The good & the bad, but who cares? I'm in Barcelona.

The weeks since arriving in Barcelona have flown by. I can’t believe that it is already the end of February; I am really enjoying Barcelona & Europe overall. This past week, I went to the Catalonian museum for a class, which explained the struggles & victories the Catalonian people have gone through. I also skipped a couple classes this week since I needed to catch up on sleep & because I stepped on a piece of glass, but thankfully we are granted 4 absences per class this semester.

So about stepping on glass, I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with my foot. I was unaware that my roommate dropped a glass on the floor so I was walking around barefoot & I assume a small piece of glass went into my foot or punctured it badly. Either way, two days later I am still having trouble putting full weight on my right foot. I went to the medical center & they said they didn’t think any glass was in my foot, but they scheduled a sonogram on Tuesday to check just in case. I found this interesting considering they didn’t automatically jump to open up my foot or prescribe me antibiotics.

Normally in the states, they’d resort to surgery rather than expensive testing that is more work & money for the healthcare providers. Moreover, I went to Camp Nou this morning with Sam & my sports marketing class to check out the soccer stadium & what we would change about it to make it more attractive to fans & consumers. It was really cool because we got to go down to the field where the players play & in the box seats. The stadium is very nice but does need major upgrades. After Camp Nou, I met with my Spanish peer contact who I needed to interview for my class. She was so nice & spoke English very well. Other than that, I haven’t really been doing much other than class 4 days a week.

I feel like most people here, including Sam, want to go out & party all the time, but I rarely feel like it. I think I am a lot different from most people my age because I don’t smoke weed or any of that crap, & I am not one to drink to get drunk-a glass or two of wine with dinner or at home & that’s enough for me. I do enjoy interacting with people at bars because it is a great way to get to know the local people. As for clubs, I hate them for they attract a certain crowd that I am not too fond of. Plus, I don’t like going with just Sam since he doesn’t like to dance & I don’t like drinking & you can’t even hear the other person talk.

I also refuse to go out during the week even if I have late class the next morning, but people here go out on Monday nights after class, which I think is crazy. I’d much rather do things during the day: tour different parts of Barcelona, go to festivals, eat new foods, & wine & cheese tastings. Why do I need to be drunk all the time to enjoy myself? Isn’t the purpose of studying abroad to remember it? Maybe I think like an old person, but I have never thought that I’ve clicked very much with age group. Oh well. Life goes on, especially in Europe. =)

Until next time... ciao 💗

Follow me on Instagram: @arielview13

A bit about my study abroad experience

I am in love with Barcelona. The people are friendly, the streets & the metro are cleaner than NY, the architecture is gorgeous, & I get to practice my Spanish & learn a bit of Catalan at the same time. My professors at CEA Global Education, the third party program I went through, are fantastic & are really dedicated teachers. The best part is that they are working in the field that they teach classes in so they are able to show first hand what life in that field is like. For instance, in my international journalism class, my professor is an international journalist & has reported wars & huge stories. He gives real life scenarios like where you should sit if you’re in a jeep with other people in a dangerous area (always try to drive. People normally won’t shoot the driver because they are normally hired locals). My professors are also from different countries: Mexico, the Netherlands, England, Germany, & Lebanon, which makes all the classes taught from a global perspective. Nevertheless, there are major downsides to my study abroad program. First, I should not have studied through CEA. The program is full of fraternity & sorority people, which is fine, but I cannot seem to fit in with these people. I wish I would have either studied abroad through a Pace program or through an international university where I could meet international students. I find the people in my program to be very shallow & culturally & globally unaware. For instance, I was in a coffee shop near campus, & this group of students walked in, ordered & said, “These stupid people can’t speak any English. What the hell is wrong with this place? Catalonians are so f**king stupid.” Uh...DUH We are in Spain, morons. So just little things like this scenario that really create a strain on making friends here. However, Sam & I are having a great time. He seems to be adjusting better to the people here than I am. I’m really not into partying, smoking, drinking & all that crap. I’d much rather spend my money on travel, awesome food, & meeting new people. It makes me grateful that I didn’t go to a party school for college; Pace University was definitely a great decision. I miss Pace a lot, but am having so much fun experiencing new cultures, food, & meeting new people from other countries. I hope that I adjust better & meet other people, hopefully some local Catalonians. Until next time, ArielViewers.

