Catching up

Look at that. Another month (plus some) has gone by and I haven’t written a post. I know I know. Hear me out, though. I’ve been busy.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve started working a second job with an investing group. My boss, Marta, has been SO great and has brought me to a handful of their events including an investors meeting where entrepreneurs present their projects and a Business Expo where I was able to, again, hear new businesses present their ideas to the group. In addition, I’ve been helping them research and organize information about companies from the expo. An added bonus is that I do the majority of the work from my personal computer at home. How many of you get to sit on a terrace in the sun with a vino tinto while working? Yep.

As most of my study abroad friends can attest, my biggest concern about staying here for the summer was that I would be lonely without my built-in friend group from CIEE. After meeting the Brazilian girls in Mallorca and spending a little bit of time with some scattered Spanish friends, I was less concerned. Additionally, another American girl started working at the Agency with me. She’s here on an “internship abroad” program, so there’s a large group of American students she hangs out with a lot that she’s introduced me to. They’re a LOT of fun, so I’ve been going out at night with them a fair amount.

Shortly after my last post, I met a Spanish guy here. It’s been great to have a Barcelona native show me parts of the city and culture I wouldn’t have otherwise seen. On June 23, Barcelona had a major holiday called the Verbena de San Juan that celebrates the summer solstice. Wait. The summer solstice is on June 21. Oh heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Spanish Time. Anyway. The Spaniard invited me to his family’s Verbena party. The closest comparison I can make is that it was essentially like many American 4^th of July block parties. In the plazas in the residential neighborhoods they set up rows and rows of picnic tables, a stage where a band played live music, and a fenced off area where kids of all ages (aka mostly kids and dads) set off firecrackers ALL NIGHT. We ate, drank, danced (in my case, badly), and laughed until very very late. It was a treat to meet and experience a Spanish family tradition and I’m so grateful the Spaniard’s family welcomed an outsider into their family tradition.

The Spaniard, like me, loves the beach, so on the weekends we’ve been taking day trips to the beaches just south of the city to get away from the tourists. It’s been great to be able to be in the local scene a little more than I would have been otherwise. Another added bonus is that he doesn’t really speak English, so my Spanish is getting really really good.

Brett Baker and Niki Finelli, friends from SF, arrived in Barça yesterday, so I met up with them for lunch and a little stroll through Old Town. Crosby, my brother, arrives in Barça TODAY for 2 days/3 nights before he heads to London for work. Get ready, Barcelona.

I leave Barcelona a week from Saturday, which I’m still largely in denial about. I’m considering intentionally missing my flight. I hope you’ll come visit me.

Hasta.

Current obsessions: the beaches outside Barcelona, French Bulldogs, Alejandro Sanz’s music, the Copa America, the Spaniard’s mom (actually just older Spanish women in general.)