Lately

It's been a while... but things have been absolutely crazy, hectic, scary, emotional, fun, and so much more. I feel like I finally know what it means for your life to feel like a roller coaster... as soon as I think everything is going well, and that this semester is going to be great, I am hit head first with a huge dose of culture shock... and after wallowing in the emotions of that for a minute, I go back to loving this place more than I could have imagined. I guess that is just part of the experience...

So after living in that magnificent hotel that I was in the first night, I moved into the hotel in which I met my classmates and that I stayed in for two nights, that was a huge change. I went from being in this wonderful palace, to what resembled a hostel, the difference about knocked the breath out of me - but that is probably a good thing as well... My room mate was the SWEETEST girl named Dara, who goes to school at GW in DC, and grew up in the Bronx. I can already tell we are going to be great friends...
 

After two exhausting days packed full of orientation, I decided that I would step out and go out with some girls and guys in my group... it was definitely different. It was a Tuesday night, and those are one of the few lower key nights here, however, there was still a ton of excitement. The night began with the traditional Catalan dinner of Tapas and wine, followed by some sangria, then going to find a disco. The problem, however, is that every building looks the exact same therefore we got completely lost and ended up in a local bar in the famous Ramblas. This would have been ideal, had the average age at the bar not been about 45. I had been told previously by sweet Rodes that the locals love to talk to Americans about politics, due to the fact that I know as much, if not less about American politics than they do in Spain, my plan was to avoid this topic. Nonetheless, within about ten minutes I was cornered by a man with whom I ended up spending the rest of the night drinking Long Island iced teas and getting lectured about the politics of America.What a wonderful first local to become friends with... :) Sorry dad...

So today has been the best day yet, because I got to move into my sweet little apartment. I am not going to lie, my expectations were EXTREMELY low. I was expecting to live in little itty bitty hole in the wall, share a bedroom, and a bathroom with four girls...I was pleasantly surprised. I am sharing a wonderful apartment with three other girls. One from my program, Nikky from Connecticut; one from Argentina name Paula who is 25 and getting her masters in English; and one from Barcelona, who is studying in the local college and rarely says a word. They're great.
The apartment itself is great as well. I have my own bedroom, which has its own private balcony, and share my bathroom with the girl from my program. I have already completed putting pictures on the wall of everyone at home that I love and miss so much. I plan on making my room as much of my home as I can... We also have a sitting room, and a kitchen, which is about the size of my shower, but doesn't matter much. There is also no heat, and seeing as its 45 degrees outside at night, my rooms going to be pretty chilly... but I will be fine.

Finally, to end the day, we went and walked around to look at some of the beautiful monuments throughout Spain, then treated ourselves with Catalunya's favorite winter tradition: churros with chocolate... it was first unlike anything I've ever seen, and then unlike anything I have ever tasted.
                                           
                                           Gaudi

                                           Gothic Square

                                          Churros

                                          Me and my churros with chocolate :)

I love and miss you all so much... xoxooxox