Hola Barcelona!

This week I departed on the crazy adventure to the enchanting Barcelona, Spain. I really didn’t have any idea what to expect when I arrived. I have never been able to speak more than a few words of Spanish, so I had the faint idea that this might make things a bit interesting. But I like beaches and history and what not so I figured, why not?

             Let me preface this by saying that I have traveled before, so the travel part didn’t come as a complete shock to me as it has in the past. Though my flight was switched because of many delays and I BARELY made it on the freaking plane to Barcelona, the actual flying and traveling wasn’t as bad as I expected it would be. It was my first time traveling alone, and though I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, I made it to where I was supposed to be without dying or having a complete mental breakdown (although I had a few mini ones a few times in the airport). I am certainly proud of myself for that.

              When we finally arrived in the city, we were greeted by our home-stays. Mine is a cute mother named Esther, and she doesn’t speak much English. Alexis, my roommate, and I have both taken a substantial amount of German and very VERY little Spanish. We are making it work with google translate, and learning new words and phrases every day. Who knows, maybe I’ll be fluent when I return? Yeah, okay. I still really enjoy the family. They’re really nice and the food is delicious!

                I really enjoyed our tour of the Gothic Quarters. It was fascinating and our tour guide was very interesting. I loved the majestic architecture of the buildings and learning the history behind them. It reminded me why I wanted to come to Spain, and why it’s important for me to fight through the challenges that I have been facing.

               One of the hardest things that I had to deal with is just the jet lag. I have trouble sleeping when my clock gets thrown off, and it’s been difficult to be able to function normally without feeling incredibly sick or tired. It’s hard for me because I really want to explore everything and have a great time but a lot of time the feeling of sickness or uneasiness prevents me from doing that. Thankfully it’s been getting better little by little each day! Sometimes stressful situations like being in a new culture make me want to be alone and just isolate myself while I try to make sense of the situation, but I’m trying to push myself to do things that take me out of my comfort zone. Things like having so many people walking everywhere I go, and even the busy roads filled with drivers who may or may not be COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR MINDS have been taking some getting used to. Definitely a lot of culture shock, especially since I am from a small town and also incredibly bad at directions. but it helps to just take a deep breath and remember that you're not alone here. I am confident in my decision to be here, and I'm determined to learn how to get around in the city! 

                I am also slowly learning how to navigate the metro system. I feel like the more you learn about ways to get around in the city, the more comfortable the city becomes. I have this fear of being lost in the middle of the city with no way to get back, and no one who speaks English and is willing to help. Thankfully there are plenty of modes of transportation in Barcelona, and I know I could even just hop on a taxi if I’m super lost. But learning the metro system was a goal of mine when I arrived, so I’m hoping to learn it completely by the time I leave.
               To anyone who is considering coming abroad, my advice to you is to be prepared. Make lists of things you need and then make more lists of things you forgot on the first list. While you can always buy things here, it always helps to come prepared. The more prepared you are, the less stress you put on yourself when you get here. I would also advise you to not worry too much about travel. I got really scared when my flights all got delayed and re-arranged, but everything works itself out. I also really advise just taking some time out to reflect, unwind, and remind yourself that the first few days are hard and THAT'S OKAY. No one is going to adapt perfectly, and every place has it's own set of challenges. I think that's what makes traveling so cool though, the fact that you were able to overcome these challenges. It's harder than what it looks like in the pictures, but I think it's worth it.
             So yeah, that’s been my first few days so far. Barcelona is an incredible city, and I can’t wait to explore more of it, and I’m hoping I’ll become more comfortable and less stressed out as the trip goes on! Until next time!