Los Indignatos and una Semana Excelente

Hola vosotros, just concluded my second week of classes in Spanish civilization and Spanish language at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. So far, everything has been great, I am learning exponentially more Spanish than I ever have before due to my immersion in the culture, the weather has been clear and sunny and I am becoming somewhat more acquainted with the city and its layout. During this week, I attempted to walk to my apartment from school (took about 3 hours, apparently there are 2 streets named Maragall...oops), checked out the magnificent and looming spectacles of the Sagrada Familia and Arc de Treomph and enjoyed some exceptional Kebabs (not Spanish food I know, still amazing!). The jamon serrano bocadillas as they are called are still excellent and I am not sick of them (yet), and I seem to have one just about every day (see the picture below :).

We also discovered a local hangout frequented by young travelers called Chupitos, where rowdy patrons can enjoy an incredible variety of shots (over 500 available!), all for 2 euro each, a must-go if you are in Barcelona. Other interesting moments include saying hello to a dog (hola perra, found out it means something else, think female dog), and the awesome George Payne Irish Pub reminiciant of Macdinton's Irish Pub in South Tampa, with Guinness flowing and buckets of Amstel for 10 euros. Tomorrow we are traveling to the pristine beach town Sitges, located about an hour south of Barcelona, to enjoy the beaches and tour the largest winery/cava crafters in Spain. I will update after my trip for sure, here are some pictures of Sagrada Familia, the Arc de Treomph and other interesting sights/eats from my travels.

1.Em in Front of the Masterwork in Progress, The Sagrada Familia Cathedral
2. Striking Modern Art in the Gothic Quarter, a Commentary on the Thousands of Cameras that have been Installed all throughout Spain and Europe
3. The Ubiquitous Jamon Serrano Bogadilla and Espresso (Cafe Solo)
4. Delicious Plate of Homemade Hummus with Veggies and Pita
5. Me in Front of the Arc de Treomph
5.

El incitio de escuela!

Today was the first day of school here in Barcelona (I am here for study abroad, remember!), and it was an eventful one for sure. I woke up for my first class and enjoyed a typical Spanish breakfast (desayuno, no not coffee and cigarettes) of cured ham on a croissant, and a delicious and very strong cafe solo, essentially a shot of espresso. Food and drink can not usually be taken to go in Spain, probably due to the cultural importance of the experience of meals and the appreciation of savoring a meal; however, I discovered a very small coffee shop near my apartment that will provide a tiny cup for espresso to go and a bag for my bocadilla (sandwich).

The metro in Barcelona is very efficient and even with changing lines, it is possible to get essentially any where near the city center in under 15-20 minutes. This is incredibly helpful for the trip from my apartment to school, located in the L' Example (y' shample) district of Barcelona. Catalan, an ancient language that was spoken exclusively in the northeastern region of Spain for over 800 years, is omnipresent in Barcelona, further complicating navigation for an someone who speaks Castilian Spanish un poco (a little). Nevertheless, the Catalan is somewhat similar to Spanish, despite the ubiquitous use of x and l', and some signs are written in Catalan, Spanish and English. My class itself is an overview of Spanish culture and history, and my other class is a Spanish language class, both working (ideally) to push my towards fluency and the understanding of the multifarious Spanish culture. Grades are assigned out of 10, with a 5 as passing and 10 as "perfection". Maybe American colleges could try out this system? Later, we checked out the exceptional Mercato en la Rambla, a sprawling, extremely colorful produce and meat market full of an incredible variety of produce and delicious food.

Thanks to everyone checking out the blog, more awesome posts are to come. Here are some more pictures of the city!: