I met with my conversation partner, and she’s AWESOME! Yesterday, instead of heading to a café, we went to the Gothic Quarter and walked around for about an hour. The first half was in English, and the second in Spanish. I’m so excited about doing this exchange! I’m heading off to a workshop that certifies TELFA teachers (just for an “I survived this ESL methods” workshop) and it should give me access to a load of resources to improve my ability to teach and learn (and visa-versa!).
Oop! And today was *ahem* interesting... My first encounter with no-tranquil Spanish protesters (these people took to the streets, instead of moving in to the University)... or really, any kind of protesters in the streets... wait... yep. Okay! I’ll explain. After napping in Barcelona’s equivalent to Balboa Park (Parque de la Ciudatella) I went to the ISA office to check up on some of the travel books they have in the break room. When I left, it was around 5 in the afternoon (and for those of you who have lived with me... quiet time!). I was quite drowsy as I headed towards UB to check out spanish easy-read books in the library, play with the mangy cats in the garden, or walk around wherever; however, when I got to the first intersection I have to cross to get to Plaça Cataluñia (center of town) I noticed there were a bunch of police cars parked up and down the street. Instead of thinking “oh, geez, I should probably take a different route”, instead, “Hmm... now would probably not be a good time to j-walk” ran through my mind. While waiting on the corner of the street for the pedestrian sign to turn green (in my sleepy state of mind), I heard what sounded like a ton of bricks falling from a crane (not that high up, just enough to make a startling BANG!). As these sounds frequently visit my ears in the city, I walked across the street (when the light was green!) and ignored it. Then, right when I reached the pavement, I heard two more explosions back-to-back, and people yelling and screaming. At this point, I finally looked up and saw a huge group of protesters (signs, t-shirts, the works!) being pushed back by a police barricade. And the explosions? TEAR-FrEaKiNg-GAS! (I was upwind from it! It was blowing the other way! Don’t worry!). I was... a bit... freaked out, I (waited for the green light again, funny how logic doesn’t always kick in when one is scared) ran back to the ISA office. It’s not too far away from the intersection I discovered the protest at, but there’s quite a hike up the stairs (okay, in Spain building floors are deceptive. I live on the “third floor” in my building, but I have to walk up 5 flights to get to it. This is because (And it changes from building-to building, there is an entrada, a ground floor, and then the first floor second floor gibbily-gab begins... the ISA office is on the second floor (4th) of a similar type of building), and I was too anxious to calmly walk up them. I realized that I had left my map (ol’ faithful!) at home, and didn’t have a clue of how to navigate the side streets without being lead back to the “fiesta”, so once inside, I burst (well, not really, that’s a bit dramatic) into the office and, in the worst Spanish to ever flee my mouth, tried to explain what had just happened (I don’t quite have the vocab to explain “holy cow! there’s an angry mob in the streets, and they’re being gassed by the police!”). The message, thankfully, got across (mostly because all of the directors are bilingual, and fluent in “freaked out american hand gestures”) and they were extremely helpful. I think one of them was worried I would pass out... I was a bit flushed from sleeping in the sun earlier but that was all! ...I’m just pale... But, they offered me water and looked up where the protest was at on google (and what it was about: housing), and then helped me come up with a plan to take the metro back home (it can be a bit confusing if you’ve never taken that specific exit/entrance before). I popped up from the metro at the university just to make sure that the area was clear to go to my night class. It was, no one was there. So, I took the metro (making sure I stayed underground) back to Plaça Cataluñia. On a normal day I would have just walked above ground, but today I figured it would be best to just stay away from all the excitement. While I was navigating the stations (it’s quite large. Two metro systems, and renfe (national train system) run under the Plaça) announcements began to come over the intercom. As I live in Cataluñia, if info ever gets announced in the metro, it’s always just in Catalán, but today they ran bilingual messages (the other in Spanish) to make it absolutely clear that no one was allowed to move the protests underground.
Well, I made it home totally safe, and had no trouble getting to my night class. When I came back a few hours later, there were emergency vehicles in between the office and the plaça, but the crowds had been dispersed.
So, like I said, it was an interesting day. I truly, truly hope no one was badly hurt, and that the housing problems are resolved quickly. I’ll let you guys know when I find out more about what they were protesting.
Hope your day was excellent, and to hear from you soon!
Love you!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
I saw the Pyrenees on Saturday =D
Well! This weekend has been an adventure. ...a good one.
On Friday, I went to the museum of history in the Gothic Quarter with my good friend Anna. We had a blast running (totally lying, we were moseying at best... Awesome!) Anyways, we worked out way through the rooms of ancient statues and artifacts from the Romantic era, and then found an elevator. Now, I know what you’re thinking... why should I be surprised that there was an elevator in a museum... Because it was freaking awesome! This thing was like the corvettes of elevators! Nice ‘n’ spacious... air conditioned, ... no, totally kidding. Actually, this elevator had a screen on it that said “2009”... we didn’t really understand what it was until we started going down... the number began decreasing, and when the doors opened we were in the Romanic ruins that they had dug out from under the city... HOW COOL IS THAT?!
After an ample amount of running around under ground (in what was essentially the “50 cent” tour of a dead person’s house, laundry room included) and running into two of my teachers from the university, we decided to move on to other activities for the day. Anna and I met up with some friends at the beach, and I finally planted my feet into some spanish sand... OH! how wonderful it was to be back at the beach again! ..oh, and we fed seagulls... if you toss bread at them, they’ll catch it in the air. It’s awesome *sing song voice*. When it began to get dark, we walked the streets in the Gothic neighborhood to get back to the metro station, and I finally stumbled upon “Santa Maria del Mar”. I can’t wait to go inside! It looks gorgeous!
It was a wonderfully relaxing day.
Then, we woke up super early on Saturday to go on a day-trip with ISA to Girona and Figueres, two little towns on the Costa Brava at the foot of the Pyrenees. Girona was beautiful in an ancient kind of way with weathered stone walls that have stood for centuries and ruins from Neopoleon’s escapades. Contrast that with Dali’s Museum (built and furbished by the man himself) and you’ve got yourself one heck of an adventure.
We got back home around eight at night, just in time to head out again for the Carnival celebration! Instead of buying a mask at the local market, I opted to paint my face. I went out with my friend, Grace, and experienced what was essentially Halloween for europeans.
I went to church the next day, and got to see all of the friends that I had made at the BBQ. *sigh* I’ve been plugged onto a church in Spain, and I can’t tell you how comforting that is! I turned down a lunch invitation, but am definitely going to a small group meeting on Wednesday night. Yay!
