Tarragona

After a LATE (as in returning at 3:15 a.m.) night out Monj and I awoke this morning to tackle yet another day trip. We took the train to Tarragona, about an hour and 20 minutes away via a commuter train along the coast, to see the Roman ruins and enjoy the beach. Tarragona was "muy preciosa" (beautiful) and easy to navigate! After we got off the train there were signs to the old Roman city center. Here we saw the amphitheatre, cathedral, Jewish quarter, torres (towers), circus area and other various ruins. Present day Tarragona is literally built upon the old Roman city and back in its heyday was the most important Roman center in the area! I had never in my life seen such complete ruins from this era. It wasn't just like looking at old encased pieces of stone, but rather a complete amphitheater!

After a few hours in the ruins we took a stroll down to the beach and took in the sun and the sand. Tarragona's beach is the most beautiful beach I have ever been to. It hugs the Mediterranean with a skinny area of white sand. The water is turquoise and you can walk out for several feet before it even begins to drop off. The beach is like a tropical island or something. It is also slightly more secluded than the beaches in Barcelona or even Sitges. The water was perfectly clean, as was the sand, and it was easier to get away from people who smoked, etc. because people had more personal space. We loved the beach and didn't catch a train home until almost 8pm!  

Monj and I were really proud of each other for getting out of bed, working out the tram system and spending a wonderful day of history and relaxation outside of Barcelona. Once again we were reminded of the ticking clock of summer as we realized this is one of our final Sundays here in Barcelona! We are traveling the next two weekends and will be scrambling to finish some final shopping and packing on the final Sunday! It is insane how time flies.

Montserrat

Yesterday we had the pleasure of taking a day trip with our host brother Didac and his girlfriend Anna to Montserrat, about 45 minutes from Barcelona by car. For the first time in weeks Monj and I were able to sit back and relax and let someone else do the planning. As natives of Catalonia, Didac and Anna were eager to show us around and explain everything we were seeing. We had no idea what to expect. When we arrived we took the "cremallera" (directly translating to "zipper" in English, but actually a type of tram) to the main square area of Montserrat. There we saw the church/cathedral, main town area and the trail-heads of many paths. Some people have apartments and there is one hotel and a couple of restaurants in this area, too.

Montserrat is nearly impossible to explain. We didn't really understand fully what it was until after we saw the informational video about it in the museum on top of the mountain. It is a mountain where monks live. It is also home to the black virgin, a Christian miracle story. People come from all around the world and wait in line for HOURS to see the statue of the black virgin (made hundreds of years ago) and hold their children up to it, for blessings for a good life. We saw this line but did not want to wait to see the black virgin ourselves. There is also a world acclaimed boys choir (ages 6-12) which is part of a boarding school. The little boys live on the mountain in dorms and go to school to be a part of this elite choir while they are young. It is very prestigious to get in to.

While the mountain is known for being a holy Christian spot, it is also known as an interfaith, spiritual, and philosophical place. There is a giant library in the main area housing many books of these genres. People travel internationally to hike the dozens of trails all around the mountain. You can also scale the 90 degree rock walls with proper climbing equipment. We saw some people doing this! Didac and Anna took us along one path, a 20 minute but DIFFICULT hike through the steep and narrow stone mountain. When we reached the end there was a place to pray, supposedly where the black virgin was first found in the year 880. This place was small and filled with candles and chairs. People make wishes and ask God to keep them safe or thank God for something good that has happened to them. An attached room was filled with pictures, wedding dresses, notes and other everyday artifacts. People wrote notes, much like the wailing wall, to God. It was unbeilevably emotionally moving. Suddenly, after climbing in the heat, along a steep and windy, rocky, path we came to an oasis where people were thanking God for all that they had. Some people had left helmets from bike accidents, giving thanks for life after their accident. Others had carried pictures of their children, asking God to watch over them for another blessed year. While this was inherently a Christian place of worship it was also very spiritual and open to all religions. I didn't feel out of place, but rather I felt connected to nature in the middle of the mountain and thus, closer to God.

