Bye Barcelona

George Payne happy hour

I spent my last week in Barcelona doing as many Barcelona-things as possible. First I had to take my finals, which were the greatest/easiest finals ever. Next semester is going to be a big wakeup call…But Anna, Mara, and I celebrated our last day of classes at George Payne for a 1pm happy hour. All of the food items were buy-one-get-one free, so we went a little crazy. We ordered a pulled pork sandwich, [amazing] nachos, garlic fries, and chicken wings. We were so happy, until we came to realization that we are now seniors and then I wanted to cry.

That night we also had our program farewell dinner. We expected this dinner to be sad and sentimental…but we were very wrong. They took us on a bus to a restaurant on the beach just outside of the city. We had a traditional Spanish meal with tapas and paella, and TONS of wine. Instead of this being an emotional dinner, it was straight-up ratchet. Everyone was wasted, and loud, and as soon as dinner was over everyone went to the lounge and started taking tequila shots (typical).

Who is surprised??

We took the bus back into the city and said our goodbyes to Helena and Ryan, which was very sad. Then we all went to Hot Bar for more drinks, and went to Sutton. This was our last time clubbing in Barcelona all together, and it was my last time at Sutton (aka my favorite club in Barcelona).

My St. Jordis rose

Even though we were exhausted the next morning, we had to get up and go to Las Ramblas because it was April 23^rd, which is St. Jordis day!! I had been looking forward to this day since I learned about it back in January. The entire city was filled with street vendors selling roses and books, and I had never seen so many people out and about in Barcelona. There was even a giant blow up dragon, hehe. Anna and I had fun just shopping and walking around the Gothic quarter. We also got Wok to Wok for the last time, which was pretty sad, but still delicious.

Friday was great because I spent the day at the beach. Finally, it was hot enough to really lay out on the beach, so Angad, Alec, Alex, and I just chilled there for a couple of hours. It was also depressing because all we talked about was how badly we wanted to stay in Barcelona. And then two of them paid to get massages on the beach…and it was weird.

Sardana outside of the cathedral

Saturday I met back up with Angad, Alec, and Alex at McCarthy’s, which is an Irish bar we had never been to. The cocktails were only 3.50, so we spent a loooong time there just drinking and slowly/quickly getting pretty drunk. Then we walked around and saw a big group of people dancing the Sardana right outside of the Barcelona cathedral. It was such a cool moment because the Sardana is a traditional Catalan dance, and I had never actually seen people dance the Sardana before. It was even cooler because it was right outside of the cathedral. ~Such a Barcelona moment~

After, the four of us went to Rosa Negra, where we had great food and continued to drink more mojitos. We did some shopping at Zara and it was time for me to leave and pick up Mandy and her friend Kayla at the bus stop. They both stayed with me for a few nights while visiting Barcelona.

Sunday morning we walked to Parc Guell and I finally got to climb the three crosses! Then we went to Bo De B (WAH LAST AMAZING SANIDWICH) and ate our sandwiches on the beach. I took a little nap on the beach, which was lovely, and then we walked around El Born. We had hot chocolate and churros, walked around the Gotchic quarter, and then headed back home. For dinner we went to Sol Soler in Gracia, and then went to George Payne for karaoke night. Mandy and I sang, “We are Family” and really screwed up because we only knew the chorus…woops. Angad, Anna, and I (+5 other strangers) finished the night with the Backstreet Boys “I Want it That Way”.

Monday we all woke up and went to Brunch and Cake. I wanted to cry as I ate my last eggs benedict on turkey and waffle. That dish will always have a special place in my heart. Then we all split up, and Anna and I did some final shopping in El Born and the Gothic Quarter. It was such a nice day for walking around in two of my favorite areas in Barcelona. Then I met back up with Mandy and Kayla and we went to 100 Montaditos. This was my first time going there, which was such a shame. On Mondays they serve all of the food items for 50 cents. FIFTY CENTS. We each got 2 montaditos and then these amazing little desserts. My dessert had chocolate sauce on chocolate bread with Oreos. Mmmmmm.. I also got my first Desperado, which is a tequila-flavored beer. All of these great treats were 4.50 euro, which was fantastic.

