It's with a C.

Hola,
I haven't posted in awhile. I bought a guitar today because I couldn't stand all the creative flow with nowhere to go. Yes, I would prefer a wonderful weighted keyboard, but the price of one is equivalent to two round trip tickets from Barcelona to Chicago; so it's out of the question. I have written plenty of songs on the guitar, so I will cope just fine. At least now I can record more songs.

I am drawing a lot of inspiration these days. Extreme sadness and extreme happiness and much confusion all add to the rush I have been feeling. I have turned into an insomniac; I feel as though I have not slept soundly since I moved out of the dorm two weeks ago. Right now it is 1:09 am and I am going to try to get some sleep.

Bona nit!
Cat

Yesterday was great, I felt amazing after a long, eventful day. Today is quite the opposite.

Yesterday I got up early and went to the University to pick up forms and instructions for extending my visa. Then, I went and got pictures taken for the visa, and finally I went to the visa office and got it extended.

Afterwards I got my favorite torta from the Argentinian bakery around the corner, and ate it with a glass of milk in my apartment.

Then I decided to go shopping in the Barrí Gótic and I found a cute pair of Genie Pants for 12£. I found a pizza place that makes ridiculous crust, and awesome pizza choices. For example, I ate a slice of gorgonzola cheese pizza topped with honey! After that I was craving honey for the remainder of the day. (2£ by the way).

After a long day I asked everyone if they wanted to go dancing because a few of us were thinking about it earlier, but everyone was "too tired" which is always code for "I don't feel like getting dolled up right now." I completely understood but still wanted to get out of the apartment so I went for a 2 hour run. In all fairness I only ran the first mile and walked the rest, but it was great to get out and breathe in the sea air.

Then I came home, poured myself a glass of scotch (after I downed 2 bottles of water), ate a spoonful of honey to coat my throat which was sore, stretched, called Gaston, and then passed out.

Today I still haven't left my place, I woke up at 2:30 in the afternoon, and I feel like it's about time to get out of here. So, I will be out taking pictures and maybe drawing if the light holds for the next hour. I guess everyday cannot be spectacular, but don't you just love it when you have a full day?

Peace,
Cat

Hola de BarcelonETA!!
I am at Calle Pescadores 54 piso 1º4ª with an awesome housemate named Rahul. His brother keeps cooking for me as well (he lives upstairs) as Rahul, so every night I have had the most delicious Indian food! Yes, it's quite alright to be jealous of me :)

Three days ago when I got here, I tried to unpack all my things, but I was exhausted and had to do laundry and homework etc. Instead of unpacking everything I decided to take a long train ride to the Corte Inglés (a store like Macy's combined with Sears) by the dorms. BIG MISTAKE, I almost fell asleep on the train because I was so tired, and then when I got to my destination I realized that it was closed because it was Sunday! That pretty much killed my day. I would say that at least it didn't get any worse, BUT it did. As it turns out, I should have checked the weather forecast because as I was walking back to the station, I got rained on, nay POURED on.

On a positive note, I finished my summer classes yesterday and I have today through Sunday to enjoy myself at the beach. Right now it is clear skies and sunny, so when I finish my laundry I can hop down the road and hopefully get some sun.

It's getting so much nicer here now that most of the tourists have gone. Barcelona's Port Vell as well as the public beaches are much quieter, and now the surfing season has begun! Yes, I know- SURFING in the Mediterranean? Apparently from September to April you can surf, the winter being the peak season for it. I asked two guys on the train today where they surf here because I sure as hell haven't seen any waves, and they told me at pretty much any of the beaches. So today I think I will walk down the boardwalk and keep my eyes open for both surfers and waves. Gaston will be thrilled to hear that the weeks he is coming are the weeks best for surfing...

Now that we're pretty much caught up I have to talk a little bit about my experience today, registering for my Catalan class in Catstella- thats my word for Castellano (Spanish) mixed with Catala (Catalan)- like Spanglish is Spanish/English. So anyway I woke up extra early to get to the building before the lines started, because the early bird gets the worm, right? WRONG!

By golly, did I forget my passport? Yes! I mean we weren't exactly told to bring it to register, but I should have figured that it would have been a safe bet to bring it. Early I was, and prepared I wasn't. Like the other day, I had to get back on the train and go home. This time though, I had to get back to my destination, and before 1pm, which gave me very little time due to the construction on the train line I have to take, and the transfer, and I had to eat something.