Well, hope you’re weekends were all splendid! here are the pictures from the recent going-ons (goings-ons? goings-on?...whatever):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17464&id=1323450019&l=3809f
Enjoy!
I love you all, and hope to hear from you soon!
On Friday, I went to the museum of history in the Gothic Quarter with my good friend Anna. We had a blast running (totally lying, we were moseying at best... Awesome!) Anyways, we worked out way through the rooms of ancient statues and artifacts from the Romantic era, and then found an elevator. Now, I know what you’re thinking... why should I be surprised that there was an elevator in a museum... Because it was freaking awesome! This thing was like the corvettes of elevators! Nice ‘n’ spacious... air conditioned, ... no, totally kidding. Actually, this elevator had a screen on it that said “2009”... we didn’t really understand what it was until we started going down... the number began decreasing, and when the doors opened we were in the Romanic ruins that they had dug out from under the city... HOW COOL IS THAT?!
After an ample amount of running around under ground (in what was essentially the “50 cent” tour of a dead person’s house, laundry room included) and running into two of my teachers from the university, we decided to move on to other activities for the day. Anna and I met up with some friends at the beach, and I finally planted my feet into some spanish sand... OH! how wonderful it was to be back at the beach again! ..oh, and we fed seagulls... if you toss bread at them, they’ll catch it in the air. It’s awesome *sing song voice*. When it began to get dark, we walked the streets in the Gothic neighborhood to get back to the metro station, and I finally stumbled upon “Santa Maria del Mar”. I can’t wait to go inside! It looks gorgeous!
It was a wonderfully relaxing day.
Then, we woke up super early on Saturday to go on a day-trip with ISA to Girona and Figueres, two little towns on the Costa Brava at the foot of the Pyrenees. Girona was beautiful in an ancient kind of way with weathered stone walls that have stood for centuries and ruins from Neopoleon’s escapades. Contrast that with Dali’s Museum (built and furbished by the man himself) and you’ve got yourself one heck of an adventure.
We got back home around eight at night, just in time to head out again for the Carnival celebration! Instead of buying a mask at the local market, I opted to paint my face. I went out with my friend, Grace, and experienced what was essentially Halloween for europeans.
I went to church the next day, and got to see all of the friends that I had made at the BBQ. *sigh* I’ve been plugged onto a church in Spain, and I can’t tell you how comforting that is! I turned down a lunch invitation, but am definitely going to a small group meeting on Wednesday night. Yay!
Well, hope you’re weekends were all splendid! here are the pictures from the recent going-ons (goings-ons? goings-on?...whatever):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17464&id=1323450019&l=3809f
Enjoy!
I love you all, and hope to hear from you soon!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
*sigh* It would be a dirty word...
*sigh* My first Spanish presentation is officially out of the way... and my grade is set in that class... and the teacher never takes attendance... and its boring... (Stop tempting me, peoples! No, but really, I’ll go. I’ve decided that I have to makes friends with some guys in the class. They’re from Ukraine and are absolutely hilarious... make me laugh every class. SO! I’ll go...)
Anyways, the presentation went really well. I was a part of a group that covered sports in Spain... I know. Michelle doing a presentation on something that involves organized sports... Ironically, none of the other three girls in my group were into sports, as well. Oh! and we had five days (including the weekend) to throw it all together. Amazingly, it went really, really well. And, Anna, if you’re reading this, you were my favorite! Very animated. Oh! And easy to understand. Nicely played! Anyhoo...
Oh! ...OH MY GOSH! Okayokayokay... This is embarrasing. Enjoy...
I was sitting in class the other day, and we were talking about the amount of Americans vs. Spaniards that get plastic surgery done. And, since I live in Southern California... I was trying to explain that the majority of women either injected themselves with Botox, or had their breasts enlarged. You would think that of all the words to struggle describing, that “breasts” would not be a problem. But, it was. I totally blanked (mostly because “el pecho” sounded too masculine to describe the girls). SO! I tried *cringe* and failed *contort* to get around it as best as I could with the vocabulary I already possessed. The lucky word-lottery winner was “chichis” which is a playful way of saying “boobies” in Mexico... According to my Spanish prof. from City College, one “chi” is for one side, and the other “chi” for the other. ¡Son Gemelas! (they’re twins). Well, aparently, not all slang words travel across the ocean very well, and when “chichis” left my mouth, I knew that this was one of those instances. My professor’s face turned from ghostly pale to bright red, and then she began laughing... at me! Don’t worry, she quickly pulled herself together, and said, “Michelle, (this is a translation, by the way... mkay) what do you think that means?” ...*with look of horror on her face, Michelle cups hands under her boobies and makes bouncy motion* “Ah! ...I see. Well, it means emm... it’s a vulgar word for describing a part of the woman’s anatomy. You probably shouldn’t use it here.” (Oh! and “buey” is useless as an insult here... ) Anyways, I wanted to crawl under a rock, but opted to turn about twelve shades of red instead...
Then, a few days later, I was on the Metro with my friend Benjamin from Districto Federal (Mexico City), and I suddenly remembered what had happened the week before. Wanting to verify that the word in question meant what I thought it did (boobies?) I leaned in and began telling him what had happened (didn’t want any elderly women to pass out from such vulgar language). ...He laughed... and then thanked me... and then laughed. And, yes. It means “those fun little fiddly-bits”... just not here...
Well, hope you are all having an excellent week. Mine has been VERY educational! Hope to talk to you soon! Love you!
Anyways, the presentation went really well. I was a part of a group that covered sports in Spain... I know. Michelle doing a presentation on something that involves organized sports... Ironically, none of the other three girls in my group were into sports, as well. Oh! and we had five days (including the weekend) to throw it all together. Amazingly, it went really, really well. And, Anna, if you’re reading this, you were my favorite! Very animated. Oh! And easy to understand. Nicely played! Anyhoo...
Oh! ...OH MY GOSH! Okayokayokay... This is embarrasing. Enjoy...