Our own tapas

Later for dinner, Anna, Kayla, Mandy and I made our own little tapas-spread. We bought Iberian ham, a variety of cheeses, and a baguette that we cut up and toasted. We also made sangria and were so happy with our little tapas platter (just like at Elisabets!). We then continued to drink and went to Opium for the last time. It was so strange because study abroad was over, which meant that half of the club was closed off. The venue was much smaller, but the lounge area outside on the beach was open because it was warmer out. It was odd because it felt like a totally different club, but we still had a fun time.

Saying goodbye to Brunch & Cake

The next morning we went back to Brunch & Cake (lol I couldn’t say goodbye the day before). This time I got something new (GASP) and enjoyed the oatmeal and slice of the kinder cake. We ACTUALLY said goodbye to Brunch & Cake this time, which was very sad. But, it was a beautiful day outside and we laid on the beach for a couple of hours. Then I walked around El Born for the last time (everything was a “last time”).

That night we splurged and went to Cera 23 for dinner and to celebrate Anna’s last night in Barcelona. I had the black volcano rice with seafood and the blackberry mojito. The meal was delicious, and the perfect last dinner out. The rest of the night we were just sad as we watched Anna pack her things and we had to say our goodbyes.

On Wednesday only Mara and I were left in the apartment and spent the day cleaning, throwing out food, and packing our suitcases. It was all pretty depressing. We went down to Las Ramblas to walk around and enjoy our last day here. I nearly cried as I heard “Proximo estacio: Muntaner” for the last time on the metro ride home. After a long day of exploring, or after class, or after a weekend of traveling, hearing that phrase was always so magical (even better if the metro didn’t stop at Sant Gervasi).

Weird final meal

Mara and I also had our final plate of patatas bravas at Fandango on Santalo. We paid in all 5/10 cent coins (had to get ride of them some how!).  A little later we met up with friends and drank wine in Parc Toro. I got to say goodbye to my favorite park while also listening to Gavin DeGraw and chatting with friends. Afterwards, we had the ULTIMATE feast with all of our left over food. The menu included: 2 pizzas, ravioli, rice, spaghetti, feta/tomato salad, chips, hot dogs, quesadillas, empanadas, croquets, chocolate, and LOTS of wine. It was weird, but perfect. After drinking/eating the night away it was finally time to go to sleep and face that facts—it was time to leave.

Time for a little reflection:

Studying abroad was by far the greatest experience of my young life. These four months went by so incredibly fast, but were filled with such rich memories. I now understand why everyone who studies abroad [especially in Barcelona] loves it so much. Living abroad, you learn so much about adapting to new situations, being patient, and maintaining a sense of humor. I really encourage anyone who can to study abroad. Even if it is scary in the beginning, it is so rewarding (*throwback to freaking out in the grocery store my first night, Anna getting lost/crying on the first day of classes, me losing my black tank top and Sandra not understanding me, etc.*). But really, immerse yourself in a new culture and be open to learning about it. Living somewhere new for four months (especially in a foreign country) and being able to call it your home is so invaluable. 

I cannot stress enough how much I loved Barcelona. I strongly believe I chose the best place in the world to study abroad. This city is so unique and filled with life and character. I promise you, there is no where else like it. I never thought I could become so attached to a place and be so sad to leave. I can honestly say it is the greatest city I have ever been to, and I have been privileged to live here. I was able to travel to so many different cities and countries while abroad, but after every trip I was still excited to come back to Barcelona. There were times I missed Barcelona while traveling, even if I was only gone for 3 days. Instead of listing all of the reasons why I love Barcelona, I urge you to go and experience it for yourself.

Now it’s time to drink the last drops of my 2 euro bottle of wine (man, I’m going to miss the prices of wine here) and say bye to Barcelona. Thanks for a lifetime of memories, and I cannot wait to return.

Proximo estacio: Columbia, MD. 

Muntaner forever