La Semana Pasada

This past week I learned a few lessons. Like you can only buy medicine from a pharmacy not a supermarket, corner store, or corte ingles for the matter. Nope, only a pharmacy! Also, do not expect to get a newspaper from anywhere other than a newspaper stand or a gas station if it has a store. I am slowly learning how different life just really is here in Barcelona. It is not only the big things like speaking a different language but the small things like the ones mentioned prior that has really opened my eyes to the cultural difference here. This past week has been an interesting one. President Obama was inagurated this week. AHH! Isn't it great. I love it. We went to this viewing party at the Meridian and got to watch the inaguration in english on a big screen. I am not gonna lie. It felt great to be in a room full of english speaking people for a change. My friend even got interviewed and we actually ended up in the newspaper "La Vanguardia" the next day!. Three weeks in and we are already making the news. It was pretty awesome...definitely the highlight of the week. On the weekend we went to Girona and Besalu which are very pretty and definitely a must see, although it was pretty cold and windy the day we left. We viewed old roman and gothic architecture at various different sites and did a couple walking tours around the city. We even got to make a "very special purchase" which could not be made in the United States which shall remain nameless. Let the goodtimes continue!

New Country, New Adventures, New Attitude

These first three weeks in Barcelona have been crazy. I cannot believe that it Jan 18th already. I feel like I just boarded the plane to come to Barcelona yesterday. This week I got to see a flamenco show in Las Ramblas, although i was disappointed because there were no chicas with pretty dresses. It was still very interesting though, but too short. I also went for calcotadas with the program. Before lunch we had to endure a two hike up this montain that I definitely was not prepared for. It was my first time hiking though and the view was incredible so all in all it was a good time. I also went on a tour of Barrio Grotica (or something like that). It was pretty kool as I learned alot about the history of the neighborhood and got some interesting facts about the architecture. I also went on a tour of the Palau de Musica which was pretty awesome. I cannot be more detailed because its kind of all a blur, but the pictures say it all. Lastly, I went to a Barca game. I am not really into soccer but my friends dragged me. I am really glad I went cause the experience was pretty awesome. The stadium is huge and I have never seen a more dedicated or enthusiastic fan base as the Barcelona futbol fans. We had the most amazing view right in front. We were definitelys sitting in the wrong seats considering out tickets only cost 15 euros. Although it was freezing, I think I will do it again before I leave.

SNOW

Yeah,

So much for leaving crappy ithaca and buffalo weather behind. Today while we took a tour of the city we got caught in a hail storm!!!!. So ridiculous. Supposedly it only happens like once every 10 years here. Just our luck. Snow just seems to follow us. We just can't escape.

Funny Moments!

Momento Numero 1
On the first day, during Orientation we had to write a letter to ourseleves about the goals we wanted to accomplish in Barcelona.
Numero Uno: "Yo quiero Aprendir Espana"
In our hotel room later that night as we reminisced the day I realized that I had wrote that I wanted to learn Spain instead of Spanish! Haha.

Momento Numero 2
On Monday night, we attended parade for El Reyes, the holiday. They were throwing out candy into the crowd and as we reached for one some little boy growled at us and yelled something in spanish. Don't mess with little Spanish boys.

Momento Numero 3
We decided to venture out into Las Ramblas yesterday night to find some bars. Little did we know that we would be walking into prostitute heaven. Every where we turned we were bombarded with prostitutes. And they were all African with braids. I kept on thinking I would be mistaken for one and get arrested.

Hello Barcelona!

It's 8:00pm the night before I leave for Spain and I am still packing. I have spent the last week in the freezing snow capital of the world. So it was a nice reminder of what I will not be missing for the Spring semester at school.