Friday the 2nd I woke up with a terrible stomachache, which NEVER happens to me. I went to breakfast and walked to the metro for class, but just couldn’t do it. I was clammy and my stomach felt like there were knives in it. So I e-mailed the directors to tell them I needed to stay home and rest, and they had no problem with this. I slept for most of the day and rested. By dinnertime the pains weren’t as strong, but they were still there. I decided to go to out to the neighborhood festival anyway. It was okay, similar to the festival in Gràcia last weekend, but not as big. I think my stomach was finally reacting to the food here. Glad that’s over!
Saturday I met my Catalan teacher from UofI’s younger sister, Íngrid and her friend Rachael for lunch with three of my UofI friends for lunch. It was such a great time! We walked down La Rambla, and had lunch at a restaurant in Plaça Reial with traditional Catalan food. We tried patatas braves, a salad, paella, and crema catalana. They were all sooo good! It was pretty inexpensive for such delicious food. Check out my Facebook because I posted pictures of the meal there. After lunch, we went to a bookstore then returned to the dorms. I stayed in Saturday night because someone close to my family passed away the night before, so I wanted to be able to contact them that night. Others from my group went back to the festival, though.
Sunday was dedicated to homework. Nothing exciting about that! Our teachers here want our assignment turned in on white printer paper though, instead of the lined paper we brought over, and we have to hand write everything until the printers open up in the University. So it’s kind of annoying, but not a big deal at all. Some of us sit in the lounge of the dorms and do our homework together which is really nice.
The following week was pretty uneventful. School mode was in full blast: class from 9-2pm Mon-Thurs. with homework all week. My favorite class by far is Catalan, the local language spoken throughout Barcelona and Catalonia. Unfortunately, we didn’t learn anything new in this three-week intensive course than I did in my semester class at UofI, but it was still a nice refresher. My roommates in my apartment speak Catalan and Spanish, so I’m counting on them to help me practice! I did buy my plane tickets to visit my cousin Jenny and her family in Oxford for 10 days at Christmas time! I’m so excited to be in England for Christmas! And still with family while I’m abroad :)
This past weekend was fun, except for Friday. Thursday after dinner some friends and I went to the Fountains of Montjüic, a public fountain display with music and lights. It was incredible! After the fountains we went to an old bull-fighting arena, which is now a public viewing spot of the city that is free also! The view there was awesome. It was the first time we’d gotten to see that perspective of the city since we flew into Bcn. And at night, it was amazing with the mountains and the sea, and all the unique monuments! I will definitely go back sometime soon for pictures. Friday some friends and I went to the beach, and while I was swimming someone stole my camera, metro pass, and some cash out of my purse, along with my friend’s iPod. Theft is such a huge problem in Bcn, and we took turns watching each other’s things, but I learned my lesson and I will be much more careful in the future. Aside from that unfortunate event, we had a good weekend. Friday was pretty mellow after the beach, and Saturday I did homework all day. We went to a gay bar later that night called Snack 55, which had huge drinks for 4-6 euro! Needless to say, I only had one. Sunday, we did as the Spaniards do and slept until late afternoon. Practically everything here is closed on Sundays: malls, banks, restaurants, etc.
Last week was our last week of the Intensive Language Program, and also our last week in the dorms. We had normal classes from 830-130pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with a fieldtrip to the Museum of Catalonia on Wednesday. That was neat, but pretty short. Our culture teacher led us from the University to the museum and we got to see older buildings along the way, and his commentary was great. Thursday we went to a popular tourist destination, Chupitos (Shots) and tried the Boy Scout shot like my friend recommended and it was delicious! They light the counter on fire and you roast a marshmallow, then dunk it in your shot, eat the marshmallow, and then finish the shot. It was fun! After that we went to a couple other nearby places and headed back to the dorms. Saturday I had my advising appointment at the uni, and I paid my first months rent and dropped off some bags. Then we had our last meal in the dorms, and went to the fountains again. Saturday we moved out at 11am so I spent most of that day unpacking and helping a friend move into her apartment. There was a last minute mix up, so I am actually living in a smaller room, but it has a sliding glass door to one of the porches with a wrap around balcony. Upgrade! I will post pictures ASAP of it! Saturday I also met up with a friend from high school who is traveling around Europe until she starts graduate school in England in October. So she came over, we got lunch, lounged, then another friend came over and we all made dinner. We spent the rest of that night hanging around by the beach. Sunday (Today) my friend left early, I slept in, then went a met some friends for a festival here. 9/11 is also an important day here in Catalonia, as in the 1700s Catalonia was defeated by Castilla. In an ironic way, they are celebrating not having their independence, which is what they want more than anything here. But from what I hear, the truth is the rest of Spain needs Barcelona to stay afloat. So there was a parade with many different groups and little shops out to walk past as well as a band. Now I am getting ready to begin my semester at the UB tomorrow with four Spanish classes and one Catalan class (the local language here). I’m very excited to be in my apartment, or piso in Spanish
