Second Generation...

I've been teaching a few groups of people since I arrived here in October. This past week was the end of the course for most of them and it was actually a bit sad from my end because I was used to them and feeling comfortable to joke around about almost anything.

But, it was a fun end of the course last Wednesday for the three groups that were in the same bank. We took many pictures and talked about meeting this coming week to have aperitivo, hang out, go watch a footbal (soccer) match at the San Siro Stadium (probably Milan's game), go dancing, etc.

We were so loud that the HR head came (next door to us) to complain... It was a bit scary actually because he looked very mad... hehe Oh well...

I already got a new student this past week and more this coming week. Next week I will have a FULL LOAD, mostly in school instead of out as I've been doing which means more teaching instead of traveling from one end of the city to another. I will need to re-adapt to their learning style and personality, but I think it'll be a good generation of students! =D

I loooooove Barcelona!!!

Barcelona it's just a BEAUTIFUL place!!! =D

The trip started this past Friday night. It was a bit rushed, as always, because I was trying to get the directions to Kika's house when I was supposed to be out of the doors to meet my travel companions at the train station to head to the airport.

Kika: my high school friend from Brasil who I haven't seen since 2006.
Travel companions: Mathang (Indian), Michela (American), Carlo (Italian)

After rushing, running and "pushing" the crowd, Michela and I finally made it to Centrale Station to meet the guys. The bus ride to the airport was filled of expectations! When arriving at the airport of Bergamo, off course, we saw a bunch of people but that wasn't a problem as we checked-in in time. HOWEVER, a VERY strange thing happened... I felt discriminated!!!! OK, not that bad... But, how can the three of them get priority to board but me if the tickets were all bought together!? I had to wait at a different line to board the plane with a bunch of mad people... Sleeping on the way to Spain was impossible... just too many people talking!

After around one hour I was in the airport in Girona. We had to take a bus to Barcelona which takes 1 hour. Because we're the last ones, there were no space in the other 2 busses... Thus, we had to wait a bit until the guys figured out how to program the bus display or something like that. After all, we ended up riding in this huge coach with one other person, it was more like a private bus. =D

Bienvenidos a Barcelona!!
Let's walk and find our way to the famous La Rambla.

The 3 of them needed to find a place to sleep and I needed to find my way to Kika's house. This did not happen until after they ate this huge Falafel at Moaz and our late night stroll on La Rambla. I left them and made my way to Kika's. I felt really safe taking the metro and walking on the streets at 2AM by myself. It was very nice to see her but didn't talk for too long as we're all very tired.

Buenos Dias!! I woke up with a beautiful warm sunny day! =)
Trouble: No money in my cel to contact the guys about meeting place and time! No need of details but to let you know that we met up and started our adventure walking around the city, taking pics after pics, finding places by accident, soaking up the sunlight on the beach and around, climbing trees and diving to the ground (Mathang is ok now), seeing crazy man shouting and swearing for a long time for whatever reason, etc. We had a break at this little place by the Parc Güell where we had hot chocolate with churros, saw La Pedrera/Casa Milà and Casa Batlló, many other places and ended the day with the traditional paella de marisco at the Barceloneta region. We're WAY TOO TIRED to go party at La Rambla or just walk to the beach... A nice warm shower and bed was what I was looking forward to! =)

Sunday coo-coo morning call only happened because my cell was set to always have the alarm on or I wouldn't have woken up. It was a bit sad because it was a cloudier day... =( Got everything ready and left to find an adaptor to charge my camera battery... I just failed to remember that EVERYTHING is closed on Sundays in Spain... I asked some Spanish for info and they're all very nice but no chance in finding open stored... Thus, had to be very strict and selective in what pics to take...

I waited for them at the Plaça Spanya for 45 min!!! I was ready to leave without them when they finally showed up... Sunday was another day of non-stop walking. We took the bus up to the Castell de Monjuiïc and made our way down on foot seeing things like the Estadi Olimpic de Monjuïc and Palau Sant Jordi where the 1992 olympics took place, gardens, Palau Nacional de Montjuïc Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Caixa Forum (Chaplin en Imatze, Princips Etruscos -Etruscan Princes, Euphoria by Petra Mrzyka & Jean-François Moriceau), etc.

Off course we didn't forget La Sagrada Familia! We got there around 5pm and stayed until 6pm when they kicked us out. The design is just amazing!!! Gaudí had so many ideas, the whole building is a mixture of everything and really needs a lot of time to understand all that!! I just wonder how long it'll take to finish it since it started in 1882 and they're not even half way done...
Racing from North to South, trying to see as much as possible... Lost some companions on the way, had to wait for a while but found each other.

Beated! Went back to Kika's to spend some time with her before I leave to Milan. Met up with the guys at mid-night... where?! Moaz for more falafel!!! =) Unfortunately, it started to rain... we spent 2 looong hours at this H3 eatery, made our way to Estació Nord for the bus to the airport where we ate once again and waited for our flight at 6:20AM. Yes, I was excluded from the priority group again...

Sleeping 1 hour here and 1 hour there wasn't enough at all!! Though, some times I felt energized and thought I could go without sleeping until later in the night. I was supposed to teach at 1AM giving me only 2 hours at home after arriving in Milan. It was cancelled! Thank God!!! =) Ended up falling asleep for 1 hour just before my 5pm class. It was a sleepy class, let me tell u...

So, this is the story... I really enjoyed the city, the atmosphere, the people... I forgot how nice it was to have so much green area around me... the beach, the breeze, the waves, walking on the beach and feeling the sand in my feet... And just being able to understand people and communicate!!!

I'm definitely considering going back in the Summer!!!