Marci's Adventures

I had such a wonderful productive day today! I met my instructors for my class here and they are great. I met some students that are in the class from April as well and I will be able to hang out with them if I want to. There had been a bit of drama concerning my class but it is all worked out now. My class got cancelled because there were some last minute cancellations and they were trying to get me to take the class in June instead. It would have been a big hassle changing my flight and staying longer but what is now happening is that I am basically going to do the course by myself but have one on one advisement from my instructors whenever I need it. So now instead of spending 8 hours a day in a classroom I can do my studies wherever I want to, like the beach! More time to explore and enjoy Barcelona! It actually worked out for the best this way, plus they are refunding me some of my money. I also got my apartment today, I had a choice between a home with one lady, or a new updated flat with 3 roommates, I wasn´t sure at first because I do need to be able to concentrate on my studies so I was leaning towards the one lady but I decided to go with the 3 roommates and I am so glad. I got my keys today and went over there after signing all the paperwork which took forever, and met two of my roommates. Our apt. is in such a great location it is going to be nice living there, it is walking distance to my school as well. There are two guys, a chef and a hairdresser and the girl is a student like me. I am hoping the chef will feed us and maybe I can get a haircut too! I have neglected my poor hair on this trip, luckily it is pretty resiliant. I met the Italian hairdresser and the girl they were both really nice. I don´t have their names down yet but I will after I move in tomorrow. I am so excited I love it here. The weather is perfect not too hot about 80 everyday. There is so much to do here and now that my schooling isn´t going to be as intense I will have more free time! At first I thought I was going to get my own apt but it is really expensive here for rent so that idea is out. This will be more fun anyway. Last night I went to take a nap after I wrote my posting yesterday and I met my roommates, 3 hot guys, not such a bad thing and they were tired from going out the night before and took naps when I did. I think that is common practice here after they kick us out from 10-2 to clean everyone comes back to crash for a bit before doing it all over again. I got up and took a much needed shower and felt so much better but it was hard to get motivated to go out as I was still tired. My roommates just continued sleeping. I was going to go out with the italian guys I had played ping pong with but they decided that they were too tired and just went to the store to get groceries to make a dinner and asked me to eat with them. I declined as I decided since I actually made the effort to take a shower I would go out and get some dinner. I had been craving these tapas I had last time I was here about a month ago, it is a garlic potato salad that I couldn´t stop thinking about. I took the metro and actually was able to find my favorite restaurant on La Rambla the main area that everyone hangs out where I had had my potato salad. There was a big line out the door at about 9:00 when I got there, I guess it is other peoples favorite place as well. I finally got in and got a seat and asked about the potato salad and was devastated to find out that they did not make it that day. Tragic, but I had some other stuff, patatas fritas, basically potato wedges with a spicy sauce, and some other stuff that was delicious as well and enjoyed people watching and talking to the nice waiter. You can sit right up next to the tapas which is where I was and everyone was talking to me as they chose their tapas so that was nice. This couple was watching me across the way and laughing as people just randomly asked me questions and we had these little conversations. It is easy and fun in Barcelona to wander around by yourself. So one of the people I met was this nice guy Corey that is actually originally from Eugene, OR. He was very well dressed, preppy, and had all the features that I find attractive in guys. He just squeezed in next to me and said ¨Oh great I am so glad you speak English, I am Corey,¨ pushing the others aside and wrapping his arms around me, hugging me close to him. Apparently he had been trying to get up to where I was for a while, the restaurant was crowded the whole time I was there. I laughed and was like wow, hubba hubba in my head, and said aloud ¨Well nice to meet you too.¨ I was already full by the time he got there but he was trying all these different tapas and would say to me ¨Just one bite you have to try it, it is so good, you will love it.¨ He had this amazing camera with him and he had just been to Africa and was showing me his pics, they were so cool of all the animals. His parents still live in Eugene, he told me his life story. I tend to have that effect on people they just tell me everything. We had a great time and he totally was a goof, cracking me up, very animated, very generous. We stayed out late as he was flying out today to go to London. I was incredibly productive today despite my lack of sleep once again. At least this time it was for fun not because of stressful reasons. I had to get out of the hostel by 10 since they clean it so I dragged myself up and took the metro and I went to the huge tourist office and got some info, than made my way to a great used English book store that I love. The owner is so talkative, he is old and I think must be lonely but he is really interesting and helpful. I got some books and it made me so happy. I was just in an amazing mood all day much different from the other day. I love the feel of Barcelona, everyone is friendly, the guys too friendly actually a lot of times, but not in a scary way. The city is so hip and clean, they are big into recycling which is so great. I left the book store and went to meet my instructors at the school. I was early as I am Anal Annie when it comes to being punctual and will always plan to be early if possible so I stopped at a cafe to get something to drink to kill some time. The best thing ever happened, drum roll please.... at the cafe they had the garlic potato salad, yes I was so happy!! I got some of that and some fresh squeezed, delicious orange juice, I was in heaven. I sat at a table outside just basking in the sun smiling a huge smile to myself. When I got back this morning I realized there were two more guys in my room I am the only girl, isn´t that funny? I have adapted to so many things on this trip. I am so much more comfortable with myself, yesterday when I went to take a nap I was sticking my stuff in my locker and took my shoes off to lay down. One of the guys said something stinks and he blamed his friend. I spoke up and said ¨Oh it could be me I haven´t showered in a couple days and I think my shoes stink.¨ I wasn´t embarrased just being honest. They all just looked at me with these shocked expressions as if shocked to think a girl is human and could have stinky feet, he said ¨Oh no I am sure it isn´t you, it is probably me I haven´t showered either¨ saying this with his eyes open wide, shaking his head as if to clear even the thought of me stinking away. To those of you that have never stayed in a hostel picture your own bedroom then add five more people and their stuff, yep that pretty much covers it. In Tarifa the bunk beds were so close together when I was lying in my bed and Alex was in his bed we could touch hands if we tried. I was talking to my mom and she didn´t realize that the pics of the guys in my room are because it is their room too. New experiences make you more adaptable. Ok I am going to crash as since I walked around for about 6 hours today and had no sleep I am so exhausted. It is 9:00 PM as I write this but it will post and you will see it tomorrow. I am going to sleep early tonight since I am moving into my apt tomorrow, yippee!! I hope one of my new roommates has a laptop I can use as the apt building has free wifi. If not I will find an internet cafe so I can continue to write. The holiday that Spain is celebrating and has brought so many people here is May Day which is their Labor Day. So Happy May Day to everyone, don´t forget to celebrate and put flowers on someones doorstep, ring the doorbell and run!! One of my hot roommates has been on the computer next to me talking to me as I have been writing this, I am a little distracted.. Now one of the Italian guys came up behind me and said hi to me, asking about my day and is patting my back. They are really young but such nice guys. I am feeling so much better than when I last wrote, is this really my life? XOXO Marci