I was sitting in class the other day, and we were talking about the amount of Americans vs. Spaniards that get plastic surgery done. And, since I live in Southern California... I was trying to explain that the majority of women either injected themselves with Botox, or had their breasts enlarged. You would think that of all the words to struggle describing, that “breasts” would not be a problem. But, it was. I totally blanked (mostly because “el pecho” sounded too masculine to describe the girls). SO! I tried *cringe* and failed *contort* to get around it as best as I could with the vocabulary I already possessed. The lucky word-lottery winner was “chichis” which is a playful way of saying “boobies” in Mexico... According to my Spanish prof. from City College, one “chi” is for one side, and the other “chi” for the other. ¡Son Gemelas! (they’re twins). Well, aparently, not all slang words travel across the ocean very well, and when “chichis” left my mouth, I knew that this was one of those instances. My professor’s face turned from ghostly pale to bright red, and then she began laughing... at me! Don’t worry, she quickly pulled herself together, and said, “Michelle, (this is a translation, by the way... mkay) what do you think that means?” ...*with look of horror on her face, Michelle cups hands under her boobies and makes bouncy motion* “Ah! ...I see. Well, it means emm... it’s a vulgar word for describing a part of the woman’s anatomy. You probably shouldn’t use it here.” (Oh! and “buey” is useless as an insult here... ) Anyways, I wanted to crawl under a rock, but opted to turn about twelve shades of red instead...
Then, a few days later, I was on the Metro with my friend Benjamin from Districto Federal (Mexico City), and I suddenly remembered what had happened the week before. Wanting to verify that the word in question meant what I thought it did (boobies?) I leaned in and began telling him what had happened (didn’t want any elderly women to pass out from such vulgar language). ...He laughed... and then thanked me... and then laughed. And, yes. It means “those fun little fiddly-bits”... just not here...
Well, hope you are all having an excellent week. Mine has been VERY educational! Hope to talk to you soon! Love you!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
BBQs and B-Ball
This weekend was (in short) AMAZING! *happy dance*
I can’t remember how much I told you in my last post, so there may be a bit of a review...
Wait! I already talked about Saturday... Okay, SUNday, was a whole lotta fun. I went to church at around 11:30 and got totally turned around and lost in the neighborhood (whoo ho!) and finally found the church at around 12:15... I know, it makes it worse when I tell you I was walking around the same block several times (But better when I say “road construction?!”). Anyways, right when I scrambled into the sanctuary and seated myself, the pastor looked up and said “amen” and the entire congregation proceeded to leave the way I had just entered seconds ago... bummer...
But! I began introducing myself to other goers, and found out that there was a second service (Horray for being horribly late only to find out I’m actually on time!) So, (round two *dingdingding* (Yes, there is a perpetual boxing match in my head... )) I went back in and got settled. About half-way through the service, a few friends from my Spanish class came in, yay! familiar faces.
At the end of that service, everyone kinda stayed in the sanctuary so that we could travel to the BBQ together. During that time, I met a bunch of people I probably would have been to shy to introduce myself to otherwise (shut up!, it happens!) and made some awesome friends.
Oh! at the BBQ, I tried this traditional Cataluñian dish called Calçots. They’re (the spell check is screaming at me right now!) like big chives that you roast over a fire, peel, and then dip into sauce. Very mess... OHHHH SO GOOD! Will I make them when I get back to the states?... You can betchyour buttons, I will!
I also played one-on-one BB ball with this guy who plays on a local team in Barcelona. Here be the pictures of me getting my booty kicked. ...two days later, and I’m still in pain! Haha! It was very fun, and at first I wasn’t considering going back, but I’m very glad that they had this event to plug the newbies into the church. It’s going to ease the “Umm... I don’t know anyone... Let me cling to you, unsuspecting person” feeling quite a bit!
Well! I have to get showered and head off to school! Hope to talk to you all later and that you're doing well! Love you!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
El Dia de los Muertos (NO! totally kidding! Happy Valentines Day!)
Hello family! Its been a long week over here, but it came to a close (thank goodness) and the prospect of some fun upcoming events are definitely something that has been keeping me going. In case you hadn't found out yet, I didn't make the choir, and the director was unhappy with the short amount of time that I could offer (three months is kinda short...) SO! there goes that plan... onto the next one!
I'm going to a church BBQ tomorrow, which should be quite... shall I say it?... diverting (Oh yes! I did. I guess I'm just in a Jane Austin mood). Though there are some people that know some people that I know from my stay in Madrid (I know, just stay with me!) I think I'm going to look elsewhere after this Sunday. I'm really interested in making friends with Spaniards, and an international church (though awesome) is just not the place to do it (plus, the sermons are in English, which kinda defeats the purpose of that activity). So! One of my friends has a roommate (again, bare with me!) who found an all Castilian church somewhat close to the school (and Protestant to boot!). I think I'm going to go check it out pretty soon, and will let you know how it goes.
Friday, I went to the Gothic Quarter and met up with one other student and a leader for a tour of that section. Its absolutely gorgeous! and so full of history! *squeak!* Not wanting to slow the tour down, I tried to take as little photos as possible and then went back later to fill in the gaps...
here are the good ones:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16773&id=1323450019&l=eebbf
After that tour, we went back to the only bagel shop that leader has found in the city, and what should be on the menu (the secret, secret menu?!) PANCAKES!!!! WITH rEaL MAPLE SYRUP! *sob* ...they were yummy =)
After partaking in a delectable stack of cake-pans (mom-ism... SHOUT OUT!... HOLLA!) The tour of the Gaudi master piece La Perdrera began. It was a house built for an extremely wealthy family around the turn of the century by the famous architect. The most interesting factoid about the building is that the outside walls are strong enough that the apartments inside contain no internal weight baring walls, SO! if you don't like the floor plan... knock it down and build something else. The building won't topple down on you. Also, depending on which floor we were on affected the size of the windows. He wanted each apartment to have the same amount of light, so the bottom floors have giant windows, and the top floors are outfitted with more reasonably sized ones. Incredible! (This creates a stark contrast to the romantic era cathedrals in the area, as their towers have less windows on the bottom and more on the top, to lighten the weight and make the building more durable over time)... you've just been school.
So, that trip turned up some amazing photos, but! Don't worry, I selected the best and compiled them here for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16774&id=1323450019&l=adb5c
...I actually (for the first time ever!) completely maxed out my memory card on the camera. 178 photos is it's limit... Crystal, I think you would have been proud! You've turned me into a camera maniac. I even went to FNAC (like barnes and nobles) and looked at photography technique books. It's been a lot of fun getting to know that camera. (I've named her Daphne) Thank you SO much!
Well, I hope you're all having a wonderful St. Valentines Day! Talk to you later! Love you all!