Paris: The City of Love

My second trip to Paris was by far better than the first & was certainly an unforgettable trip. I fulfilled most of the Paris cliches & stereotypes such as eating escargot, crepes, & fondue, going to the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysses, & the Arc de Triomphe, & I heard a guy do the stereotypical French laugh. All I needed was a guy with a thin mustache & I would have been complete. Along with the fulfillment of stereotypes, I learned more about French culture. Sam & I stayed at our friend, Alex’s flat right next to the Arc de Triomf. We did not expect such a fantastic apartment with our own room facing the streets of Paris. Alex’s great-grandmother bought the apartment in the 1930’s, so the house looks very old French like you’d see in the movies. Along with it being Valentine’s weekend & being with Sam, which was great in itself, Alex gave us a thorough tour around Paris, we tried some amazing food as I mentioned, & we met some great people at the house party Alex threw. Most of them spoke English, which gave me more motivation to learn a second language. It is amazing how knowing more than one language in Europe is the norm. Alex’s friends knew a minimum of 3 languages; It was very intimidating! So next on my to do list is to learn Spanish & then if my brain has enough space, French. One step at a time.

What I've done in Barcelona so far

Barcelona has been great so far. I have visited Sagrada Familia, which has definitely been my favorite site as of yet. It was built and designed by Gaudí, which I think I mentioned in my previous post, but his work is so fantastic that it is worth mentioning again. I went on a free walking tour of Barcelona (I also did this in London, too. Most European cities have them and they are great!) I have also eaten tapas, paella, and drank Spanish wine. Additionally, I have gone to a Spanish club, Opium (a club with a ton of Americans), Shoko (a lounge), and Dow Jones (a bar where their prices fluctuate like the stock exchange). I’ve been enjoying walking around my neighborhood and throughout Barcelona. I do miss my family, friends, and New York; I miss my college and my dorm, but I would not trade this change this experience for anything. And I cannot wait to travel around Europe. Paris for Valentines Day with Sam is going to be great and so is Budapest (that’s where Sam’s ancestors are from). We are still trying to get tickets to Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone seems to be going because either the tickets are sold out for the cheaper prices or super expensive tickets. Lastly, last night I walked all around my neighborhood looking for an authentic Spanish/Catalan run café-not Chinese or Pakistani run like all the cafés in Barcelona. I walked for about an hour and finally found a place. I sat at the bar, got a glass of cocacola (the coke is so much better than the US), and ordered a ham tapa;It was great. I sat there eating slowly, sipping my drinking-just relaxing. It was nice to take a step back and really enjoy the restaurant experience like the people here do instead of eating quickly and rushing out the door like we do in NY. Sam met me not long after my arrival and we ordered a Spanish potato tapa (potatas bravas) and a really good chicken tapa. That being said, I have a homework assignment for the people reading this back in the states: Go to a café, order something and just sit, people watch, don’t be so eager to get the check and annoyed that the service sucks. Meals are supposed to be enjoyed, not rushed. After 20 years, I have finally realized this. Adios, amigos!

Ariel View Goes International!

I know I have not posted in a long time. Let me catch you up really quick... I graduated high school, went on to college at Pace University to major in communications with a minor in women’s studies. I am now in my junior year studying abroad in Barcelona! I got here on January 8th & so far it has been an amazing experience. My boyfriend of two years is here with me & we are living it up as much as we can.

So far we have gone to London, where we stayed with a girl studying abroad who also goes to Pace. We also met up with our friend Ali (Pace University graduate) in Barcelona as well as London. We’ve gone clubbing, to bars, & have tried to immerse ourselves in the Catalonian culture as much as we can. It’s so interesting to me how different people are in other countries, but we all live in the same world. I obviously knew that we were all different, but it is crazy to be here & actually experience the differences. For instance, not knowing Spanish or Catalan is difficult, but I am also really trying to learn Spanish & pick up a bit of Catalan as well. Additionally, I am really enjoying my classes. They are very interesting & go toward my major for the most part, which is excellent for me. & to top it all off, I have managed to not have Friday classes since I started college. Furthermore, I am loving life so far since being abroad. London was beautiful, but the weather was so dark & gloomy. The friendly people, however, are so friendly & willing to help anyone. & just so you know, fish & chips are not all it is talked up to be. Mashed & bangers (mashed potatoes & sausage) are much better & better for your dollar, or maybe I should say better for your pound. Also, the most recent status of my living situation is quite crazy & has changed drastically. After graduating from high school, I lived in the dorms during the school year & Warwick during the summer.

I then started staying with my dad during the summer as of last year. After that, my mom got a job in Vicenza, Italy after being unemployed for about a year. So we put our condo up for rent & my mom got to Italy a couple of days ago & is renting her own apartment & will be still be working for the US Army. After I finish studying abroad, I plan to stay with Mom for about a month & then head back to NY. All this change is unsettling since Warwick is where I grew up & it is what I’m used to. But I am so excited to be traveling & that my mom has finally done something for herself that is really good! It also helps that we only rented out our condo. It gives me the possibility of going back to Warwick if I ever wanted to later on. I think that is enough catching up for now. I’ll be posting more now that I’m abroad. Get ready to go international! P.S. The photo is of me & Sam at Sagrada Familia- an amazing site still being built & designed by Gaudí, a Barcelona legend.

Until next time... ciao 💗

Follow me on Instagram: @arielview13