2.5 months down… many more to go
It has been approximately two and a half months since I have officially been living and teaching in Barcelona, Spain. Wow. I honestly can not believe it. I have experienced _SO_ much in the past few months…
Truly feeling on top of world on Montjuic!
I have made amazing, lifelong friends, I have successfully completed an intensive “TEFL” (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course, I have started a job working full time teaching English to students as young as 5 all the way to 40 year old business people, I have experienced some interesting and hilarious Catalan traditions (some, I truthfully didn’t believe at first.. Google ‘Caga Tio’ and you’ll see), I have adapted to the Spaniards eating schedule (dinner no earlier than 9pm) and time schedule (or lack there of), I have moved twice and lived in two very different areas of Barcelona, I have officially spent my first EVER Christmas away from home, I have gone on my first Eurotrip, I have mastered *all* forms of public transportation, I have adapted to life without ‘cellular data’ and learned how to communicate with family and friends only at times when I have wifi through various applications (thank goodness for the iphone), I have gotten lost at night..in the middle of the city.. completely by myself.. without a map (or internet to use a map), I have become accustomed to tapas, sangria, cervesas, and cafe con leches (1 or 2 of the listed above at every single traditional Spanish meal), I have learned that American English and British English vary in MANY different ways, I have improved my level of Spanish (baby steps), I have grocery shopped completely by looking at the little pictures on the labels, I have gotten used to the Euro, I (still) have not quite understood why they don’t have dryers here, I have walked more than ever in my life, I have climbed Montjuic.. And… I have loved e v e r y second of it.
Cool, winter sunsets on Barceloneta beach are a must
The Spanish culture in general (and especially here in Barcelona) is very relaxed and easygoing which makes it hard not to love. The city is unique, cultured, and so very beautiful.
The mountains and beach combined make any city a gorgeous one, but there is something about Gaudi and his style of architecture that gives Barcelona something that a lot of other cities I have been to do not have.
View from my rooftop in Barceloneta; the neighborhood I am living in
Overall, I am happy. I am happy I chose this direction with my life and I am happy that I am following my dreams of traveling and living abroad AND being able to check (multiple) things off my bucket list at such a young age
As you can see it has been a crazy past few months from going to school every day from 10am to 8pm to traveling to socializing and making new friends to starting work and figuring out how to get from my flat to my lesson to another lesson to a different school for my last lesson then back home again (by metro, bus, and trams).. I have had my hands full 🙂
Happy as a clam spending my weekends off in the mountains just 2 hours outside of Barcelona!
Bear with me as I hopefully keep you up to date with life in Barcelona.. as an English teacher from Belleville, Illinois 🙂
By Jamie Wells
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