Ahh...Barcelona how to describe the most beautiful city in the world? I suppose it could begin with how I ended up there in the first place. The University of Montpellier has an incredible Erasmus program (European study abroad program) and the organization plans cool trips like skiing, canoeing, visiting places in France like Avignon, Nimes, Paris and Barcelona because it's only 3.5 hours away from Montpellier. I'd been in France for about a little more than a month and I really wanted to go to another country. I tried to make Oktoberfest happen but I realized quickly that traveling although easier in Europe still requires time, effort, organizational skills and most of all patience (all attributes I will grudgingly admit I wasn't born with). So when I got the facebook invite one of my friends AM and I decided it was too good to pass up. 120 euros 3 days they'd take care of everything from housing, museums, even what to do at night and we'd get to meet other study abroad students from Europe. We almost weren't able to go because there were 50 spots and we had Grammar class that ran over the inscription time. It must have been fate though because I was #49 and she was #50. I also found out later that my good friend from Romania Lucy was also going and I couldn't wait! Now this wouldn't be a true blog if I padded or obfuscated the truth so here's how the trip went down. The night before was an American themed party at the Manhatten Cafe. Needless to say us Americans got really excited at the prospect of being able to play beer pong and represent the good old stars and stripes so AM and I decided to go hard and we'd wake up at 5 am the next morning and sleep for 4 hours on the bus. After experimenting with inexpensive unflavored hard liquor and what can only be called "devil in syrup form" aka grenadine and coffee cups we were good to go or so we thought. As soon as we arrived to the tram stop AM asked to lie down and got really sick which obviously put the American party out of the question. After crashing in my dorm room and walking back to her host family home at 5 am she was good to go Barcelona. I was undeniably impressed by her ability to just flip a switch and be okay if it was me I'd be scrunched in a ball on my bed and not want to be disturbed for at least 48 hours. I will never forget running to catch the bus as we were clearly the last ones (stupid tram) and her saying wait up a second as we crossed the pedestrian bridge. She leans over the pont (or bridge) and starts to puke like a champ while people on their bikes gave kind of what the hell looks? I just rubbed her back and started saying stuff like "Ahhh...don't ever eat the fish again!" But when she got it out of her system she was all good and we got on the bus and we were off. Lucy had saved us seats next to her and the Italians she knew who lived in her batiment and who we ended up rooming with in the hostile. It was funny because I could tell from their accents that they were from the North and as soon as they said near Milano it only confirmed my assumptions. I spoke a bit but sometimes I get embarrassed (even though I guess I shouldn't) that I'm an American speaking Italian but with a Southern accent. I have to watch myself because at times when I speak Italian really fast I will throw in Neapolitan dialect which apparently is difficult to understand when you didn't grow up with a Nonna speaking it to you? AM struggled through sleeping/being hungover and as we were talking about it the German girls in front of us asked her if she wanted some anti-nausea medicine. She respectfully declined but out of that a friendship was born and we spoke with the girls for the rest of the 2 hours about where they were from in Germany and how long they were in France for and what there specializations were? Who would have known a great way to meet new people would be in a bus? I think what I loved most about the way the trip started was that it was perfect in it's imperfections. It also makes one hell of a story to remember....the American party that never happened, the pragmatic solution to rubbing alcohol vodka and the time AM puked on a ponte. It was a good beginning!
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