GO BARCA!

Today started off like a typical Wednesday. The alarm clock ringing at 7:30 am before the sun has fully come up. The unwillingness to get out of bed. But hey, I made it to class to learn that our midterm has been moved again, to Wednesday. So lucky me!

Tina, John and I went to go get a snack ("I'm all creamed out," thanks John) and then to IES II for some forever21 browsing/facebook stalking/solitaire playing. Those 2 hours from 10 am-12 pm really are 2 of the longest hours ever.

Spanish class started off with a visit from Cristina from the Student Services department. Basically, due to drunken actions and poor decisions made on the part of the American students, mixed with being in the wrong place at the wrong time, 2 students have been attacked (with knives) in the past 2 weeks. Both incidences involved either trying to chase someone who stole something or fighting the people who are trying to pickpocket you. This type of violence in Barcelona is VERY rare, and these incidents are 2 out of the 3 most of the staff has seen in th past 6 years. So we had a little talk and went over a case study, highlighting the danger signs and what could have been done differently. It was good I guess but it was all stuff we learned during Orientation--if people had listened!

I came home for lunch and was so tired. I don't know why I didn't just take a nap. But I made it to my Catalan class for the afternoon (even though my professor, Pep, asked me if I was tired--love that). I came home afterwards just for a bit before it was time for the real Spanish house activity for the week:

Churros con chocolate!

Oh my goodness. The churros are a litte thinner and crispier than the big Costco or Disneyland churros (I'm an afficionado), but the chocolate is ridiculous. They give you a big cup of warm chocolate, and because we all got it Suiza-style, there was a huge dollop of whipped nata (cream) on top. They gave us each an extra packet of sugar to sweeten the plain cream, and it was amazing. Lots of people drink the chocolate afterwards, but this was not going to happen. I am a HUGE chocolate fan but even that was too much! Worth it though.

Afterwards John, Aaron, Christen and I went further down Las Ramblas to go watch the Barca-Celtic game at the appropriately titled "Sports Bar." (Dad and Pam, it is located where that huge orange internet cafe was--now it's bar!). One of John's friends and one of Christen's friends showed up too. We had to wait in line a little to get in, but we ended up getting the last available table in the place, just in time for the game. It was meant to be.

Aaron had explained to me that the last 12 times Barca has played Celtic, they lost 9 games and tied 3. But tonight, THEY WON! 3-2. It was really great and fun to be around the fans, even though some rowdy Celtic fans near us were being beyond obnoxious. It's hard not to get too caught up in all the excitement. This bar was really cool because it was also playing the Manchester-Lyon game (tie 1-1) and the Arsenal-Milan game (tie 0-0). But it still had that American bar feel. I had some patatas bravas. Yum!

We came home after the game and just relaxed. Now I'm off to bed as my eyes are drooping. So tired! I need to rest for my trip to San Sebastian and Bilbao trip this weekend!

Besos