Monj and I joked after we made a wish and as we were walking back along the path that suddenly the intensity of the day-trip had risen to a level that was unexpected. We commented that this seemed so "duro" (intense, hard) but came at such a good time for us. Sometimes all you need is some perspective to be thankful for everything in your life and to see others who are doing the same. After we got back to the main square we entered the church to peek around and take some pictures. A very accomplished women's choir was singing a famous classical piece. We sat down and closed our eyes and suddenly I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. This place, this fresh air, this sudden quiet (after the loud city), this interfaith haven, this spot of worship and this outpouring of thanks for life was so overwhelming and just so beautiful. 

La Mitad y Valencia!

Most of me cannot believe that we are halfway done. The first day, arriving in the airport five weeks ago somehow feels like an eternity ago, yet when I think of all we have done and how fast it went I feel like gripping the edge of my seat and screaming for everything to slow down- like I'm on an airplane with turbulence and I can't control the descent. It's too odd knowing that we have said goodbye to everyone we met in the first five weeks and will be welcoming new faces for the next five. There is still a lot to explore and I cannot imagine going home now.

During our five day break from classes Monj and I went to Valencia, España a few hours south of Barcelona to see something different. Additionally, this past Monday was Día de San Juan here in Spain, which is celebrated a lot like July 4th at home in the States. Since Valencia is on the beach we were able to see all the "hogueras" (bonfires) and people burning "trastos viejos" (useless objects) from the year (on Sunday night). The moon was full and beautiful and we had a lovely dinner of paella beach-side. While in Valencia we also got a chance to see the museum of science and the aquarium, both of which are in a beautiful modern complex built in an old dried up riverbed. Valencia has a lot of green space with parks for miles to walk and pass the time. We also went to the "old town" city center and viewed the ceramic museum, Roman ruins and Torres de Serranos among other various historical sites.

The Roman ruins were SO powerful for me and also moving. It was amazing to see the remnants of what used to be a thriving city, a couple thousand of years ago, now nothing more than mere sand and a chipped block. The museum is underground and anthropologists have put walkways with glass floors over the ruins which can be seen just feet below. We saw old bones in the cemetery, what used to be their bath house, where their Forum took place, where they cured their food like fish and wine, and even an old street convergence. The museum has video screens every few hundred feet to show what a digital reconstruction of the area we were looking at was like 2000 years ago. Its hard to believe that the Romans were so advanced for their time, with aqueducts and written records and an entire system of government! While this may seem obvious, it is mindblowing to view this in person. It suddenly makes the world feel very old and the place you are standing on very sacred.

We took our Valencia trip as a break from the reality and grind of waking up at 7:45 every morning for school. It was nice to sleep in a quiet, air conditioned hotel and eat when we chose. Now, back in Barcelona, we start new classes tomorrow. Life here has finally become a routine, which is something that I never thought would happen. Monj and I are grateful for this sense of comfort in day-to-day practices but also have to keep reminding each other that we are not just living the regular, day-to-day, humdrum life like we do at home. We are in a foreign city, speaking a foreign language 24/7 and trying to learn something new all the time! While it would be easy to go to the beach every day after school, we are still trying to find new activities, new hikes, new cobblestone streets and different neighborhoods to explore on our free time. I never want to feel like anything in Barcelona is redundant or "the usual." I would rather that life in Barcelona feel frustrating and hard at times than  mundane simply for the sake of doing what is comfortable.

If you take this philosophy and idea of a "staycation" to your daily life at home, imagine how different life would be! If suddenly you were no longer just trying to "get through" another week but actually had something fabulous to look forward to after classes, after work or after your usual "routine" what would your "routine" really be? I am finally realizing how caging my desire for ritual can be. Finally seeing how every week can be special for some reason, makes life so much more worth living. While I miss some things from home (like comfort food and yoga) I can see how these things blend into the fabric of my daily grind at home and are forgotten. It is amazing what a little foreign perspective can do for you.

