Hola from Barcelona!

HOLA CLASE.

That is how all my classes started when I did my practicum. My students didn't find it as amusing as I did.

Anyways, I'm in Spain! After years and years of wanting to travel to Spain, I have finally arrived! It almost seems surreal to think that I am here. But it's been a real experience so far.

I got in pretty late my first day, so that was a write off.

But my second day I decided to go for it, and check out one of the most touristy things you can do: La Rambla. I picked up some souvenirs, and maybe a scarf or two... Just so you all know, I totally used one of the scarves, so whatever. You always needs scarves. I even made it to the Mall of Spain, which I didn't even know existed until I sought refuge from the heat! And then it had wifi. Amazing.

Then, because I decided to abuse my feet, I went out dancing. I had forgotten how much I love dancing. When you don't dance for 5 weeks or so, you forget how happy it makes you! Plus, I was feeling lonely and dance people are always so friendly. I even made a new friend there and she was so nice! She even gave me some advice on what to check out this weekend.

This weekend is La Feste de la Merce, which is basically a festival for the natives of Barcelona. There is music, activities and lots going on.

I went a few events. I went to one of the concerts where The Kooks played, and it was so good! It was absolutely packed though! And I went to the Sagrada Familia, which is probably one of the most famous buildings in Spain and the guest city of the festival had put on this amazing light show. The guest city was Canadian, obviously. Montreal. I don't think I have ever felt so claustrophobic in my life.

Unless you've been to Barcelona, it's hard to imagine the immensity of this building!

This is about half a block away, and it's still PACKED.

I met a couple of Brazilians while I was here and they convinced me out one night to go see some of the festivities. It was so fun! First of all, I ended up at this stage where it was a combination of lindy hop and karaoke, and I was teaching my new friends and it was so cool to just randomly end up here. The boy, Alan, was like "I thought we could learn to dance together!" So cute.

Then we found some animated events, and some robots dancing and this really cool exhibit where you go in front of a camera and then it copies your face and pastes it on someone else's?

for all of you wondering, my iphone case is an owl :D

And there was also this stage where it was human sized tetris. A massive screen where one person had to run on a pad to control where the block would go (left or right) and another ran around to choose which rotation the block would take. I took pictures, but it hardly does it justice.

Other than that, I have been frequenting the beach, walking many kilometres a day and sweating all of my available water stores in my body. On the plus side, I've also been wearing all of the dresses I own!

I went out for tapas tonight and it was so good. Besides the fact that I drank a bit too much sangria, the food was delicious, and the place played Eurovision songs and top 40 and I was singing along happily (probably much to the chagrin of all the other people there).

If any of you reading this are interested in Gaudí, I have lots of pictures for you! This place is full of really amazing architecture and I keep hoping Edmonton will be just as beautiful when I return! I have so many pictures and my camera broke. And then my camera connection kit began a tempestuous relationship with my iphone and that doesn't work either! These pictures come courtesy of me emailing myself pictures from my phone... So cool, right?

I'm heading to Sevilla on Thursday morning, so I'll probably update you from there!

Though, tomorrow I may add another blog post with the stupid things I've heard people say over the past couple weeks. People don't know I eavesdrop!

 

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