Paris this Weekend!

Hello All!!

So for the past week or so I have basically just been finalizing my class schedule and figuring out logistical stuff. I have class Monday-Thursday and these are the classes I am taking: Psychology of Sexuality, History of Catalonia, Teaching English, and Advanced Microeconomics.

My teaching English class is a joke. It is literally so easy but also very interesting as well. I am taking that class with Sophie, my good friend here in Barcelona.

Psychology of Sexuality is extremely interesting, but also difficult because the teacher talks super fast so it is hard for me to understand everything. Luckily, she posts the slides online so I can always review those and look up the words I do not know. But so far we have learned a lot about homosexuality v. heterosexuality and debates for/against gay marriage. I really enjoy that class, but the Psychology campus is in the outskirts of Barcelona so it takes me about 45 minutes to get there via Metro. One other girl from my program is taking that class so we can study together. We met a girl in the class who is super friendly, and studied in the US for a semester so she helps us understand some of what the professor is saying. She has a car and offered to take us to her vacation house about an hour outside of Barcelona for a weekend! That would be super fun and great to hang out with a local. Oh and the first day of class I came late (could not find the classroom for the life of me!) and so I literally had to crawl over people to a desk that was in the far corner. So embarrassing!

I haven't had History of Catalonia yet. It is once a week for 3 hours and last week the professor didn't show up. Apparently that isn't a big deal here in Spain and it happens often. So, hopefully she will show up tomorrow!

Advanced Microeconomics is not as bad as I thought it would be. So far, it has been mostly review of what I have already learned. And it is easier to understand him than in other classes because he draws diagrams/graphs while he talks, so you can get a sense of what he is saying (more or less). This guy in my program is taking it with me and we met a Spanish girl who we always sits next to. She doesn't speak any English but offered to let us copy her notes and always asks us if we understand what is going on, which is super nice!

Let's see what else is new... Oh, I joined a gym the other day! I realized that I would probably blow up if I didn't work out so me and my friend Nathalie Urroz joined it together and have so far gone everyday and taken some aerobics classes/gone on the treadmill. It is a super nice gym with 10 locations throughout Barcelona, one of them right across the street from my apartment I am moving into next month.

Right now I live with 2 guys on the Barcelona handball team. They are SUPER nice and I absolutely love living with them. They have training twice a day so I hardly see them in the daytime (since I have class as well) but I am excited to go to one of their matches. Juan's girlfriend came over one night and cooked dinner for the four of us. It was really fun and we all chatted for hours and ate delicious food! It felt really home-like. I haven't gone out with them yet because February is their "intensive training month" but they said once I move out and they have a more flexible schedule they want to take me out and meet all their friends. I am excited for that because I want to hang out with more locals! I am, however, really excited to move into my new apartment in the beginning of March. It is more centrally located so it won't take me too long to get to the various campuses.

I AM GOING TO PARIS THIS WEEKEND! I am SO excited! I leave Thursday morning and come back Sunday night. I am going with 3 close friends in my program but I am staying with Anna Heery (Me and Sara's best friend since middle school). I cannot wait to see her and for her to show me around Paris! It is going to be an amazing weekend and I am just excited to see someone I know from home! I will update my blog when I get back!

Tori Dumont (friend from high school) is coming to Barcelona for her Spring Break! I cannot wait to show her around and have an amazing time with her! It is going to be amazing and I cannot wait! AND my friend Emily Bass (graduated from UCSB last year, was on the Ultimate Frisbee team with me) is coming to visit as well! She is coming with me and my friends for our Spring Break around  the Greece islands and then staying with me in Barcelona for a week! It is going to be so incredibly fun. I cannot believe Tori and Emily both booked their tickets, I didn't think they actually would!

Oh, and I booked my ticket to Amsterdam for my birthday weekend! So far there is a group of around 6-10 of us (not everyone has booked their ticket yet) but it is going to be SOOSOSOOOOOO fun! I cannot wait for that weekend! And I want to book a ticket to Munich/Berlin soon, can't decide which one. Any suggestions?

Okay, that is all for now! Still loving life in Barcelona and enjoying every second of my experience! Dewey, I know you are loving all these exclamation marks!!!! Oh, and I am jealous that Sara, Charlotte, and Mom are all traveling around Chile together. Someone from my family come visit me in Barcelona!!

LOVE YOU ALL
xoxox