As a sidenote: I've decided against my obsession with getting fat from eating too much over here. I am fully of the mindset now that I better enjoy it while I can because sooner rather than later I will be stuck in the cold, dark, Michigan winter, craving a large bowl of Spanish paella, steaming with meat and veggies. 

Domingo

I’m in love with how everyone here shows affection. I don’t mean only physically, but also emotionally. From the simple yet meaningful double-cheek-kiss given upon greeting an old friend (or meeting a new one), to the outlandish display of warmth between lovers on the street, Barcelona is covered in love. Not only love between lovers but also love between friends. Several times Monj and I have seen siblings or girlfriends holding hands on the street. We turn to each other and wonder why this is so much more accepted here than back at home. We have also lately been reflecting on how European style bends the "normal" gender barriers; the boundaries and roles that have been so blatantly assigned by American society. For example, in clothing stores sometimes we literally cannot tell where the men’s and women’s clothing sections begin and end. Styles bend so much farther than in the states. Men here get away with wearing skinny jeans, “capris” (pantalones piratas, literally translating to pirate pants), ballet flats and tank tops while women get away with wearing sports jerseys, loose fitted jeans and combat boots. This is not only different but also slightly refreshing. There is less pressure to be something... if that makes sense.

On Sunday we had one of our best days in Barcelona (although lately we feel like everyday has been a “GREAT DAY!”). We were planning on going to the Picasso Museum because it is free on Sundays, but when we arrived the line was laughable- down the street and around the corner. So we changed our plans. We found some gelato in Born (with a gluten free ice cream cone!!) and then walked over to parque Ciutadella. We were immediately taken aback by the amount of people! Nearly every square inch of grass was claimed! Families with small children playing games in the field, lovers stretched out on picnic cloths, and friends laughing and reading. Our ears drove us towards a group of people gathered in a circle playing guitar, banging on several types of drums (some makeshift beer bottles) and dancing. The circle was always in flux- people came and went. Others sat around them in the shade of nearby trees, laying with friends and tapping along to the impromptu beat. We joined the people and sat back in the grass, closing our eyes and hearing the murmur of all the voices around us blend with the music.

To me this felt like heaven. It was so relaxing! Everyone was outside, hundreds of people sharing this public space and enjoying the weather together. While it sounds cheesy, I felt an invisible sense of camaraderie. The community was warm and welcoming. The affection in the park was overwhelming. Later on Monj and I walked to the pond and rented a boat for a half an hour to putz around with oars, “rowing” around and laughing. I think it was one of the best Sunday afternoons of my entire life.   

Ps- On Saturday night we went to a speakeasy! We read in some notes given to us by friends who studied in Barce before us that a “modern” speakeasy was located off la rambla. We had to walk to an unmarked door in the northwest corner of a plaza, ring a buzzer and stand quietly. The door opened and we walked up several flights of stairs. When we went inside it was like being transported back to the 1920’s! We felt like we were characters in the Great Gatsby! Everything was decorated with antiques and dim lighting. We had a blast drinking wine and chatting with the bartender.

Coincidentally, the next day we saw the bartender walking in our neighborhood of Gracia (MILES away from the bar) and made eye contact with her! It amazes us daily how small this city can seem…

finding our way

I am proud to say that we're finally getting to the point where we know our way around Barcelona without a map! On Tuesday after classes we walked from school to the Port on the water and ate our sack lunch overlooking the ocean. We stopped at la boquería (a famous market on the way to the ocean) to pick up some fresh berries to supplement. Afterwards we walked and walked through the winding, narrow, twisty-turny streets of el barrio gótico (the gothic quarter). We stumbled across several amazing tapas joints (which we plan to return to). We also found this candy store called "Happy Pills" where you fill a "bottle" with gummy candies which are beautifully displayed in bulk. Then you can slap a sticker on the bottle that says "for happiness" or "to get over a breakup" or other funny things. It was so cute! We just HAD to try some gummies and we walked and talked at ate them as we explored the little boutiques. We are finally feeling comfortable. We don't need to pull out our maps, we just find a main street that we know or a metro stop that looks familiar and we suddenly know right where we are. We also know the metro system like the back of our hand. We can hop on at any stop and transfer if need be to get exactly where we're going. While this may sound silly, to us its a huge feat (and one worth bragging about).

