Post for Thursday June 28, 2012

Yesterday I left my home in Salem, Oregon at 5am with my dad to catch my flight from Portland to Philadelphia at 8:15am. I could hardly sleep with the anticipation of my flight and some nervous worries. I kept thinking about all the little things that could go wrong with my layovers or my luggage getting lost. I was also excited yet nervous to meet my home-stay family. Once my dad and I got to the Portland airport, everything went pretty smoothly. I got a window seat on my flight to Philadelphia and I sat next to a girl who was studying to be a biologist. I felt somewhat embarrassed towards the end of our flight because I suddenly started to feel nauseous. I was sweating heavily, I felt thirsty and started to get a headache and I almost vomited into the bag in the seat in front of me. I kept apologizing to the girl next to me. This was my least favorite of my three flights because, although it was not the longest, it was an uncomfortable flight and I do not know why I felt sick at the end. At the Philadelphia airport I got some delicious Chinese food without knowing that my flight to Brussels, Belgium would serve a meal. This was a much better flight because they gave us small pillows and I could sleep better even though it was my longest flight. I took a few pictures on my flights that I will post to share.

One thing I was disappointed in myself for was that I did not try any cheese-steak in Philadelphia, nor chocolate in Belgium. I completely forgot to get some. That’s okay though because I was just happy to make it to Barcelona without any issues. Once I arrived to the Barcelona Airport it took me some time to find my program mentors, but as soon as I did they gave me a map, and several other forms with information on where to go and what to do for the next three days. Once another student in my program showed up we took a taxi together to our homestays. The taxi could not stop in front of my building so it dropped me off at the end of the street and I was alone to find my way from there. I felt quite intimidated by my strange surroundings and uncomfortable as I looked for an unfamiliar building and apartment number. I found the right building and I knew I was supposed to go up the elevator to SA 2 which is the top floor but I mistakenly went to A 2 thinking I was at the right place so I awkwardly knocked on the door waiting for a response from a woman named Lety. I waited and knocked again several times but no one answered. I decided I would just wait since I was about 15 minutes early and perhaps they were home yet. Soon after an old lady with a little girl showed up and stared at me strangely as I asked the old lady if she was Lety. The old lady asked me which apartment I was looking for when I told her I was looking for Lety from SA 2 and she smiled and told me I was on the wrong floor and she kindly guided me upstairs to the last floor where we could here a radio from inside of the apartment I am now staying in. Apparently the radio is only turned on when no one is home so once again I waited outside the door until my host family arrived.

Lety and her two boys came out of the elevator and were surprised to see me outside of their apartment but quickly realized who I was and promptly introduced themselves and led me to my room. I could not quite remember what the names of the kids were because I remember thinking they were very unusual names. My host mom left me to unpack and settle into the room and told me that if I had any question I should feel free to ask her. Lety also gave me a set of their house keys so that I could come and go as I please and only asked that I please let her know when I was going to be home for dinner and when I wouldn’t be. I really liked this because I feared that my host family would be strict and limiting. After just two hours of being in my homestay I had to make my way towards an orientation at my school so I took my map and made my way to a (fairly distant) metro station. It was a scorching hot and humid day so I was quite sweaty once I finally made it to school. Our orientation was kind of boring but afterwards we went out to the main Plaza of Barcelona called Plaza Catalunya and we got some ice-cream. There I made my first friends Yianni, Arti, and Michelle and we walked down “Las Ramblas” towards the port by ourselves since everyone else wanted to go back home and rest. We were too eager to see Barcelona. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me so I could not take any pictures but we had a long walk around the port and we got to see some pretty cool buildings and ships. Eventually I found my way home and I am glad to be back in my apartment to get some rest, although I am not sure how well I will sleep with all this heat in my room. I have opened my window but there is no air coming in our out so I feel like I’m in a sauna. Either way I am so excited and happy to finally be in Barcelona.

Sincerely,

Jose

“Just to travel is rather boring, but to travel with a purpose is educational and exciting.” – Sergeant Shriver

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Paul Fadiman