Chapter 9: a day in the life

song: walking on sunshine Hi all! Today I am walking you through a day in my life as a study abroad student in Barcelona, Spain.  Since it’s Monday, I wake up around 8:00 am to get ready then leave for the train station at 8:45 am. Then, I board the train to take me to …

Chapter 8: seeking help

song: dream a little dream of me ¡hola a todos!  I am writing to you after a long conversation with my mom (it was good, not to worry) and a game plan in mind. Let me start from the beginning. It all started in my “Self & Identity in a Postmodern World” class. The task …

Chapter 10: Gaudí

song: strut Hello friends! Today I went to Park Güell with Tia and we discovered that the park is so much larger than we imagined. When you search “Park Güell” on Google or Pinterest, you typically see the benches made with colorful tiles overlooking Barcelona. So, naively, I assumed that that was Park Güell – …

Goodbye in Barcelona

At the start of the month, my friends and I made plans to take one last trip together to Barcelona, Spain. Like many of the places I’ve visited this semester, I was taken with it in ways I never anticipated. For Barcelona specifically, the architecture and the atmosphere it created was particularly enchanting. Of course, …

Pick a Favorite?

Every Monday, the classroom is filled with chatter about what everyone did the previous weekend. “How did you like [insert city name here]?” “What did you do there?” “Oh, I loved/didn’t like that city” “What’s your favorite place you’ve been so far?” Of course I participate in these pre-class discussions. How could I not? The …

Spring Break in Barcelona

Bon dia! Over spring break I visited Spain for the first time. Our spring break lasted from March 16 – March 19 (basically the length of fall break at Hope) so I had a short time to visit as much of the city as possible. This was a popular travel weekend. Flight prices were getting …

Why Soccer Players Should Study Abroad

Balancing academics, athletics, and social life is no easy feat. Student athletes certainly have a lot of on their schedule and often overlook studying abroad as it is seen as something unobtainable. The thoughts of, “My coach would not allow it” or “I would be missing spring workouts” often come to mind. This blog is to …

Shredding the Pyrenees

From the beach one day to the mountains the next, Catalonia is full of surprises. Earlier this week I travelled north to La Masella, a Catalonian-Pyrenees Alp that stands just above 8,000 feet tall. With bluebird skies, stunning panoramic views, and solid company to ride with, this trip could not be any better… Then again, …

Barcelona: First Thoughts

What’s up guys! I have finally made it to my study abroad destination, Barcelona, Spain. The time change has taken some getting used to, as well as the lifestyle of Catalonians. For instance, mornings last until 2 pm, dinner is at 9 pm, and the daily dose of tapas is a bit overwhelming. Tapas, for …