I spent much of the next two weeks learning about Barcelona´s countercultural philosophies, debates and practices. I met people from all over the world and started picking up my Spanish again. In the meantime, I was also still searching for a new flat on a daily basis: "Try again in a month or two when the market is better" someone suggested. "I don´t want to live with a native English speaker" another honestly stated. I was having no luck househunting. I not only needed a place to live, though, I needed a steady address which people could send mail to, so I made my way to Barcelona´s Principal post office which, I discovered, accepts mail for people from all over the world (called the "List De Correos, " translated: "Post Office List"), which can be picked up just by showing your passport to the desk clerk. Yay! One more problem solved!
I was also still feeling fairly unwell, despite having followed the doctor´s strict regime to the letter. I had no place of my own and no work, but doors seemed to be opening up to me everywhere; through the social centre, I was put in touch with free Spanish classes, workshops and youth centre. I was meeting so many interesting people, from a German architect who is also a BMX stunt performer to an Argentinian girl doing experiments with composting techniques and soil regeneration. I was, in fact, given a c.1975 model BMX, blue, by a girl who was leaving the city that day and could not bare to sell it: "Take good care of my bike," she said, "I rode her from Barcelona to Portugal and back again!" I was impressed and promised to take very good care of her. The bike struck me as a "Lisa," but when I suggested this name to a friend he said, "It´s a masterpiece! Call it "Mona Lisa!" I didn´t want to have her stuck with being called a "moaner" (and groaner), so we finally settled on "Laughing Lisa" (although the painful sound she makes going up hills would make "Squealing Lisa" more appropriate). Now, I was more mobile and Barcelona is an excellent bike riding city. In fact, it is more fun, suitable and economical to ride a bike in Barcelona than almost any other form of transport; especially cars. I became more mobile than ever before: yay - another problem solved!
Finally, on the 16th, I found a flat in a perfect location for the right price. My housemate, Krisna, was a real gentleman, very polite and clean, who worked late night security shifts and wanted to get another housemate into a third room as well. I moved in the next morning and breathed a deep sigh: after living in a house with fifteen others, it was good to have my own space again to relax and get on with my writing (finally!).