I'm going to a church BBQ tomorrow, which should be quite... shall I say it?... diverting (Oh yes! I did. I guess I'm just in a Jane Austin mood). Though there are some people that know some people that I know from my stay in Madrid (I know, just stay with me!) I think I'm going to look elsewhere after this Sunday. I'm really interested in making friends with Spaniards, and an international church (though awesome) is just not the place to do it (plus, the sermons are in English, which kinda defeats the purpose of that activity). So! One of my friends has a roommate (again, bare with me!) who found an all Castilian church somewhat close to the school (and Protestant to boot!). I think I'm going to go check it out pretty soon, and will let you know how it goes.
Friday, I went to the Gothic Quarter and met up with one other student and a leader for a tour of that section. Its absolutely gorgeous! and so full of history! *squeak!* Not wanting to slow the tour down, I tried to take as little photos as possible and then went back later to fill in the gaps...
here are the good ones:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16773&id=1323450019&l=eebbf
After that tour, we went back to the only bagel shop that leader has found in the city, and what should be on the menu (the secret, secret menu?!) PANCAKES!!!! WITH rEaL MAPLE SYRUP! *sob* ...they were yummy =)
After partaking in a delectable stack of cake-pans (mom-ism... SHOUT OUT!... HOLLA!) The tour of the Gaudi master piece La Perdrera began. It was a house built for an extremely wealthy family around the turn of the century by the famous architect. The most interesting factoid about the building is that the outside walls are strong enough that the apartments inside contain no internal weight baring walls, SO! if you don't like the floor plan... knock it down and build something else. The building won't topple down on you. Also, depending on which floor we were on affected the size of the windows. He wanted each apartment to have the same amount of light, so the bottom floors have giant windows, and the top floors are outfitted with more reasonably sized ones. Incredible! (This creates a stark contrast to the romantic era cathedrals in the area, as their towers have less windows on the bottom and more on the top, to lighten the weight and make the building more durable over time)... you've just been school.
So, that trip turned up some amazing photos, but! Don't worry, I selected the best and compiled them here for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16774&id=1323450019&l=adb5c
...I actually (for the first time ever!) completely maxed out my memory card on the camera. 178 photos is it's limit... Crystal, I think you would have been proud! You've turned me into a camera maniac. I even went to FNAC (like barnes and nobles) and looked at photography technique books. It's been a lot of fun getting to know that camera. (I've named her Daphne) Thank you SO much!
Well, I hope you're all having a wonderful St. Valentines Day! Talk to you later! Love you all!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Busy, but beautiful day...
*contented sigh*
My parents send me my glasses in the mail a little less than a week ago, and they arrived all safe and sound. Oh! they also sent me some delicious cookies... So, now I’m sitting in the kitchen munching on a piece of home, sipping some hot Jasmine Tea (another stow-away) and looking like a hot librarian. No, but really. =)
I have an audition for the university choir tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Hope you all had a fantastic day!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It's been a while!
Update time! I know... I’m sorry. =)
Umm... Let’s see. So much has happened in such a short period of time (I just typed a paper and my Spanish spell check is on. Apparently, I can’t spell anything correctly right now... except “has” hehe. Okay, it’s off. The perpetual red squiggly line was getting on my nerves. *ahem*) Mkay... from the beginning (Strap yourselves in folks! this could be a long one!... um... that’s what she said? I know, I shouldn’t have...).
On Saturday, I decided to climb the mountain behind the flat where I live, as I was in desperate need of some unpolluted air and... OH MY GOSH! Its absolutely breath-taking! I brought the gnome along... for good measure. Man! I can’t tell you how many conversations have begun with that Gnome... So, thanks Bryan (shout out!). He’s quite the conversation piece. =)
Anyways, as I was climbing, I kinda moved off of the beaten path further into the woods. Just being in the trees again was so calming. I could hear anything, with the exception of a few very chattery birds, and the air had that filtery-green look. MMmmm! I continued climbing (I really wanted to make it to the observatory at the top) but the trail became incredibly steep. I took many-a break (and pictures... had to justify the frequent stops somehow...) and eventually stumbled onto some mountain bikers, who guessed my nationality after the first word out of my mouth... actually, it wasn’t really a word. I had hit one of the steepest parts of the trail, and was panting so hard it really came out more like *Hellloooohhuummmmee ha* ...sad. As it turns out... I was on a mountain bike trail... heading up the “down” path, to be precise. Figures. That’s probably why I didn’t see anyone! Anyways, these guys were hilarious! Very friendly! When I told them that I was studying Spanish at UB (Universitat de Barcelona), one of them asked me “Oh! So, you speak Spanish?” When I said “yes” he said something to me... and I didn’t understand any of it ( I tried!). I politely told him that I could only speak Castilian (figuring it was Catalan). Simultaneously, his friend nudged him in the side and said “She speaks Spanish, not Portuguese!” We then laughed. A random friends. Oh, speaking of which, while we were joking around, another person came up the same path. This time, I think they said something to him in French. He wound up being American. Better luck next time! So, the four of us talked on a ledge overlooking the whole valley (or close to it) of Barcelona, until the other American and myself had found, captured, and incarcerated our breath (No! totally kidding... but, really- it was steep!). We continued on together, and had a good talk. Nice guy (Shout out, Brett!). Yep! I made it to the tippy-top of the mountain. Huzzah! Took a million photos of the Cathedral, and then of the Basilica on top of the cathedral (excessive, mucho?) and then headed down via bus. I know! cheater... whatever.
Yep, so that was Saturday. I woke up the next morning and went to church (Pain free, I might add! Why is it that I can hike up a freaking mountain for the first time in ages and not get sore, but I take two weeks off from riding and I can’t walk the next day. Where be the logic in that, I say?!). Anyways, back to church. It was very nice. There are a little over 100 people that go there, and just over 30 nationalities. Amazing! I talked to the translator afterwards (services are held in English and Spanish) and it turns out he knows the Madisons in Madrid (the friends that picked me up when I arrived) and his kids go to the same school that Paul and Bethany teach at! Horray, connections! Um, I’m also planning on going camping over Spring break with a group of friends (Shall be fun) and I talked to Thomas to work out some details (boo, internet connection!).
I went over to a friend’s apartment for lunch (she’s the girl that told me about the international church) and got to know her roommates a little better. They’re awesome! And, got my paper back in my Spanish writing class... which had been bleed on by the evil red pen, but also had some lovely doodles of flowers in the margins (not making that up, and no, I didn’t put them there. Apparently, when one uses the phrase Si hubieran tenido” correctly, a magical cartoon garden pops up on the paper. *sigh* my teachers are awesome! ... that, and I wrote about graffiti. T’was a solid first paper. =)
Well, tomorrow I have a field trip with my art history class, and then Thursday I have an audition for the University Choir. It will be taught in Spanish and Catalan. I’m pretty excited =) Um, yep. That’s all I can think of right now. I have a busy, busy weekend ahead of me. Looking forward to hearing from you all soon!
