I'm back

Hola,

So sorry for the week-long silence. I have been out there living life and neglecting my blog! It has been a busy week filled with lots of walking, picture taking and sweating. Man it is hot here.

On Monday I didn't have class until three so I thought I would explore a little more in my neighborhood, I had eyed a record store once or twice on my walk to the metro but had never convinced myself to go in. I could hardly contain my excitement when I walked in. I felt so at home. The smell, the sounds and even the people reminded me of home and refreshed my love of records. I found the perfect gift for my dad, a great little gem to add to our collection and I can't wait to give it to him. I also can't wait to see my dad when he picks me and my mom up from the airport. Also on Monday I went and saw the Arc de Triomf of Barcelona and took a long walk around Parc de Ciutadella. The park is wonderful, the shadows from the trees provide the perfect shade, the trails provide the perfect place to run and the Catalon Parliament is settled nicely in the back. For my politics class we went and took a visit to the Parliament. I could hardly believe the inside, high ceilings, elaborate chandeliers and marble staircases were all you could see. From there me and a friend went and saw La Boqueria, the huge outdoor farmers market well-known in Barcelona. This was another place that I could hardly believe. Rows and rows of food stands, fresh fruit juices and even a Mexican food stand were all you could see. I spent so much money and tried so many strange things! This place was bustling. I was appalled when I walked past one of the meat stands and saw a whole, skinned lamb head staring back at me.

Everyday I continue to be surprised by how much there is to do and see!

On Thursday we went on a field trip with our program to a historic city called Girona. I really enjoy the field trips because they take us to places that I would never know or think to see. I had heard great things about Girona and was not disappointed, they are even filming Game of Thrones there in the upcoming season! We started out by seeing the cathedral. It was absolutely breathtaking. I could hardly listen to the tour guide because I couldn't stop looking around. I had never seen anything like it. The stain glass windows shed light into the dark room and I swear you could feel the history and presence of people long past. At first I was bummed about not being able to take pictures inside, but honestly a picture would not do it justice. There was so much more to it, the whole energy of the place was what made it so special. We also saw the old Jewish quarter of the city called "The Call" and explored the Jewish museum. I also bought a non-alcoholic beer on accident.

On Friday a group of us took a train about 30 minutes outside of Barcelona to a small beach town called Sitges. My mom told me she had heard about it and that it is known as the "San Tropez of Spain." We had such a wonderful time. The town was clean and friendly and there weren't many tourists. We did not get to explore that much but spent most of our days in the cool and salty water of the Mediterranean. I also learned that we charge way too much for food in the States. At lunch I got a beer, a salad with the most amazing goat cheese, chicken and ice cream for 12 euros! That is insane. Later that evening we accompanied our Spanish mentors from the University to a place called the Bunkers at Carmel, which is known to have the best views of the city. Loacted at one of the highest points in the city, you can really see everything. It makes you realize just how tiny you are in this huge world.

Sorry this post is getting long. I am eating lots of bread, (pan con tomate is the love of my life), so I have to do lots of walking, so I see lots of thing and you all have lots to read about.

On Saturday I saw one of my favorite sights, the Olympic Stadium and village in Barcelona that was the site of the 1992 Olympics. As most of you know, track and field is something very close to my heart and this past year having knee surgery and not running has been tough on me. This made up for it ten fold. I truly had my breath taken away upon entering the stadium. I felt so many emotions I did not even know I was feeling. I had to stand alone in silence for a few minutes to take it all in. I felt like I was in a movie seeing different scences. The crowd roaring, records breaking, someones dream coming true. There was so much history in this place, and so much glory. This stadium is also special to me for another reason. My long time track coach and mentor, David Patrick ran the 400 hurdles here in the 1992 Olympic games. I sent him pictures and it was very special to share it with him.

Sundays are the day of rest here and I have been doing just that. I just finished a two hour dinner with my host family. I savor our dinner time chats. They are filled with discussion, memories and a lot of laughter. Diego and Paqui have truly opened their home to me and I will miss them very much. Such kind hearted and humble people are truly a blessing to have around. We all cannot believe I only have about 10 days left here on Carrer de Cardener.

I write to you now from the Santos family living room, sitting on the couch with Paqui and Lua, the family dog. We are watching bad reality television in Spanish and a cool breeze is coming off the terrace. What a night.

Adios,

Codes

Bunkers at Carmel

Catalon Parliament

Parc de Ciutadella

La Boqueria

Girona, Spain

Sitges, Spain

View from Bunkers at Carmel

Girona, Spain

Arc de Triomf in Barcelona

Olympic Stadium

Cathedral in Girona