First Week

Hola amigas,

So I’ve been here for one week! And I feels like I’ve been here forever. Before I left people who had been to Barcelona to study or visit told me how much fun they had and how great of an experience I would have too. Well, they must have forgotten about their first week experience. IT WAS ROUGH.

Language barrier was manageable because a lot of the people here know atleast a little bit of English. Setting up a bank account, a phone and finding an apartment was where all the grey hairs come from.

Words of advice that I wish I had been told:

• -Ask the same question to 50 different people and you will get 50 different answers. For opening a bank account, one teller would say I need certain requirements while another teller at the SAME bank would say somrthing completely different. Same with the phone carrier store representatives. These people are litereally making it up as they go.
• -Negotiate. Yes negotiating is easy to do here especially when the locals are given less work to do. They don’t like working here.
• -Don’t sound American, dude. You will stand out like a red flag and you will be upcharged.
• -too many words leads to confusion…and up-charging.
• -If you didn’t order it, tell the waiter that you don’t want it. For example, I had lunch with mi amigos and the waiter brought up bread (“pan”) though we didn’t order it and charged us for it later. The bread was hard as a rock and just terrible.
• -Bring your own water. Water is extra when you ask for it at a restaurant or bar.
• -pregame, bar then club<<< if you want to party like the locals. Drinks are 10 euros at the club, 5 at the bars (unless you find the better specials) and practically free at home.
• -got to love those international boys. Sooooo many people from all over the country. I’ve probably spoken with more people from other countries they Spaniards.
• -Most importantly, LIVE AND LEARN. Shit happens. If something happens out of context, learn from it. Have a blast and meet as many people as possible. Don’t be an idiot, use your instincts.
• -Also, don’t walk alone at night…der. Prostitutes and “Paki’s” will surround you to sell you whatever they have (drugs, sex, beer, etc). They will gang up on you as well.

Since I moved in to my beautiful apartment (from the 1800s), set up my bank account, got euros and a phone, I have been having a BLAST. I’ve been wondering around this amazing city and finding new, wonderful things every day. Now is when I can live like a European and “stress less”. And at the end of this journey, those rough times from the beginning will probably seem wicked minuscule and erroneous.

Pictures coming soon.

Besos (kisses),

J