So I met Brad Pitt, and other adventures

I've now been a week here in Barcelona, and I think I'm just starting to get over the jet lag. I've realized that I'm pretty much not sleeping for the rest of this trip. Nbd.

We started our intensive Spanish course this past Thursday, which really is just a very basic review of all things Spanish that you need to know to pass real Spanish classes. My teacher is awesome; he knows 5 or 6 languages ("25th Annual", anyone?) and gives us very little work. The class is 4 hrs a day, but we have a 2 hr break in between to go to the bar in the university (which is more life a cafe) to have a thing of espresso before going back. It's without doubt the best part of my day.

We also took a bus tour of the city, very touristy, but it was good to see the quintessential things that you need to see in this city. Like, the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí's very very famous church. They've been working on this freaking church foreeeeeever. The guide said that now they're saying it'll be done in about 10-15 years. I don't buy it. I think the Sagrada Familia is just going to be under construction forever. Poor Gaudí. You can see the cranes and construction any time you look out over the city. Being right next to the church is absolutely stunning. I had seen pictures before, but it really is quite outstanding.

I've seen a thousand pictures before of Sagrada Familia, but I've never actually seen anything of the back of the church (to the left). It was built by another architect but under Gaudí's original design. It looks so remarkably different than the front. I think Jesus kind of looks like an anime character, rly. But the church, again, is really fantastic. Hoping that I might be able to go inside sometime soon.











We also went up on a mountain that overlooks the whole city (Monjüic, which literally means Mountain of the Jew....go figure.) This city is freaking gorgeous. (the picture below is of the marina, only part of this huuuuge panorama view that we got of the city)




Annnnnd then today a few of us went to Parc Güell, which is also a Gaudí work. It's huge, and is on a mountain that overlooks the entire city. The architecture is amazing (has lots of pictures....) Oh, and I found out that the background picture on my blog (which I shamelessly stole from google image search) is actually of Parc Güell.




This park is my absolute favorite place so far. I want to go here all the time...altho, it's a bit of a trek from where I live. Because I live kind of far away from everything, thanks for that CIEE.

I don't have pictures of the nights this weekend, but Barcelona's night life is a blast. Everything is open at 2 am, it's fantastic. I thought that Spaniards would be creepers, and altho some of them are a lot of them are really nice. Last night we went to a bar and talked to a lot of the locals, which is a fantastic way to improve your Spanish. I actually was talking to someone who taught me the difference between ser and estar...lolz.  I also made friends with a man who introduced himself as Brad Pitt, and 3 Latin Americans (who live in Barcelona, I love how this city is so diverse) taught me how to samba. The more you know? And for the record, even the fast food here is delicious. Their version of a burger is a piece of bread covered in ham and cheese with tomatoes and such. Delicious.

Bien, that's about as much as my pictures will take me through. We have class again tomorrow morning, so I probably should try and get some sleep (despite the fact that, let's be honest, I'm not sleeping this whole semester). I'll end with my one mark on Barcelona; my initials barely etched into a tree in Parc Güell (written, por su puesto, in sharpie pen). One day, this spot is going to be famous.




And congrats to my vob loves for an amazing, amazing show!! :)

Hasta luego, besos y abrazos!