So since spring break, I have just been trying to enjoy and see as much of Barcelona as I possibly can. That hasn’t been as easy as I would hope since I’ve been crushed by work lately, but I’ve been doing my best. One of the great advantages of me being a long distance runner, is that since I am forced to run long distances on a daily basis, I see a great deal of the city. And at this point, I just run around as aimlessly as possible trying to find as many new spots of Barcelona as I possibly can.
In these past two weeks, I’ve also really tried to catch up on some training and get back into good running shape. Mainly, because I signed up for a 10k race this Sunday and God knows how I will fare during it, so I’m just just trying not to embarrass myself out there in front of my Spanish running friends. But no matter, one of the great things that has come about with this race coming up, is that I have started to grow a beard. I decided that if I’m going to suck during this race, I should at least look legitimate while doing it. My one criticism of my first real beard of my life, it’s itchy (it’s also kind of red, which is just odd, in my opinion).
Since I have been trying to conserve my money a little better as I approach the homestretch, I have been trying to cook every meal of the day for myself. This has caused me to have to get creative, because meals can start to get repetitive after awhile. And I think I’ve been getting better at that. Though, none of its world class cooking, I’m happy that I have been very good about being healthy with my meals, and that, at this point, I haven’t given myself food poisoning. So all in all, I say I’ve been a pretty successful chef. Here’s one of my recent creations:
One of my more tastier and creative meals. So we got two pieces of toast, with a veggie burger, gouda cheese, a fried egg, two slices of tomato, and pesto.
In one week exactly my program ends, and my parents come into Barcelona. We’re going to hang out for the weekend in Barca, and then we’re getting on a cruise ship and sailing around the Mediterranean. So for me, it’ll be kind of like a super vacation since it’ll be pretty much a vacation from my current vacation, so I’m quite excited for it!
At this point, I am going to really try and blog once a day. I’ll continue to update everyone on what’s been going on, but I think in addition, I’m going to add one thing, in which I’m going to miss about Barcelona, and then one thing that I look forward about coming home. So we’ll end this post with that.
A thing I’m going to miss about Barcelona: I’m going to miss this pace of life. I like that for the most part, I’ve rarely been rushed while I’ve been here. No one’s ever in a great rush here. I know I am living in a Spanish country when this week for my History class, I was 4 minutes late and I was the first one there! This is why I think I’ve gotten along with this culture so well. In my mind I have always rebelled against those people who say those stupid phrases like if you’re 5 minutes early, you’re on time… No, no, no. I prefer, if you’re 5 minutes late, you’re early. In my mind, that makes much more sense.
One thing that I look forward to about going home: The freaking US Dollar, come back to me!! I hate the Euro! It’s the worst! I am broke because of you. One thing I forgot to talk about in my Moroccan post, was that that for the equivalent of 10 euros you have 100 dirham. If you have 100 dirham on you, you can do pretty well for a few days. If you have 10 euros on you, good luck on trying to make it through the day with food. In Morocco, I was legitimately a wealthy man. We would go to good restaurants and we could get huge feasts with an appetizer, main dish, desert, and a drink for about $7 (and we were in touristy areas!). Every time I take out 40 euros, that is $53. That adds up! And it doesn’t help that 1 and 2 euros are coins. Just come back to me US dollar, I will never complain about your prices ever again, after this.
Will's World Adventures 