Our comfort with direction also really means comfort with the culture and the general do's and don'ts of Barce. We are finally getting the hang of when we REALLY need to be hyper aware about watching our purses for pickpockets and when we can relax a little bit more and take in the sites. For some reason every website ever about Barcelona tells you that Barce is the "capital of thievery" and basically assures you that your purse will be stolen. Before I left I was deathly afraid that some random man on the street was going to pour mustard on me as a prank and then steal my purse while I was distracted. (My parents still make fun of me about that every single time I call them on the phone. It is pretty funny, I can't lie). But in all seriousness this is honestly not true! Los ladrones (the thieves) are looking for a very specific kind of person- loudly speaking in a foreign language, with their wallet out, and a map in their hand. Monj and I try SO hard to blend in that it is laughable to us when we see tourists standing in the middle of a busy street looking down at a huge map with their phone out. Of course they will be pickpocketed! In other words, a little common sense goes a long way here in Barce (like any other big city).

In other news, today we saw the best view of the city that we have EVER seen! We walked and walked and hiked and hiked all the way up a STEEP hill in the Carmel barrio, about an hour walk from our apartment in Gracia, to an old civil war bunker. At first we couldn't find the bunker. We had to ask 3 different local people for directions. It is a very well hidden (totally unmarked) path and park. It is totally worth the hike and trouble though! From there you can see all of Barcelona! It was breathtaking. We sat for two hours at the top of this place (totally unbeknownst to tourists but full of locals) and talked about life. I know it sounds cheesy but Monj and I are both having huge life-changing realizations and reflections here. We're finding ourselves. And I can't imagine a better place to be doing so.

Francesa

Day 21 is complete and we still barely ever have a minute to sit down with our laptops, upload pictures or write to our family and friends. Everyday is the longest day I have ever experienced yet it also whirs by, jam packed with nuggets of culture and laughter. I have honestly never laughed so much in my life. I have also never slept better in my entire life. Every night when I lay my head down I fall asleep nearly instantly no matter where I am and I sleep the whole night through. When I wake up I feel like I've been dead. It is such a good, hard, dead, sleep. The type of which I have never experienced for such an extended phase in my life.

During our past weekend to France we had plenty of time to sleep on the charter bus. We drove about six hours north from Barcelona to the town of Montpellier and used this as a home base to explore the French countryside and a few surrounding towns. It was too bad that it rained the ENTIRE WEEKEND STRAIGHT because it was difficult to see everything that we wanted to. We made the best of it though. I must admit my favorite part of France was the food. On both Friday and Saturday nights we explored well-hidden, narrow cobblestone streets to find hole-in-the-wall restaurants. On Friday night we sat outside under an umbrella and ate for three hours. Monj and I split a steak (we haven't had beef in a month) and a huge salad. We drank wine and laughed and laughed. It was one of the best meals of my life. The waiter didn't speak very much English at all so we used our iphones with wifi to translate part of the menu. I was able to communicate the fact that I was gluten free and the waiter took the menu back to the chef and brought it back to me with lines scratched through all of the dishes I couldn't eat. It was very sweet. Even though the waiters know they receive no extra tip from customers (it is all included in the bill in Europe) they still work hard to be kind and charming. All the waiters we encountered in France were so sweet to us, even though they weren't used to Americans and we were difficult/frustrating to communicate with due to the language barrier.

