The croissant they served us for breakfast on the plane seemed fitting, given we were about an hour from landing in Barcelona, Spain. Being so close to France, a croissant is a very common snack here. Surprisingly, I got some sleep (after I contorted myself into the fetal position in a tiny airplane seat, which apparently was the position my body demanded for me to fall asleep.) Nine hours in a plane is not fun. Of course, there were lots of Spaniards on my flight, and seeing the difference in their behaviors and attitudes was quite striking. So many of them were so upbeat and peppy, even after such a long flight. I heard laughter, saw smiles, and felt some of that carefree vibe that people around here just seem to give off. How do they do that? Even speaking with one of my program directors, who is from London, it seemed that this city just exudes "relax" and "life's good." Although, having read up on Spain, life is not exactly fantastic. There are still troubles and problems to deal with, but the stress level just seems to not exist here, at least not in public.
But I'm not complaining...I'm in Barcelona; that city that infected me with the bug. The I-need-to-go-everywhere-and-anywhere-I-can bug. Note: there is no remedy for this bug; only more travel. Upon arriving at the airport, I was greeted by one of the assistants to the school I will be attending (by the way, I'm here to learn how to teach. In 4 weeks, yes, but let's hope they're some incredibly intensive 4 weeks.) As he drove me to my homestay, my eyes wandered around, dancing over all of the sights. Some were familiar (Mount Tibidabo!), others weren't (where did that above-ground cemetery come from?) It was as if I were in a dream. Then I realized I was broke and had to penny-pinch to the extreme. I think that's when I woke up.
All kidding aside, I am beyond happy to be here. Without sounding too gushy, there are so many people to thank for this experience. Above all, my parents. Without them, I never would have been enrolled in an English-teaching course in Barcelona, and then on my way to Ecuador for a job as a teacher. My parents supported me right from the start, which is a lot more than some people can say. I realize how lucky I am. I feel almost like a rich brat (which I'm NOT) when people ask me if this is my first time in Barcelona, and I answer "no, I was here last summer." It makes me feel privileged, which I suppose I am, truthfully. It makes me feel a bit guilty when I talk about where I've been and what I've done. I hear it all the time, "I can't afford it." Well, honestly, neither can I. I got loans, I spent my life savings, then saved up for a year and spent my life savings again. I had tremendously generous people who believed in me help me out. I'm in debt. How American.
Speaking of being American (or, I should say, from the U.S;) I already experienced some-I'll call it dislike-over my nationality. I know lots of people from other cultures don't like people from the States, or have skewed perceptions of them. Likewise, people from the States have false ideas about other cultures as well. I'm probably the first U.S. citizen to say I'm not really "proud to be an American", as awful as that sounds. I have some beefs with this country, but don't we all? Anyway, I went into a tienda today, and the cashier was not Spanish, but she wasn't from the States either. I want to say she was from India. And what the hell, I happen to find India's culture one of the most interesting! So, there were two customers ahead of me (both Spanish), and the cashier is very polite and courteous and all. Then she gets to me, and transforms into an ice queen. I say "thank you" and "have a nice day" in Spanish, and she doesn't say anything. I wait for a few seconds, and she scolds me for saying "have a nice day." According to her, it wasn't the right time of day to say that. Then she stares at me until I leave. Ouch...I have now been on the receiving end of prejudice. And there was a slice of humble pie at this end. Live and learn! (Does this change my perceptions of people who share that cashier's nationality? No way.)
On a positive note, my homestay is nice. My hostess is kind, and her apartment is huge! I swear, "apartment" here means "palace." I think it's the size of my dad's house, if you aligned all the rooms horizontally. Also, everything is on an overwhelming scale...the entrance has huge iron gates, the elevator is tiny, but old school with hinged doors, and most of the rooms are spacious and open. My homestay is on the 4th floor, and the architecture is a little ornate and decorative. The doors are almost floor-to-ceiling and on a grand scale. There are two balconies that bring a refreshing breeze through the hallway. Downside: pigeons like to congregate outside my bedroom window. Hopefully they're not as bad as Philly pigeons, but these ones can actually fly. The apartment is situated in a less hectic part of the city, but a straight shot to the more popular cafes, shops, and restaurants. There are 4 others living here, and 3 of them will be taking the same course as me. So that's exciting! More on them in a later post.
Tomorrow is our first day at the school. I'm super-excited. I can't wait to meet people, to learn, and to be overwhelmed (in a good way!) I'm going to see if I can do this 4 week stint here without a metro pass, because it will save me money. Hm...what do you think?
Hasta pronto!
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