help page in the end because of the language barrier. After that, I picked up groceries on my walk home. I went shopping with Maria and Madeleine before coming back home for dinner. 

 

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.