la vida normal

So I've recently realized that while I've written many posts about where I've been and what all I've seen, I have yet to explain what I actually do during the week. So here's the big news: although I told my parents I was going to "study abroad," it was really key word for "backpack across Europe." So thats what I do during the week. I hitchhike, couch surf, sing for a little extra money, show some skin, and sleep in the oddest of places.

Completely kidding (don't freak out mom).

A normal week for me consists mostly of classes: 3 on Monday, 3 on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday, 2 on Thursday, and 0 on Friday (hello 3 day weekend every weekend!). I am taking seven classes here totally up to be 16 hours. Mandatory classes are Phonetics, Grammar, Granada Seminar, Tutorials, and Production, Oral, and Writing. Since all of those sound like oh so fun! I'm also taking 3 classes of my choice- History of Spain, Islamic Culture in Spain, and Arabic. The classes that I have chosen are definitely the classes I enjoy most because they are more sit, listen, and learn as opposed to nitty gritty stuff (which is also good to have considering I'm in Spain to learn and speak Spanish). Well, actually Arabic is not a sit and listen class but a sit and have your mind go in circles class. It is so hard to triple translate. I'm being taught Arabic by a Spanish speaking teacher which I still translate in my head to English. Lets just say some classes, I go in a college student and exit a kindergardener since I'm relearning my letters, numbers, and words. After my first Arabic class, all I wanted to do was twirl in circles I was that brain dead. Its crazy hard but I know in the end it'll be neat to say that I know Arabic. My favorite class of all is probably my Islamic Culture class because I am finally getting a background in the formation of the Muslim religion and Islamic government type while learning more about Spain. The teacher is pretty laid back too and has some of the oddest cartoon drawings.

Also on Tuesdays, I have service learning at this place called Faicem. Faicem is a place for adults who have mental problems like schizophrenia, bipolar, and others of the same ordeal. I lucked out on my free time because when I come, its actually their English class so I'm able to help them with their pronunciation and spelling and everything. Its absolutely wonderful! The first time I went, I left feeling so good about myself because they were all so inviting and nice and they actually smiled! People don't necessarily smile at each other unless they know each other. Otherwise, as I found out one day, if you smile to man, it means you're interested...like real interested if you catch my drift. Back to Faicem, this place has been a get away from my normal life and brings extra interest to it and more relationships are being built. They're really patient with me when I'm trying to learn Spanish just as I'm able to be patient with them as they learn English. Although I have yet to experience a break down from one of the adults there, I'm sure I will be able to handle it and continue to love this experience I'm being offered. Its a great getaway from the stress of school and family life and where I'm able to laugh and relax in my Spanish to build more confidence. (minus the time where I mixed up the spelling of the word comb in Spanish and actually spelled penis..that was real embarrassing but we all laughed it off!)

My weeknights are nothing too exciting either. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Arabic goes until 10pm--brutal night class- so that only leaves Mondays and Wednesdays to really go out and they're not much of going out night types. Some Wednesdays, I and a couple friends go to a Teteria, which is a tea/cafe Moroccan or Lybanese influenced place, and spend a couple relaxed hours there catching up on life.

Therefore that leaves the weekends for traveling! If I'm not traveling, I'm in Granada getting to know its night life, whether thats going to a Tapas bar, going to a park, going to a movie, going to a futbol game, or going dancing. Its a beautiful city at almost anytime of day and always has something to do.

He explorado, soñado, y descubrió

disneyland millor que

Barcelona was dream making. It was a poster of Barcelona at night I saw 4 years ago that started this dream of being able to go Spain--Barcelona specifically. And this trip seriously made this all so much more real for me. It was so much better than I could have hoped or dreamed. Although it was a hassle to get here (seeing as I fell into one of the stupidity categories for booking the wrong flight day), it couldn't stop me from getting here. Plus! I had decided by this point that this was my birthday gift to myself--a trip to Barcelona. This blog is called better than Disneyland because not only did my dreams come true but also when we first arrived I saw Mickie and Minnie balloons everywhere! It just completely added to the effect, as humorous and odd as it was.

I don't even know where to begin there were so many cool sights, funny stories, and great memories! This is just going to be an excited combobulation of everything. =D For starters, those involved in this awesome trip were Mandy, Renee, Katherine, Amy, and myself (of course!).

