MY LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA...

I only have two days left in Barcelona and then I'm off to Italy for 2 weeks. I'm excited about my trip to Italy, but I'm really sad to leave Barcelona. It's been an amazing experience!

So, I decided to make my last week and a half a true vacation - so no more classes! I spent most of my days out at the beach and walking my favorite neighborhoods. The beach has been quite an entertaining experience. From topless women and hairy armpits, from a man dropping his drawers just 10 feet in front of me to change into his swim trunks to a drug deal just 2 feet from me! What an experience! Never a dull moment!

There's so much activity at the beach. Women walk around offering you a 15 minute massage for 5 euros. Nice service! And at times it feels like I'm at a baseball game with men roaming around calling out the goods they are selling - CERVEZA! AGUA! CHIPS! I think we need to add these added services to our beaches. It's so convenient!

When I first arrived to Barcelona, there were so many things that I missed about the States. But the more time I've spent here, I've created an even bigger list of all that I'm going to miss in Barcelona.

What I'll Miss Most:

1. Beach in walking distance

2. Coffee served in real china cups and saucer - no paper products here! Except at Starbucks, of course!

3. Hundreds of cafes with plenty of outdoor seating
4. Freshly squeezed OJ served at nearly every cafe and restaurant

5. Cafe con helado dessert at McDonald's

6. Rarely having to wait for a seat at a restaurant

7. Being able to linger at a restaurant for as long as you'd like and not feeling rushed

8. Sandwiches of jamon y queso (ham and cheese) served at corner stores on fresh baked baguettes - and for only 2 bucks!

9. Being able to walk nearly everywhere - the city is the perfect size!

10. Not waking up to the depressing morning news of the latest murder victim - there's very little violent crime here

11. Learning Spanish

What I Won't Miss:

1. Lack of grassy areas for dogs to pee and poop in. AND lack of people picking up after their pups!

2. Pickpocketers!

3. Extra work at restaurants - having to ask for more water, for the bill, another drink, etc. (though it's nice that they don't bother you)

4. Learning Spanish :o)

It's been great looking back to my first week in Spain and comparing it to my last. I definitely feel more comfortable with my Spanish-speaking skills. I no longer care that I may or may not be butchering their language when I'm speaking - as long as they know what I'm talking about I'm happy! It's a great feeling of accomplishment.

So, I leave you with a few more photos from my time in Barcelona. Enjoy! Hopefully I'll return one day.

One more thing I'll miss - spotting Americans with their bright white sneakers and white socks.

One more thing I WON'T miss is the comeback of the tail and mullet - I hope this does not make its way back to the States!

I finally got a chance to see the "castellers." I had seen this years ago on the very educational MTV program "The Road Rules." It's a tradition in the Catalunya region of Spain - of which Barcelona is a part of. I came upon them one day while walking around the city. The castellers form human pyramids. The ones I saw were at least 3 stories high. It's fascinating, yet terrifying, to watch - especially when the little boy or girl climbs to the very top to finish the pyramid!

Here are my and my classmate, Katie's, coffee cups at Starbucks. Somehow when I said Debora (pronounced DAY-BOHR-AH - it's easier to just give the Spanish version of my name vs. Debbie) and Katie said her name, it came out as below. Ha! Too funny! No idea what happened there.

My favorite flatmate!