Madrid

Top Ten Socially Unacceptable Things in Spain that I do Every Day

10. Wear Sunglasses (I guess nobody like to protect their eyes here, or their skin, or their lungs....)

9. Wear Sneakers (it is only socially acceptable here to be seen outside your house in boots, flats, or heels. Sneakers? not unless they are really cute...)

8. Wear hats (not only are they unacceptable in class, but I have yet to see one person put one on to shade their face or as a fashion statement)

7. Not Smoking (yeah, I guess I'm weird like that. side note: according to my textbook, the Spaniards invented the cigarette! Explains a few things then...)

6. Wear headbands (Spaniards just like to wear a lot of scarves, I guess)

5. I like Peanut Butter (probably 3/4 of the Spaniards don't even know what peanut butter is. And they make a disgusting face when you tell them. Makes me sad for them.)

4. I like to Run (every time a Spanish man sees a girl runner he will shout or say something to you as you run by. Women give you looks that make you want to buy the nearest pair of boots with heels, and people generally just stare. And now I find myself doing the same to other runners, even though I am one. It's just that those people who like to exercise -outside mind you!- are crazy!)

3. I like to be warm (central heating? Spaniards never heard of it....at least in the south...)

2. I like to eat three meals a day (not a piece of toast for breakfast, then wait until 4 p.m. to gorge myself on huge slabs of meat, rice, vegetables, and salad, then do it again but cut in half five hours later for dinner)

1. I smile (a lot. Spaniards, well, not so much. When I first got here I wondered why people stared at me. I looked Spanish right? And its not like I was trying to speak Spanish to them, which makes them laugh. It’s because I would walk down the street smiling. Oh well, maybe it will catch on ☺

Barcelona

I was expecting something different. A few cool statues, a few open plazas, some crazy people, some good nightlife. Instead, I got something completely different. I got an architect. I wasn't looking for one, just like I wasn't looking for an artist when I found Goya, or looking for a major when I found journalism. But, in Barcelona, I found an architect and his name is Antoni Gaudi. 

The first day in Barcelona we went to the Sagrada Familia, one of Gaudi's last and greatest works, which is still under construction. The entire church is meant to resemble nature. The beams in the inside remind one of trees and the ceiling is reminiscent of a canopy in a forest. I've always had this thing for nature (consider the fact that I want to be a river guide when I grow up. No not grow up- graduate I guess. Well, actually I guess just as soon as possible...) and seeing that people can actually use nature to inspire themselves like this....Well, it was just absolutely breathtaking. We have all seen the painting of nature, and the drawings. We've seen the movies, the television shows. But have you ever seen a building that was intended to replicate nature? It should be done in 50 years. That means I will be 70 when the Sagrada Familia is done. Can't wait to come back and see it.