In high school, I always loved the idea of studying abroad. There were countless amount of hours I would spend in high school talking about it with friends, family, or whoever would listen. My mom and my sister had done one, and I loved listening to all the stories. It felt very surreal leaving for Barcelona, knowing I would get to live in Spain for 5 weeks. Because I spent the first half of the summer at home, I had a lot of time to prepare and research restaurants and day trips. I had never been to Spain before, so I wanted to see what new cities I should visit or what restaurants were the locals’ favorites. Looking back, I loved doing that research beforehand because I’ve been able to try out some really cool places!
We’ve been here in Barcelona for five days now, and it feels so unreal! I find myself taking pictures in pretty much almost every alley I walk through because every small little street is beautiful. The plane ride to Barcelona wasn’t bad at all, however, the jet lag and late meal times definitely took a few days to adjust to. I’m sharing an apartment with some of my best friends, so it has been so much fun getting to live and explore Barcelona with them. Our apartment is very spacious and in a perfect location too! My roommates and I walk or take the metro around Barcelona which I highly recommend. While it can be a lot of walking, it’s 1000% worth it. You’re able to appreciate the city more and get lost in it.
One of my favorite things we’ve done so far was exploring Sagrada Familia. This is probably one of the first things that comes up when you google Barcelona, but for good reason. It is unlike any other cathedral I’ve ever seen, and every detail of the cathedral tells a story. We’ve also visited El Borne, Gothic Quarter, and Las Ramblas, which are already some of my favorite spots. The farmer’s markets, architecture, restaurants, and (of course) gelato places have been incredible! Today, we visited the FC Barcelona Stadium which was so cool. Soccer isn’t as big in the US as it is here, and it was really cool to see the stadium and museum of the team that all the locals love.
We’ve only had a few days of class, but I’m learning more about the EU and international business, which has been really interesting. We also get to take some small breaks in between where we all go out for a croissant or a quick coffee break. I’ve even learned a bit of Catalan so far! I haven’t practiced Spanish since my sophomore year of high school, but more and more of it has been coming back since I’ve been here. I’m so excited for the rest of my time here, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to being in this beautiful city!