Love you lots!
Michelle
You can find the pictures from the hike here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16207&l=2e31f&id=1323450019
And the random doodlings at the end of the album here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34&l=3152a&id=1323450019
Enjoy!
Umm... Let’s see. So much has happened in such a short period of time (I just typed a paper and my Spanish spell check is on. Apparently, I can’t spell anything correctly right now... except “has” hehe. Okay, it’s off. The perpetual red squiggly line was getting on my nerves. *ahem*) Mkay... from the beginning (Strap yourselves in folks! this could be a long one!... um... that’s what she said? I know, I shouldn’t have...).
On Saturday, I decided to climb the mountain behind the flat where I live, as I was in desperate need of some unpolluted air and... OH MY GOSH! Its absolutely breath-taking! I brought the gnome along... for good measure. Man! I can’t tell you how many conversations have begun with that Gnome... So, thanks Bryan (shout out!). He’s quite the conversation piece. =)
Anyways, as I was climbing, I kinda moved off of the beaten path further into the woods. Just being in the trees again was so calming. I could hear anything, with the exception of a few very chattery birds, and the air had that filtery-green look. MMmmm! I continued climbing (I really wanted to make it to the observatory at the top) but the trail became incredibly steep. I took many-a break (and pictures... had to justify the frequent stops somehow...) and eventually stumbled onto some mountain bikers, who guessed my nationality after the first word out of my mouth... actually, it wasn’t really a word. I had hit one of the steepest parts of the trail, and was panting so hard it really came out more like *Hellloooohhuummmmee ha* ...sad. As it turns out... I was on a mountain bike trail... heading up the “down” path, to be precise. Figures. That’s probably why I didn’t see anyone! Anyways, these guys were hilarious! Very friendly! When I told them that I was studying Spanish at UB (Universitat de Barcelona), one of them asked me “Oh! So, you speak Spanish?” When I said “yes” he said something to me... and I didn’t understand any of it ( I tried!). I politely told him that I could only speak Castilian (figuring it was Catalan). Simultaneously, his friend nudged him in the side and said “She speaks Spanish, not Portuguese!” We then laughed. A random friends. Oh, speaking of which, while we were joking around, another person came up the same path. This time, I think they said something to him in French. He wound up being American. Better luck next time! So, the four of us talked on a ledge overlooking the whole valley (or close to it) of Barcelona, until the other American and myself had found, captured, and incarcerated our breath (No! totally kidding... but, really- it was steep!). We continued on together, and had a good talk. Nice guy (Shout out, Brett!). Yep! I made it to the tippy-top of the mountain. Huzzah! Took a million photos of the Cathedral, and then of the Basilica on top of the cathedral (excessive, mucho?) and then headed down via bus. I know! cheater... whatever.
Yep, so that was Saturday. I woke up the next morning and went to church (Pain free, I might add! Why is it that I can hike up a freaking mountain for the first time in ages and not get sore, but I take two weeks off from riding and I can’t walk the next day. Where be the logic in that, I say?!). Anyways, back to church. It was very nice. There are a little over 100 people that go there, and just over 30 nationalities. Amazing! I talked to the translator afterwards (services are held in English and Spanish) and it turns out he knows the Madisons in Madrid (the friends that picked me up when I arrived) and his kids go to the same school that Paul and Bethany teach at! Horray, connections! Um, I’m also planning on going camping over Spring break with a group of friends (Shall be fun) and I talked to Thomas to work out some details (boo, internet connection!).
I went over to a friend’s apartment for lunch (she’s the girl that told me about the international church) and got to know her roommates a little better. They’re awesome! And, got my paper back in my Spanish writing class... which had been bleed on by the evil red pen, but also had some lovely doodles of flowers in the margins (not making that up, and no, I didn’t put them there. Apparently, when one uses the phrase Si hubieran tenido” correctly, a magical cartoon garden pops up on the paper. *sigh* my teachers are awesome! ... that, and I wrote about graffiti. T’was a solid first paper. =)
Well, tomorrow I have a field trip with my art history class, and then Thursday I have an audition for the University Choir. It will be taught in Spanish and Catalan. I’m pretty excited =) Um, yep. That’s all I can think of right now. I have a busy, busy weekend ahead of me. Looking forward to hearing from you all soon!
Love you lots!
Michelle
You can find the pictures from the hike here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16207&l=2e31f&id=1323450019
And the random doodlings at the end of the album here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34&l=3152a&id=1323450019
Enjoy!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
*Old man voice from Monty Python and the Holy Grail* "I'm feeling betteh!"
Thanks, to everyone who wrote me emails or talked to me online to make me feel better. It definitely helped! Well, needless to say, after yesterday’s going ons, I decided to get a little proactive about making some progress in the “Getting Used to this Place” department. I started out by going to school an hour early today, and wrote down all of the positive things I saw along the way. I know... It either sounds really silly, or like one of those “Let’s Get Along” exercises they make you do in Convo. at Loma (for those of you who haven’t experienced this yet, its a required psychology class), but it helped... a lot. By the time I actually got to school, I had a huge list... which I won’t bore you with, minus one: As I was exiting the metro, I saw an elderly lady drop her cain in the middle of the road near one to the taxi stands. She went to go and get it, but a cab driver stopped her and braved traffic himself. Very sweet. Oh! and I got a response back from my program director about the choir. The audition is in Catalan, but he said that he would help me figure it out and make a go at getting in. So excited! Oh! And I made some friends in my one of my classes. Well, we have a lot together, actually. Oh! and one of the girls I met up with found a protestant church, and invited me to come along. Today was a good day...
For my fellow study abroad friends, a few words of encouragement from my Dad (wow, guest blogger! sweet!). They helped a lot when I was feeling crumby:
Michelle,
I'm so proud of you. I was exciting for us to hear that you got placed
in the advanced Spanish classes. I also can identify with your
adjustment to life in Spain and the frustration with common things
that aren't so familiar nor so common from your cultural experience.
When we moved to Birmingham, I had to adjust to the cultural
differences. Some I appreciated (like basic courtesy), but some were
rather frustrating. It seemed that I frequently offended the
southerners with what I thought was commonly acceptable social
interaction. When I needed a driver's license, I couldn't find the DMV
(I needed the Revenue Office), When it rained, it got hotter and more
humid, not cooler. Foods that we were used to (mostly fresh
vegetables) were not found in the local supermarket, and if one could
find it, it was very expensive. There was a never ending parade of
creatures, critters, and bugs that I never have seen before nor since.