While in France we visited Arles, Colliure and Aigues-Muertes. We saw the pink-flamingo winery out in the countryside and did a tasting of light rosé wine. The winery showed us around the buildings with the big oak barrels. Everything smelled like fermenting grapes. My favorite town, however, was Girona (this is in northern Spain right near the boarder with France). Here we had a short foot tour of the Jewish quarter and the old city center. The streets are VERY narrow and made of rough cobblestone. I was glad, as I am everyday in Europe, that I wore my walking shoes. It was moving for me to see what was left of an old synagogue and a carving in a wall where a mezzuzah once was. It was also slightly haunting to think of hundreds of Jews locked behind the stone walls as far back as the 14th c. and even eerier to realize that now no Jewish community exists in Girona at all due to the Holocaust. The day we visited Girona was the only day that the weather held. Thankfully we were able to walk in the sun along the bridge near the river down the center of town. Beautiful, tall, colored houses lined the river and overlooked the main street "la rambla" of Girona.

Though our travels were fun, it was nice to return to Barcelona on Sunday night. My stomach didn't stop hurting the entire time we were in France (likely a combination of gluten picked up at some unknowing restaurant, mixed with a fair amount of cheap wine) so being back in Barce meant that my stomach could take a deep breath as I put myself on a strict diet of rice, eggs, chicken and bananas. All of the food was worth it though and Monj and I had a blast in the fancy hotel that our program put us up in while in France. We even got a chance to watch American Pie 4 in French on TV one night. It was our first time seeing TV in a month. Quite honestly we haven't even noticed its absence.

Today after school we went to see la pedrera, one of the homes designed by Gaudí, which is located on a main street (Pg de Gracia) here in Barce. It was beautiful! The home has 8 floors, 4 of which are dedicated to serving as a museum about Gaudí, artifacts from his life and time period, and explaining his genius architecture. Not only are his buildings works of art centered around nature and color, but also they are marvels of engineering. Gaudí used gravity quite a bit to model and decide how his structures would stand. They are like nothing I have ever seen before. The interior reminded me a little of the Cheesecake Factory (this is embarrassing to admit but gives a good rough idea of color scheme and shapes) but the exterior was more like a natural sculpture garden. No wall is perfectly straight. It feels like everything is wavy or round and encased in winding metal bannisters. From the center of the house on the ground floor you can look all the way up and it is open at the top, like a cylinder! The floors are round like donuts and the center is totally hallow all the way up 8 floors. We had fun taking pictures and gawking at the fact that la pedrera was built 1906-1912. It seemed so much more modern to us! Gaudí was certainly ahead of his time.

Tibidabo

I'm pretty sure Monj and I are turning into a married couple. Either that or a mother and child. Our relationship is only growing stronger (and funnier) as we learn to work together to get everything done the most efficient way here in Spain. For example, today we went to Mt. Tibidabo for a day trip and took care of each other as best we know how. I packed a backpack to carry our lunch and our giant shared water bottle. She acted as main navigator with the map. Last night we planned the whole thing out together- figuring out what streets we had to take to get to the metro, what turns were next to find the tram after the metro and how much it cost for a funicular ride to the very top.

Once we got to the amusement park at the top I was sure I wasn't going to do any of the rides. The views of Barcelona below were beautiful and I was content with sitting in the shade and people-watching overlooking a cliff. But Monj pushed me to go on a roller coaster (for the first time in my life!) and there is no way I would have done it without her sitting next to me. It was a blast! Even though I felt sick afterwards she took me to the shade to eat our sandwiches in peace and we were both proud that I did it! As cheesy as it sounds, we're having once in a lifetime moments almost every single day here and it feels good to share that with my best friend. It helps that our Spanish is más o menos the same level and we do our homework together, too.

Yesterday we went to Mar Vella, a less popular but more beautiful beach than the overcrowded Barceloneta. More than 80% of the women were topless so I decided to join in, too. Swimming in the Mediterranean naked is just one of those things you can't do in the States. I finally persuaded Monj to do the same (after a lot of coaxing) and she ended up loving it even more than I! We swam far out in the freezing cold water and laid on our backs, suspended by the salt and looking up at the perfectly blue sky. Sometimes it feels like we're on vacation here and sometimes I can hardly register that we even left the States and we're halfway around the world.

