The year of 2010 began with a bang in San Diego, California... where I recently found I was conceived over a 1/2 liter of Sangria while having dinner with my mom just a few nights ago here in Barcelona. New Years was awesome as I got to spend it with all of my close friends from high school... and made some new friends too.
Then I spent the next week in Long Beach, California preparing for my semester abroad in Europe! I got a chance to see all my friends and family... and even had my very own ¨Botellon¨ celebration in honor of my moving to Spain.On January 11, 2010 I headed to the Long Beach airport in the early morning to take off for what would be and still is... the adventure of a life time! I had lay overs in New York at JFK airport as well as in London at Heathrow airport. My flight to heathrow was the best... as I was able to order unlimited drinks... both alcoholic and nonalcoholic... for no extra charge the WHOLE flight! Lets just say... it was the rockiest smooth flight I had ever experienced. This cougar sitting next to me kept feeding me bottles of champagne. I´m not sure what her intention was, but it caused me to pass out cold until my arrival to El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain!
When I arrived to the airport I was greeted by my grandmother´s neighbor´s daughter who lives nearby and offered to pick me up, take me to lunch, and show me the city. It was the perfect introduction, even though I was exhausted.
Later that evening, I went back to the airport to meet one of my new roommates, Breck... who hails from Newport Beach, California and attends school at University of California, Berkeley. Once we met, we went to our hotel, the Catalonia Plaza Hotel in Plaza Espana... where we would stay for the next 3 nights before being moved into our apartment.
We were both hungry once settling in at the hotel... so we chose to walk around to see what looked appetizing. We came across a sushi restaurant, yet the Japanese woman working at the restaurant did not understand the word sushi, they didn´t understand spanish, yet I believe they were speaking Catalan, or at least a chopped up version. It was quite a culture shock to see people of Asian descent speak a Spanish language.
The next few days, we would meet the rest of the students in our program, CEA... as we were taken on tours around the city, walked around various places, and hit up all of ¨Kyke´s Events¨ at night. My first nightclub experience in Barcelona was one to remember or not to remember I guess would be more appropriate to say.
The nightclub life in Barcelona is known around the world to be the very best... and I couldn´t agree more. The clubs here are often packed with people all hours of the night until around 5, 6, sometimes even 7 a.m.! This is where I would learn... sleep does not exist in Barcelona if you´re looking to gain the full experience. And I sure was... and still have yet to have a solid night of sleep since studying in Barcelona over the course of the past 3 months.
In the past 3 months... not only have I conquered Barcelona exploring the city, sitting on the beaches, running through the parks, eating at tapa bars, engulfing paella (most popular spanish meal), and tearing up each and every night club one bye one... but I have also traveled throughout Spain, Europe, and even Africa!
Here is the list of the following countries and cities that I have had the opportunity to visit and get to know very well....
Montserrat: one of the smaller countries in this world... an awesome monk monastery!
Calcotada: where I ate lunch after spending the morning at Montserrat and got food poisoned!
Sitges: a beach town in Spain where I went on a trip with CEA and also conquered for my first ¨Carnivale¨ experience.
Andorra: where I went HUSKY SLEDDING in the Pyrenees mountains 2km from France, for the first time in my life... my favorite small country.
ITALY: Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, La Spezia (Cinque Terre)
Belgium: Brussels, Bree, etc. to visit Kenneth two different times!
Netherlands/Holland: Kerkrade (where Kenneth plays professional soccer), Amsterdam (mike´s bike´s tour, Anne Frank House, Van Gough Museum, Vondell Park, Casa de Rosso (sex show), the Yellow Mellow, etc.)
Germany: where I drove with Kenneth´s teammate´s parents to and from Kenneth´s soccer game playing for Roda JC based in Kerkrade, Netherlands.
Switzerland: Geneva, Interlaken (Canyon Jumping, Balmer´s famous hostel, etc.), Grenewald (Zip Lining, Tight Rope walking, etc.)
AFRICA: Tunisia (Tunis, Nabeul - where I stayed, Sousse - where I was threatened to be beheaded atop an old fortress tower across the street from a Tunisian prison) and Morocco (Marakesh, Surf trip) - took camels, busses, louages (caravans), and taxi´s around Africa.
Ireland: Dublin (on April 22-25)
Portugal: Lisbon (on May 1-5)
Well I have to get going... I have class from 4:30-5:45 and then am rushing to the airport to catch my 7:50 flight to MOROCCO!!
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