I could list some more, but I think you get the point, which is that I
felt out-of-place for a while during my adjustment to the southern
culture. However, I'm glad to have had the experience.
I'm encouraged to see that you acknowledge that you will eventually
adjust to the culture, and more than likely begin to feel as if you
fit in.
And thanks for the blog. You put your experiences and thoughts into
great visuals. I can hardly wait to read the next entry.
Love you lot's and lot's,
Dad
For my fellow study abroad friends, a few words of encouragement from my Dad (wow, guest blogger! sweet!). They helped a lot when I was feeling crumby:
Michelle,
I'm so proud of you. I was exciting for us to hear that you got placed
in the advanced Spanish classes. I also can identify with your
adjustment to life in Spain and the frustration with common things
that aren't so familiar nor so common from your cultural experience.
When we moved to Birmingham, I had to adjust to the cultural
differences. Some I appreciated (like basic courtesy), but some were
rather frustrating. It seemed that I frequently offended the
southerners with what I thought was commonly acceptable social
interaction. When I needed a driver's license, I couldn't find the DMV
(I needed the Revenue Office), When it rained, it got hotter and more
humid, not cooler. Foods that we were used to (mostly fresh
vegetables) were not found in the local supermarket, and if one could
find it, it was very expensive. There was a never ending parade of
creatures, critters, and bugs that I never have seen before nor since.
I could list some more, but I think you get the point, which is that I
felt out-of-place for a while during my adjustment to the southern
culture. However, I'm glad to have had the experience.
I'm encouraged to see that you acknowledge that you will eventually
adjust to the culture, and more than likely begin to feel as if you
fit in.
And thanks for the blog. You put your experiences and thoughts into
great visuals. I can hardly wait to read the next entry.
Love you lot's and lot's,
Dad
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
smelly escalators and fantastic smelling bathrooms. This place is completely backwards!
Alright, I can’t avoid it anymore. As much as I didn’t want to be a crabby-cakes, the time has come. I am, as I believe they clinically diagnose it, in “Culture Shock”. Therefore, friends, the following content of this blog may not be suitable for some readers (actually, that’s not true. I’ll keep it totally “G”... well, “PG”). Parental discretion is advised.
Hmmm... I kinda just vented on Elijah (shout out!), so I’ll try to remember my list of grievances, its not very long. Okay, everything is different which can be immensely frustrating. One would think that there would be some similarities between San Diego and Barcelona, as they have so many physical similarities: such as being situated close to a boarder, being on the coast... near the same latitudes, functioning as bilingual cities, etc. Nope. The cultures are completely different. I can’t even compare it to a city in the US because... I just can’t. Which, at first, was the coolest thing ever, but now its incredibly handicapping, as it makes it near impossible to relate to the logic of the culture. Again, I wish I could explain it better, but I can’t. I really hope that made sense.
I guess it’s kinda like being forced to learn everything over again, down to how to use the shower, and open the dang door (boo, skeleton keys!). I’m not exaggerating. Like I said, everything is different. Simple, everyday tasks, suddenly become unwanted learning experiences and great frustrations, because the host culture can’t believe someone could be stupid enough to not know how to use the freaking toilet, and the person on the receiving end of some less-than-helpful, sarcastic instructions gets just plain overwhelmed. No, I did not cry over a toilet. That would just be sad. Although, I did almost throw up on an escalator... but that’s another story for another time. No, I was not motion sick.
Actually, to be quite honest, most of this stuff seems really silly to get my panties in a knot over... I think it’s just the combination of having to learn how to play a new game in a new place without the “cheat-sheet” option and being away from everything familiar... absolutely everything. I know that this is just one step towards becoming acclimated to a place that I might even regard as home one day, but right now I feel a bit like that pansy I dug up in the garden and moved to a more spacious pot. ...kinda wilty and pathetic looking. Hmm... Do they make Miracle Grow Liquid Quick Start Plant Food for people?
Classes are going great. Extremely difficult, but great. The exam placed me exactly where I should be. Looking forward to getting into a routine with the academics, and getting used to my new surroundings. Hope to hear from you all soon. It really helps, I promise. OH! and I’m looking for postage stamps. So, something may or may not come in the mail sometime in the near future.
Love you!
Hmmm... I kinda just vented on Elijah (shout out!), so I’ll try to remember my list of grievances, its not very long. Okay, everything is different which can be immensely frustrating. One would think that there would be some similarities between San Diego and Barcelona, as they have so many physical similarities: such as being situated close to a boarder, being on the coast... near the same latitudes, functioning as bilingual cities, etc. Nope. The cultures are completely different. I can’t even compare it to a city in the US because... I just can’t. Which, at first, was the coolest thing ever, but now its incredibly handicapping, as it makes it near impossible to relate to the logic of the culture. Again, I wish I could explain it better, but I can’t. I really hope that made sense.
I guess it’s kinda like being forced to learn everything over again, down to how to use the shower, and open the dang door (boo, skeleton keys!). I’m not exaggerating. Like I said, everything is different. Simple, everyday tasks, suddenly become unwanted learning experiences and great frustrations, because the host culture can’t believe someone could be stupid enough to not know how to use the freaking toilet, and the person on the receiving end of some less-than-helpful, sarcastic instructions gets just plain overwhelmed. No, I did not cry over a toilet. That would just be sad. Although, I did almost throw up on an escalator... but that’s another story for another time. No, I was not motion sick.
Actually, to be quite honest, most of this stuff seems really silly to get my panties in a knot over... I think it’s just the combination of having to learn how to play a new game in a new place without the “cheat-sheet” option and being away from everything familiar... absolutely everything. I know that this is just one step towards becoming acclimated to a place that I might even regard as home one day, but right now I feel a bit like that pansy I dug up in the garden and moved to a more spacious pot. ...kinda wilty and pathetic looking. Hmm... Do they make Miracle Grow Liquid Quick Start Plant Food for people?
Classes are going great. Extremely difficult, but great. The exam placed me exactly where I should be. Looking forward to getting into a routine with the academics, and getting used to my new surroundings. Hope to hear from you all soon. It really helps, I promise. OH! and I’m looking for postage stamps. So, something may or may not come in the mail sometime in the near future.
Love you!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
a quickie...
