Hola from Barcelona!

Hello Everyone!!!

Sorry I started a blog so late, but I got tired of repeating myself over and over in emails! So here, you can find out everything that is going on in my new Spanish life.

Okay, so where do I even start?!?! BARCELONA IS AMAZING!!!! I am absolutely in love, with the culture, food, people, the language, Europe... everything! I have been here for about a month and feel like I have been here for a year; I feel completely at home. I am completely familiar with the city and know how to navigate around  the metro system, which is excellent. So the first two weeks was the Intensive Language Program, which consisted of Spanish Grammar, Conversation, Culture and History, and an Introduction to Catalan. I learned a ton in ILP; we got to visit 3 museums in Barcelona and it was a great way to meet other students in my program. However, it was also very tedious and exhausting, especially because me and my friends were out at the discotecas/bars several times a week!

The nightlife in Barcelona is crazy. Actually insane... in a good way. My friends and I don't leave to go out until 2am and return anywhere from 7-8am! Then we would sleep until 9am, get up, go to classes, then take a siesta in the afternoon, and do it all over again! The discotecas are so much fun and they are always packed! I have met a bunch of international people from all over and it is really great learning about everyone's different culture.

The food is also great here. I LOVE getting tapas and Sangria! It is so much fun to duck into a little restaurant and each a bunch of Spanish cuisine while also meeting some locals. And let me tell you, the Spanish love their wine and Sangria! They drink it with everything (including breakfast), here wine is cheaper than bottled water! So that has been a huge culture shock, but a great one! But the food is amazing and love heading out to dinner at 10pm.

So for the first two weeks, I lived in a home-stay. I absolutely loved my senora! She would cook all three meals for me and Sophie (one of my best friends here in Barca), do our laundry, and wouldn't judge us when we came home at 8am (hopefully..)! The first two weeks were very stressful, however, because I had to go on the Spanish "craigslist" and find an apartment, or "piso" for myself. Everyday, I would go look at 3-5 pisos, and it was extremely exhausting. But I finally found two perfect ones! The one I am living in now is only for the month of February. It is with two guys from the professional Barcelona handball team! They are GREAT! I only speak to them in Spanish and I have learned so much about their culture just by living with them. They give me advice about Barcelona, where to travel, and LOVE hearing about California. It is quite funny, everyone here wants to know everything about America.

The piso I am moving into for the rest of the semester is with two Italian girls and one Phillipino guy, all students. I am very excited to move in with them because they are SUPER nice and I love the piso!

I am so excited to travel all around Europe! This is what I have booked so far this semester:
Prague (this weekend!)
Cádiz (south of Spain for Cárnival: a huge Spanish fiesta!)
Dublin (for St. Patty's day)
Paris
Greece islands (island hopping for Spring Break)

And this is what I am going to book in the near future:
Amsterdam
Munich or Berlin (can't decide which one)
Croatia (closer to the summertime)
All over Spain
Canary Islands
Italy
Vienna

Hopefully I will have time to go to all of those places!
Well, I obviously have a TON more to say but I figured this entry is already very long since it covers the past month. I will be updating continuously with more news! Love you all!

PS: Barcelona is the best place ever. I am absolutely in love. I never really wanna come home...