Wow, didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted! haha. Everything here has started to quick in to full gear, so I haven't had a whole lot of time to write, but expect updates this weekend, I'll be in Madrid!!
Not too much to say in this blog, but I figured while I waited for my coffee to brew and the latest episode of GLEE to load (I miss american TV like WOAH), I'd share a few of my thoughts :-)
It's been a pretty low key week in terms of trips and stuff, so not much to report on that front. However, this week as definitely been a lesson in cultural adaptation, one that I never really thought would be a problem. Barcelona is a relatively large city. Everyone's used to making use of its resources and getting what they need relatively easily. However, for a neurotic and overstressed girl from the boonies, it's been a bit trying for me to say the least haha. My main problem: books. If you've talked to me recently, you know this is a sore subject for me (don't worry mom and dad, it's FINALLY all figured out.) Hokay so. At Trinity, as university of approximately 2,400 students, we have a relatively large book store. Everything is labeled by class with exactly what books you need for each one, and the information concerning books is made aware to the students before classes even start. While I'm LOVING (and I mean really loving, it's fantastic) UPF, there book store is the size of a broom closet, and for me, that's just a tragedy, especially when there are about 10,000 students that attend the university. You don't know what books you need for class until you're officially registered (which for me and for most exchange students meant 2 days ago...meanwhile classes started the 27th...) and when you finally do find out, they're usually aren't any left in the book store to buy. This, to me, is amazing. The university students in Barcelona are so much more independent and resourceful than we are - hell, we're practically handed the books when we walk in the door. So anyways, needless to say it's been a trying few days, walking to different book stores to find that they don't have what I need, blah blah wah wah poor me. haha
Luckily, after looking for a good 2 hours, I finally found what I needed online and it should be being shipped as we speak. (as I type? haha weird.) I was talking to my host mom, Almudena, about this the other day, telling her about my "little box" that I like to live in where everything goes right and everything has it's place and where I HAVE ALL OF MY GODDAMN BOOKS. She laughed at me. Haha, no not maliciously, because she too says she likes her life in a little box that she can manage. But she did say something that made a lot of sense. "Amanda. First, calm down. Everything will work out. Second, get rid of your little box. (Me: BUT I LIKE MY LITTLE BOX) This is an opportunity to get out side of that square and, maybe you'll actually learn something on the way."
So with those pearls of wisdom, I leave you, only to add that she was right, my little box needs a little break and I'm trying (really...I am...sort of) to follow her advice.
Love you all :-)
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