Hmmm... I should update you all. Well, I have had three culture classes so far, and have loved them all! Each of my teachers is so completely different! One wears a traditional three piece suit to class, while the other shows up in leggings, a sweater dress, and blue galoshes. Did I mention she has fuchsia hair? She does... and she’s at least forty. Awesome! *sing song voice*
Though very diverse, each of my classes have been specifically geared towards acclimating the student to their new surrounding. The art teacher passed out lists of historic sites (what am I saying? the whole dang continent is a historic site!) to visit, while the conversation prof gave us restaurant and cooking school suggestions (Food? Again?!), and the writing prof asked us to write an essay about problems in our neighborhoods in Barcelona, and how we could either adjust to them, or help fix them (haha! surprise! A page... Now! No, it was fine. I wrote about graffiti. Its everywhere!).
Well, sorry I’m not in much of a writing mood. The sun came out today. =)
Oh! The students at the University are protesting (and sleeping at the school) and a major storm downed some trees on campus and knocked out a lot of windows... basically, the inside looks like a shanty-town and the outside looks like it’s in need of some serious love, so pictures will just have to wait. Ha! I’m planning on going to La Sagrada Familia sometime soon. Probably Friday morning. Huzzah! I’ll let you know how it is. Hope to hear from you all soon! Love you.
Though very diverse, each of my classes have been specifically geared towards acclimating the student to their new surrounding. The art teacher passed out lists of historic sites (what am I saying? the whole dang continent is a historic site!) to visit, while the conversation prof gave us restaurant and cooking school suggestions (Food? Again?!), and the writing prof asked us to write an essay about problems in our neighborhoods in Barcelona, and how we could either adjust to them, or help fix them (haha! surprise! A page... Now! No, it was fine. I wrote about graffiti. Its everywhere!).
Well, sorry I’m not in much of a writing mood. The sun came out today. =)
Oh! The students at the University are protesting (and sleeping at the school) and a major storm downed some trees on campus and knocked out a lot of windows... basically, the inside looks like a shanty-town and the outside looks like it’s in need of some serious love, so pictures will just have to wait. Ha! I’m planning on going to La Sagrada Familia sometime soon. Probably Friday morning. Huzzah! I’ll let you know how it is. Hope to hear from you all soon! Love you.
Monday, February 2, 2009
First day of school...
Sorry y'all. I'm just not feeling the blog thing. Meehhhrrr. But! I will give you a quick update. I was expecting to get into Intermediate level classes, and was placed in Advanced instead. So! I need to email Loma and see if this changes anything. I sure hope not. They can be incredibly picky when it comes to stinking classes, and I would hate to have to drop down just to satisfy the icky bureaucracy. Sorry, again, that was kinda negative. Anyways, classes start tonight, and kick in full throttle on Wed. (We have staggering starts to classes.) I'm looking forward to getting settled into a routine, and finding a choir. Yes, I have decided that I can't live without music for the next four months, so I'm looking into the University choir here on campus. Well, I'm going to get crack-a-lacking on those e-mails. Talk to you later! Bye!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
adorable video- Makes me laugh everytime!
Mkay... keep my weird sense of humor in mind... And, enjoy!
the French translates to "a snail's dream" ...
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=Iigm1yDUFxE&feature=channel_page
Yes Dad, its that video. The one that I watched over and over again... without headphones... and cracked up every time... you don't have to watch it again. Haha! Love you!
the French translates to "a snail's dream" ...
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=Iigm1yDUFxE&feature=channel_page
Yes Dad, its that video. The one that I watched over and over again... without headphones... and cracked up every time... you don't have to watch it again. Haha! Love you!
Church: 1, Michelle: 0
¡Vale, vale! (Spanish for “okay”)... Today was a bit interesting, and in retrospect, I feel as if I didn’t do anything...accept eat some very good pasta, but that’s beside the point. Being a beautiful Sunday morning (totally lying... it was a duck’s day. Cold and wet...with a slight chance of blehhh) I decided to venture out into the town to try and find a protestant (emphasis on the first syllable, we do not typically protest the existence of the ant population, well, unless its summertime and the ants are big enough to strap saddles on and ride like horses. In which case, I totally oppose them by spraying mouthwash on their tiny bodies and watch them run around in circles... quite diverting!... now, I’m just being silly) *ahem* anyways, I decided to attempt to find a protestant church in the area so that I could get plugged into the community; however, I didn’t want to just meander the streets by myself looking for a random cross and sign that said “iglesia” so I got onto the internet...okay, this is where my day got horribly mundane, so I’ll omit the details... basically, I couldn’t find one within the city limits so I decided to head back to the Catholic Basilica “Santa Maria del Mar” for the evening Castilian Mass. As I live in the state of Cataluña (physical state in Spain, not emotion...huh, I wonder what feeling Cataluña-ish would be like...) the majority of the churches hold services in the local language: Catalan- which sounds like Spanish (Castilian), but makes zero sense if you don’t speak it. I entered the name of the church into the computer and wrote down the time for the Castilian mass (7: 30 p.m. if you’re even in town on a Sunday). And since I’ve been struggling a bit with the Metro system, I decided to leave around 6: 45 ish to get there on time. Needless to say, I got there around 7 p.m., but didn’t know it because I forgot to bring a watch. So, I walked inside, and had enough time to sit down and think to myself “whaaa?”. I then realized that I must have gotten there early, so I headed off to a coffee shop. Ahh! Spanish coffee! My heart swells with joy! Oh! Tears! ...yeah, I’m addicted... hehehe.
Okay, this is a random story, well not really (the one I’m about to tell!), but food here is a huge deal. As we were getting off of the bus, and I’ve heard other snippets of information from Rafaela (my Spanish mum), the war in Spain (civil) started around WW1 and ended about 30 years ago after Franco died and democratic elections were set up. (Their government is essentially the same set up as England, with a Royal family and Parliament, etc.) During that time, food was incredibly scarce (I was trying to play the “I’ve eaten stranger food than you” game with Rafaela...she wins) SO, having and distributing enough really good food is something that families take great pride in here. (We were warned (not joking) to not overreact if we kinda liked something. Apparently there as an incident a few years ago with a student that told his house mother he really liked a dish that he thought was kinda bland...and ate it every day for two weeks until he told the family he couldn’t take anymore!) What was I talking about...Oh yeah! So, at every meal I have so far, once I say “Estoy llena” (I’m full) or at times “¡Por favor, no puedo más!” (Please, I can’t eat anymore..I just can’t!) I’m usually told “Oh! you don’t eat very much” or something along those lines. It’s actually incredibly cute in the house, as I know Rafaela simply wants to take really good care of her niñas; however, sometime I’ll get told those in restaurants as well, which can be a bit annoying... Alright, now that I’ve taken you guys on the scenic tour of my mind, back to the coffee story: I ducked into one of my favorite coffee shops (yes, *sigh* I have more than one now...) and ordered a café con más leche (essentially milk with a little bit of coffee, only way I can truly enjoy it). I kid you not, right after I paused expecting the man behind the counter to ring me up, he looked at me and said (in Spanish) “what? that’s it?!”...Yes!