 After we all met, we ventured toward our hostel which was just conveniently located by the FC Barcelona stadium! Even though Barcelona wasn't playing at home that weekend, it was still so cool to see the stadium! On Friday night we were lucky enough that the place where we had dinner had the game on. Barca won 3-0! One part of my gift giving to myself was a David Villa (who scored the night before!) FC Barcelona jersey. So here I am doing the typical goal scoring awesomeness run right outside the stadium!


After we rested from traveling, we ventured to the city to apparently see this "cool" fountain. That was a complete understatement. It was AMAZING! I seriously sat there in shock most of the time. It was like a fireworks show with water and music. So much color, so much movement, so much fascination. I have a video of it, but it is in no way comparable to being there yourself to see it. This video has the first show in it and had a variety of music varying from Arabic sounds to complete orchestras and symphonies. We even heard one show with all Disney music-again, Disney!With all of our excitement afterwards, we took a lot of fun pictures. Mind there water spots--there was mist everywhere!

This moment and the moments to follow seriously made up for all the chaos it took to get here. As we ventured up the stairs, continuing to pass more fountains, not only were we able to see those fountains from the top, but we were also able to view the entire city! We walked around the gardens at the top until we forgot to take a turn and ended up at an overlook of the center and port of the city. It was a million times better than the poster I had first seen in Mrs. Anderson's class. It was all so much for me to take in, that I kid you not, a tear was shed it pure joy and beauty.

The next day we took the on the city and basked in its sunshine! We started the day off at La Sagrada Familia which is a church/temple that has been in the making for over 150 years! The artist who designed it is named Gaudi and this was one of his last architechtural structures that he made...well attempted to make. It has been such a grand structure that it is taking more money than they have to build it completely. Therefore, it has moments of mass construction and moment of awkward not construction.

They say that it should be finished in the next 30 years so I guess this gives me another reason to go back. The outside structure is completely creepy (especially at night! it looks like a giant eerie spider) but also very intriguing. There is produce at the top of some of the towers, doves in a tree, and faces. Its...art. Unfortunately the line was too long on Sunday so we were unable to go inside, but we saw postcards of it and it looked spectacular! Maybe next time...


After the creepy church, we headed to my next favorite place after the fountains--Park Guell. This giant park is filled with nature trails, lookouts, bands, columns, trees, vendors, park benches, art, and lime green birds! Everywhere you looked there was something new that caught your senses! We had so much fun here taking pictures and running around like school children. It was still mind boggling for us to even be in Barcelona, one of the best cities in Spain (even the world! at least for me). We had lunch overlooking the entire city and it was so relaxing and so calming even in its grandness.

It was beautiful. After the nature part of it we finally walked down the the colorful, artsy park area and saw all of the artist Guell's handiwork in all of the tiling. So much color! Mandy, Amy, and I decided this would be the inspiration for our future kitchen or bathroom backsplashes. Then! Right at the exit (or entrance) there were these two houses that looked like they could've fallen right out of the story Hansel and Gretel...except they weren't really houses made out of candy. False Alarm. Take a look at the pictures!

After all of the excitement and craziness from the park, we decided to tone it down and do some sight seeing. We saw the Cathedral of Barcelona and the outside of the specific Guell Museum and works. It was closed when we arrived so we were unable to go inside, but it was still really cool to look at. 

Last stop of the day was the Torre Agbar. We had seen this "bullet" or "lava lamp" looking thing from a distance the previous night and we really wanted to see it close up. It was a really strange sight to see in the middle of the city, but still pretty funny. We got there a little early, so we had to hang around this cement hill that had many etchings about who had been there and what else the building could look like. When we were starting to get bored and give up on it turning on, Amy started singing (like from Elf) "I'm in Barcelona and I'm singing and I'm waiting for this to turn ON!" And walah! It lit up! It was hilarious!

We finished the day, exhausted but happy. We couldn't believe how much we had accomplished and how much we had seen in one day! Therefore, the next day we took it easy and walked along the Mediterranean coast. It was a little chillier 

(I would know, I got bombarded with a wave! I was drenched waist down) there than when we were in Portugal, but it was still a pretty sight. I forgot how blue the sea is!

favorite trip yet =)

He explorado, soñado, y descubrió

for more pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/105145268312455361621/BARCELONA?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPv5cKEoYazwQE#