It's been over a month since we've arrived, the festival ends today, and the 4 guys that we hosted who were littering the floor of our tiny flat are on their way back to San Sebastian. It's been pretty nuts so far, but it really is beginning to feel like home, if it hasn't already fully made that transition.
Barcelona has become a home base, a headquarters, a home. And the people we are here with have almost become a family. It's interesting living in a place that doesn't speak English, because that instantly separates you from the general public. It quickly limits your options regarding anything and everything.
I've found that I tend to tune myself out when it comes to the Spanish around me, especially because it's all in Catalan, which, let's be honest, is super annoying. Combining French and Spanish? Yuck. It's funny though because when I walk around anytime I hear English coming out of someone's mouth I instantly perk up. It's just like, WHOA THEY SPEAK MY LANGUAGE. Then the exciting episode is over just as quick as it happened. But that's okay.
The workload is actually picking up a bit, which in some ways is nice and in other ways sucks balls. Studio is frustrating, but when is that not the case? It's hard to explain things to teachers when they don't speak English naturally. And it's always difficult to understand what they are asking of you.
In the end though, this whole experience is so worth it. I feel so privileged to be where I am and studying here. And to think -- come Friday morning we are heading to Germany. SO stoked.
Before I keep babbling along about silly things, I'm gonna call this one quits.
This is so true! It was really nice having a place to come back to every week (even if only for a month) after traveling and being able to use that as a home base. It bred familiarity and comfort, even if it could never be "home" for me. And my eavesdropping took itself to unbelievable levels, as soon as I heard someone outside our group speaking English, I naturally started listening in before realizing it had nothing to do with me.
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