So I found the cutest little bakery/ snack shoppe and it turns out the owners are Argentinian, which means- they have kickass Alfahores, no offense intended to my Peruvian boyfriend, but these were even better than the ones in Peru. These were not soggy, not doughy, they were perfectly baked- slightly soft but you can bite into without a mouth full of dough. They had a great amount of Manjar Blanco (Dulce de Leche), and then, THENNNN they were rolled in coconut flakes, so that the sides were dusted with a hint of coconut. I bought one and ate it after my napoleon keesh (ham, tomato, cheese, egg in a pie slice covered in filo dough).

After I almost cried due to the deliciousness of the brunch, I headed back to the building to register, this time with my passport. On the train I fell over onto a guy who was reading a book, and then backward and landed into a seat, an empty seat- phew! I was so embarrassed. I kept trying hard not to laugh because I kept thinking about how I must have looked and sounded saying AY PERDONA, AY ok, es ok, ya... then at my stop I got up and tripped and my shoes made a really loud squeak and everyone heard it and probably thought that I was going to fall again. Personally I don't think things are ironic, I just think that God has a sense of humor, but I guess one might call it ironic that the same guy I fell on, (almost twice) got off at the same stop and walked next to me for a good 5 minutes. Good thing I didn't display anymore clumsiness until after he was out of my view when I tripped up the stairs. I don't know what the hell was wrong with me this morning.

I got to the building in Sants and saw that the line was not long, but that there were only 2 counselors. Each were taking their sweet, sweet time and making conversation with everyone! I was losing my mind. I waited for an hour and a half and then finally I sat down and got down to business right away. After 5 minutes we were through- too bad everyone else didn't know what class they wanted, because the line would have gone much quicker.

Now, after shaving my legs in cold water, I am waiting for my laundry and then I will go to the beach, if I don't fall asleep first.

Later :)
Cat

Hey Yall,
Well I just got back from dropping off my other big suitcase, and this time I took different trains to cut out as many staircases as possible. I am still going to sleep at the dorm at least for tonight to take advantage of the meals that I have already paid for. I have a bath towel, all my homework materials (in case I actually decide to do some), my computer, some toiletries, and a change of clothing, so I will be good for another day.

I almost decided to go to the beach instead of come back for dinner, but it was a zoo due to Catalan Independence day. The beach is after all in Catalonia...

I found out my little sister and boyfriend are coming for Christmas! I am so excited I could scream! January 1st, is my 4 year anniversary with Gaston, and to have him and Alana here for Christmas makes me so happy. It is very generous of my parents to let her come here, I know it's costly and it's the time of year that the family should be together, and now they will be minus two daughters, but I think it will be an experience of a lifetime for Alana. This will be her first trip outside the US other than Mexico years back. I can't wait to show her EVERYTHING!! The beaches, the towns, the train system, the museums, the art, the architecture, the famous attractions like the Parc Güell, la Pedrera, and La Sagrada Familia...

So, what I should do now is do one of three things:

1) Start my long, long list of homework or at least study for my Catalan exam.

2) Do some shopping for the apartment.

3) Go for a run..

But here's what I am considering instead:

1) Listen to music and play computer games until dinner.

2) Catch a movie at 7:15

3) Finish my sketch of Alana.

Ooohh Guns and Roses "Perfect Crime" just came on in my shuffle- option one it is!

Later,
Cat

It's been a few crazy days since I have updated the blog, so here's what I have been up to...

1) I found an apartment, number 7! It is located in Barceloneta, a block or two from the beach (I can literally sea the Mediterranean Sea from my balcony. I am rooming with a guy named Rahul, originally from Delhi, India. He is very chill, and actually a non-smoker, but a whisky drinker, so I think we will get along just fine! Our common language is Spanish.. so I will have to use it everyday (which is a good thing).

2) I moved half of my crap yesterday, and let me tell you that a 70 lb. suitcase in hand and a 20 lb. backpack on my back is no fun way to ride the metro. Especially, when you have to transfer to take three different trains, not to mention the prior 20 minute walk to the station and 20 minute walk to the apartment after you leave the final station. Also- lugging the damn suitcase up the stairs at each station is a real drag (literally).

3) I move the rest of my things (considerably less), tomorrow at 4pm. The funny part is that it is Catalan Independence day and the area I am moving to is in is Catalonia, meaning the train is going to be extremely tight tomorrow. I can't wait! hahaha

So, today I moved my dorm roommate out and now I am sitting here all alone listening to the baroque lute cd I bought last week at the Parc Güell.

I will be sure to post pictures on facebook of my new apartment, so look for them in a day or so, and happy fin de semana!

<3Cat