Spaña: 1 check on the bucket list!

Three days have passed since my last blog…and I have managed to pack those days with quite a bit to do. My new goal is to do something different everyday…or at the very least something interesting. I think my culture shock is getting better. I feel like I’m starting to settle in some at least. But I think I caught a cold, or my sinus infection got worse or something. I’m really not sure. I get sick at the beginning of many semesters, so I think it’s fairly normal, really. I went to the doctor (which was an adventure in itself) so I will hopefully be getting better soon!

Sunday I wanted to do two things: 1. Go to Museo Picaso and 2. Tomar café con Rosara, whom I met through intercambio. I went to the museum, only to discover a long line since it’s free on Sundays. I was, like, uh uh…too crowded. I do not want to view Picasso elbow to elbow with a bunch of tourists. So instead…….I went to the bookstore across the street and spent all of the cash I had on design books. One is cosas made from cardboard—spaces, objects and my personal favorite—a cat’s scratching post. It is very creative and I wish I had had it last semester for my digital fabrication class. The other book is a graphic design book which had a lot of solid ideas. I got it to have a reference/idea book for those days when I have a mental block. The last book is probably my favorite, though it’s hard to decide…This one is paper products such as a folder or brochure. All are very simple, but interesting. More importantly it has the template within the book for how it is folded and assembled. While this may seem simple, if any of you have ever tried to create a template for a box from scratch you know it is much harder than it looks. But the best part—and I didn’t even realize it until after I’d bought it—is that there is a CD included with all of the templates. This means I can already create all of the projects in the book with very little effort. I am ecstatic!

Then I went to the barrio of Gracia which is a little north of my neighborhood. I thought I was supposed to meet Rosara at the metro station of Gracia…but the map she sent me was for the metro stop Funtana. We spent an hour trying to find each other using a combination of facebook and cell phones. After we found each other it was great—we walked around and talked in Spanish for about an hour. Then we went to a café where she got coffee and I got te. It came in an awesome mug that had the tea leaves soaking in it. Then you removed the lid and it became a saucer for the strainer to sit on. I didn’t understand the directions so that also made it more entertaining. My mouth is hurting when I speak in Spanish for about more than an hour. I think it’s just not conditioned to talk this much with these different sounds. Josh, another architecture student, also joined us for awhile. Rosara is awesome and I want to hang out with her again.

A church in the area of Gracia, where I met Rosara para tomar cafe.

Yesterday was Monday and I had my first day of studio. But before studio we had a gap so a group of us went and had almuerzo at this place on the corner that is surprisingly affordable. I had a wonderful four queso pizza. Yum! Then we went to this courtyard across the street which we call Sandwhiches with Friends because Katy’s señor wrote that on a map for her. Studio was interesting…I thought we were all going to be doing a flea market, but I guess only the super advanced students will. Hannah and I are trying to do the flea market though because we want the challenge, but also a more unique final piece in our portfolios. We’ll see what happens there. Then we went to an amazing 5 floor store that is like Lowe’s crossed with Hobby Lobby.

Today was a bit boring, however. I had class, then tutoring for the two days I was in another class. I feel pretty prepared for my exam tomorrow though. We’ll see…It’s kind of funny that I worry so much about my Spanish class since it doesn’t even count as an elective now for me…But then I went to La Pedrera de Antoni Gaudi. It was interesting. I’m not sure if it lives up to the hype. I did feel pretty relaxed in it, though. The terrace is a bit unsettling, but I’m pretty sure that’s because I’m scared of heights. Lol. The best part was the twenty or so models of various Gaudi buildings. My favorite—and the one I’ve wanted to see for a year—is a chain model that he based his structural system off of. (See the picture). The exhibit also had a mirror so you could see it as it was built (instead of hanging upside down). That was the highlight of the day and I can cross that off my bucket list! Only 6+ museums to go!!