As of right now, we have been in Barcelona for 1 full week. It has been exciting, but so exhausting!
From the moment we landed in Barcelona, we?ve been busy. The first day consisted of getting to know the neighborhood and unpacking. In the evening, we went to dinner, but my roommates and I went shopping before since we had time. I had never been in a store so big, and I was in awe. I made my first purchase there, and it was scary and confusing. I was worried my card would get rejected, and none of us could figure out the self-checkout for clothes. But we all figured it out and went on our way to dinner. It was good, and nothing strange to me, until it was time to pick dessert. I had heard of panna cotta, but I hadn?t tried it. I am so glad I did because I fell in love with it! It?s so creamy and the syrup was so sweet… It was perfect. In fact, I liked it so much that I have bought it so many times since then as my sweet snack.
The next day a few of us girls went to the beach, and I loved it because I had never really been to a pretty beach. The sunset was beautiful, the water cool, and the sun bright but not super hot. It was, in short, amazing.
Class was also a whole new experience. Walking to class is interesting because I always observe something new on the way. I like to take my time, but it is hard to get out of the door in the morning! The building was nothing how I expected a school to look, but it honestly is better!
We have been on so many day trips, including FCB stadium and museum, Montserrat, Freixenet, and Casa Mila. It was interesting to learn that FCB is an important part of Catalunya not because of the sport, but because of politics. Supporting FCB was the only way that Catalans could express their Catalan pride without getting in trouble. Montserrat was beautiful all around, and the unique chocolates they had there were so tempting I had to buy some! Going to Freixenet and learning about wine was interesting and quite amazing; I now appreciate winemaking so much! I actually personally thought that non-alcoholic sparkling juice tasted better than the wine (because you could taste the grapes a little better) and the best part was seeing the cool cars out front! Casa Mila has been my favorite, though, because I got to see a real apartment that was lived in, including beds, desks, clothes, furniture, and everything! It helped me to imagine it all a little better, and I love when I can imagine things vividly.
Grocery shopping has been quite an experience! There are so many options, but not all of them are the best. In the little ?supermarkets?, they have most things, but everything and some of them are more expensive depending on their location. I prefer going to bigger stores like Mercadona or BonPreu because they have larger selections and are cheaper. One problem that we encountered was the lack of spices in the little supermarkets. We were without seasonings and oil for a few days! Also, most people bring their recyclable bags because if you want plastic or paper bags, you are charged. It reminded me of Aldi. But, the fruit here is so good, and the meat is very fresh. It?s overwhelming having to plan your week, but I?ve noticed that most people don?t haul large amounts of groceries, so they probably plan on a daily basis. I personally like that more, but I keep forgetting my bags at home. But, now I make sure it?s one of the things I don?t leave the apartment without!
Of course, I can?t conclude without writing about the people. Dr.Panina has made this study abroad fun and educational. I?ve had small conversations with nearly everyone, and I like that everyone is super nice and open to talking. They?re all very hard-working and cooperative as well.
Currently, it is Saturday and our apartment is resting. It?s been a long week filled with excitement, and we need to recharge. I can?t wait to see what the next few weeks will bring!