The only thing I've noticed that I dislike about Europe/Spain is the amount of smokers! As far advanced as the Europeans seem to be with living a healthy lifestyle: exercising regularly, eating well (eating smaller portions), using less energy- I still cannot believe how many people smoke. We cannot escape it. It constantly smells like cigarettes and our allergies/headaches are wild. There are no limits as to where you can smoke, either. The beaches, restaurants, school, inside stores and homes all smell like tobacco. We are lucky to be living with a non-smoker though and we feel our new home is a haven away from the smell.

moverse (we move ourselves)

I am proud to announce that Monjira and I are all settled in our new neighborhood of Gracia, in a new homestay with a wonderfully "símpatica" (kind-hearted, nice) lady named Montse! The great move took place after class on Tuesday and since then we have adjusted to our new surroundings beautifully. We realized after a week of living with our previous señora that we were not compatible with her. She did not provide for us the experience we desired and she did not take care of us as her contract with our program obligated her to (i.e. with food, basic necessities and a comfortable atmosphere). While this caused a small amount of drama, our program directors were happy to help us get into a home and neighborhood that was better for us after our parents stepped in to help explain what was going on. Now we take the metro to school everyday like a regular commuter and often walk home (about a 40 minute walk) after our classes.

Gracia is the place to be! It is full of young people, yoga studios, health food stores, boutiques, coffee shops and fresh markets as well as outdoor benches to sit and enjoy the youthful atmosphere. The cobblestone streets are filled with bicycles and motorbikes and some small European cars parallel park themselves between the tall apartment buildings and narrow storefronts. The green line takes us right downtown to the heart of the action but its nice to come home to a more tranquil and QUIET neighborhood at night.

We're thankful that this move has been such a good fit. Our new señora, Montse, is a middle aged widow who is extremely outgoing. She has many friends who are always in and out of her house and she is a fantastic cook! Montse is caring, warm and friendly and loves to talk with us. She and her friends have a great sense of humor. Even after living with her for a half a week our Spanish is getting better! She helps us with our homework at night and makes us feel welcome. After only being here a few short hours she kissed us goodnight and told us she could feel a mutual connection was already established. We agree and we feel that this was meant to be.

After school on Wednesday we took a bike tour (from a company called "Fat Tire- they're also in London and Berlin) that guided us around the city for four hours! The tour guide showed us many popular landmarks, parks, neighborhoods and routes around the city. It really helped us get a greater picture of how streets/neighborhoods/areas connect here without fiddling with our map or being underground on the metro. One of many beautiful things about Barcelona is that if you are at the heart of the city you are never more than 10 minutes from the beach! Much like Chicago, the city overlooks water and we can tell this is going to be imperative when the weather heats up in mid-July! It was difficult to navigate the bikes in a big city though. Monjira came frightfully close to being hit by a bus and I accidentally grazed a pedestrian (or two) when trying to steer through the cobblestone streets. 

Friday we had the pleasure of visiting Park Güell. We had heard from a few people that it was something we should go visit but we were SO glad when we arrived that no one had told us quite how breathtaking it was. The surprise knocked me off my feet. Güell was designed by Gaudí and his home is situated in the park. It is full of winding paths and beautiful gardens. As you climb the mountain higher and higher you get better and better views of all of Barcelona below. We hiked all the way to the top and when we sat down at a lookout spot there was a man playing classical guitar with his back to the city. Tears came to my eyes as I took in the city below with the music in the background. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life.

Although some days are harder than others (to wake up at 7am after being up until 1 or because I just get frustrated with a language barrier) we are trying to enjoy every second. Our days are absolutely FULL and they go by faster than anything I have ever experienced. Even though we pack cultural activities, learning (and a lot of walking!!) into everyday, it still whirs by. There is never a dull moment. In fact, Monj still hasn't completely unpacked her suitcase in our new home even though we've been here for almost a week. We simply haven't had time. After class we always do an activity until dinner at 9pm, then we do our homework and talk with Montse or go out to a bar. By 1-2am we HAVE to sleep. It has become an ongoing joke that Monj hasn't fully unpacked yet simply because there hasn't been a moment to spare. This weekend we're hoping to relax on the beach and have a moment to breathe.