In all honesty though, I couldn’t be more grateful for the culture. One of my greatest fears was not being able to fit in well, or being completely shunned, and though the Spanish culture is different, I have only met the warmest people. As of right now, the only reason why I don’t fit in is the color scheme of my wardrobe. Its cold, so I’ve been enjoying my red jacket...and everyone wears black, gray, dark green, etc. I actually enjoy my coat in a sneaky kind of way. Happy colors!
Anyways, to be quite honest, at first I didn’t like Barcelona. It was quite different from what I expected. I was thinking beach culture much like San Diego, and instead, its much more like a large-upscale city...think New York, but smaller and with a lower crime rate, if you will... actually, more like the Gas-lamp District but everywhere. Point being, I didn’t immediately fall in love with it like I did Madrid, so I’ve been heading out everyday to explore the city and attempt to make friends with the local culture, and so far... its worked. Its amazing how the area has made a point of making friends with me, rather than the other way around. I know, I know, this sounds silly. Its also incredibly late at night for me... But, I came expecting one thing, and got another. Its totally different, but I think I’m starting to like it much more than if I had arrived with the correct picture in my mind, the perfect plan, etc. I know, I’m babbling...babble, babble, babble...Oh! Did I ever finish my original story? Ha! okay: let’s review, so you don’t have to scroll back up to the top. I went to find a protestant church, couldn’t, decided to go to a catholic church, arrived early, got some coffee, made friends with a street performer, went back to the church AND at this point the Castilian service should have started, but I was stopped at the door by one of the guards who said that it was closed. On a Sunday. Irony. Actually, it was a holiday, so they had a two hour Catalan mass and no Castilian mass. Bummer. But! I don’t consider it a wasted trip, as I got the opportunity to meet up with the area, and figure out the metro system. Maybe next Sunday I’ll have better luck with the church thing. Anyways, hope you guys had an amazing Sunday. Shout out to my sister for her birthday party “WHOO HA!”.
Oh, and GO MY FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM, GO! BEAT THEM SOUNDLY in the... SKIRMISH! (Super Bowl meets Brian Regan, anyone?)
Okay, I start classes/ find out which level I tested into. Let’s hope it stops raining enough to get to school! Hope you all have an excellent Monday! Bye!
Okay, this is a random story, well not really (the one I’m about to tell!), but food here is a huge deal. As we were getting off of the bus, and I’ve heard other snippets of information from Rafaela (my Spanish mum), the war in Spain (civil) started around WW1 and ended about 30 years ago after Franco died and democratic elections were set up. (Their government is essentially the same set up as England, with a Royal family and Parliament, etc.) During that time, food was incredibly scarce (I was trying to play the “I’ve eaten stranger food than you” game with Rafaela...she wins) SO, having and distributing enough really good food is something that families take great pride in here. (We were warned (not joking) to not overreact if we kinda liked something. Apparently there as an incident a few years ago with a student that told his house mother he really liked a dish that he thought was kinda bland...and ate it every day for two weeks until he told the family he couldn’t take anymore!) What was I talking about...Oh yeah! So, at every meal I have so far, once I say “Estoy llena” (I’m full) or at times “¡Por favor, no puedo más!” (Please, I can’t eat anymore..I just can’t!) I’m usually told “Oh! you don’t eat very much” or something along those lines. It’s actually incredibly cute in the house, as I know Rafaela simply wants to take really good care of her niñas; however, sometime I’ll get told those in restaurants as well, which can be a bit annoying... Alright, now that I’ve taken you guys on the scenic tour of my mind, back to the coffee story: I ducked into one of my favorite coffee shops (yes, *sigh* I have more than one now...) and ordered a café con más leche (essentially milk with a little bit of coffee, only way I can truly enjoy it). I kid you not, right after I paused expecting the man behind the counter to ring me up, he looked at me and said (in Spanish) “what? that’s it?!”...Yes!
In all honesty though, I couldn’t be more grateful for the culture. One of my greatest fears was not being able to fit in well, or being completely shunned, and though the Spanish culture is different, I have only met the warmest people. As of right now, the only reason why I don’t fit in is the color scheme of my wardrobe. Its cold, so I’ve been enjoying my red jacket...and everyone wears black, gray, dark green, etc. I actually enjoy my coat in a sneaky kind of way. Happy colors!
Anyways, to be quite honest, at first I didn’t like Barcelona. It was quite different from what I expected. I was thinking beach culture much like San Diego, and instead, its much more like a large-upscale city...think New York, but smaller and with a lower crime rate, if you will... actually, more like the Gas-lamp District but everywhere. Point being, I didn’t immediately fall in love with it like I did Madrid, so I’ve been heading out everyday to explore the city and attempt to make friends with the local culture, and so far... its worked. Its amazing how the area has made a point of making friends with me, rather than the other way around. I know, I know, this sounds silly. Its also incredibly late at night for me... But, I came expecting one thing, and got another. Its totally different, but I think I’m starting to like it much more than if I had arrived with the correct picture in my mind, the perfect plan, etc. I know, I’m babbling...babble, babble, babble...Oh! Did I ever finish my original story? Ha! okay: let’s review, so you don’t have to scroll back up to the top. I went to find a protestant church, couldn’t, decided to go to a catholic church, arrived early, got some coffee, made friends with a street performer, went back to the church AND at this point the Castilian service should have started, but I was stopped at the door by one of the guards who said that it was closed. On a Sunday. Irony. Actually, it was a holiday, so they had a two hour Catalan mass and no Castilian mass. Bummer. But! I don’t consider it a wasted trip, as I got the opportunity to meet up with the area, and figure out the metro system. Maybe next Sunday I’ll have better luck with the church thing. Anyways, hope you guys had an amazing Sunday. Shout out to my sister for her birthday party “WHOO HA!”.
Oh, and GO MY FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM, GO! BEAT THEM SOUNDLY in the... SKIRMISH! (Super Bowl meets Brian Regan, anyone?)
Okay, I start classes/ find out which level I tested into. Let’s hope it stops raining enough to get to school! Hope you all have an excellent Monday! Bye!
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