El Gimnasio: January 31, 2010

There was no way I was going to study abroad for 3 1/2 months and not find a gym. Our program CEA had a special deal with a gym called Holmes Place. So my friend and I decided we had to join. Before arriving to join I had no idea what to expect. How would the gyms in the U.S. compare to those here in Spain? Surprisingly the gym was extremely nice and had really great equipment. There was a swimming pool, cafe, wi-fi area, sauna, several treadmills, weights, and much more. Being in a great city like Barcelona with so much to do it would be easy to forget about working out and staying in shape. While at home I had a consistent schedule of going to the gym. Here it is difficult to find a routine with school during the day, going out at night, and traveling on the weekends.

My first time at the gym was an experience. All of the weights are in kilograms which was different than the United States. I had to test everything before I lifted it not knowing how much I was lifting. I soon learned that you multiply the weight in kilograms by 2.2 to get the weight in pounds. Also, the gym attire in Barcelona is very different to that in the United States. The men here wear very tight clothing some would call spandex. Also, there is a particular individual who is always at the gym when I am there wearing very short jean shorts with a tight t-shirt. First of all, I do not understand how that is comfortable to work out in. Secondly, the guy is by no means a small man. He is actually quiet large. It is rather disturbing to look at, but there's nothing you can do.

All kidding aside, I am really glad that I can continue going to the gym here in Barcelona and make time for everything else in my schedule. Not only would I be scared of what I would look like after my abroad experience of not working out, but I would probably be so weak that I would never hear the end of it from my friends. Not to mention if I continue to eat the way I have been lately it wouldn't be pretty. It's nice that I can take something that I enjoy doing at home and bring it to Barcelona. Doing things that make you feel as if you are home helps get over the idea of culture shock which I luckily have not really experienced.

Nightlife in Barca: January 24, 2010

The nightlife in Barcelona is something that everyone at one point in their life must experience. It is truly incredible. In addition, it draws no comparison to anything else I have experienced in my life. There is so much variety in the city that there is something for everyone. From bars to clubs, there is no way you can be disappointed. Before coming to Barcelona, I heard about the social lifestyle here. How people don't go out until 2 AM and if you are at a bar/club before 2 AM you're considered early and very few people will be there. Most bars close around 3 AM while clubs close at 6 AM. The thought of this lifestyle for 3 1/2 months while studying in Barcelona was insane. How anyone could survive was beyond my imagination. This was just for the weekends like Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, right? Wrong. Who knew that one of the most popular nights to go out would be Monday night? There is honestly someplace to go every night of the week, but there is no way my body or liver would be able to handle 7 nights a week of partying. So to compromise, most people take Sunday and Tuesday nights off. This is honestly the city that never sleeps.

So where are the hot spots you may ask. There are tons. Sure some clubs are more popular to go to on certain nights, but on any given night you could have a choice of 7, maybe 8 clubs to choose from. There's Otto Zutz, Broadbar, Duvet, Sutton, Razzmatazz, Oshum, Catwalk, CDLC, Opium Mar, Shoko, Chupitos, Dow Jones, and many more. Some of the most famous DJs from around the world travel to Barcelona to play at several of these clubs. Many places have more Catalans than others depending on the night and the club. Razzmatazz is a personal favorite of mine because it has 5 floors with different music playing on each floor. Chupitos is a fun bar that has tons of different types of shots. They light shots on fire which I have never seen before.

By going to all of these amazing places there is a price to pay. Drinks at these clubs/bars are crazy. A typical mixed drink can run you anywhere from 6 Euros to as much as 12 Euros. A shot is anywhere from 3 Euros to 5 Euros while a beer could cost 5 Euros to 7 Euros. So even though you may be having the time of your life, the hole in your wallet is probably getting deeper and deeper. The great thing about the nightlife in Barca is that every night is a new experience. Even though you may be going to a bar or club that you have been to before, your experience will be different each time you go.

FC Barcelona vs. Málaga: February 27, 2010

Ever since I have gotten to Barcelona, I have wanted to attend an FC Barca game. Being a huge sports fan, I have followed FC Barcelona for many years and I was finally going to have the opportunity to see them play at Camp Nou. This was also special because my father was in town visiting for the week so my friends and I went to the game with my dad. With my Sport and Culture class, we went on a tour of Camp Nou which was my first time at the stadium. It was incredible. I was amazed at how huge the stadium was. It is the largest stadium in Europe and holds over 98,000 people. We got to look at the visitor's locker room, the field, the media room, the trophy case, and finally the museum.

My second time to the stadium was going to be for the game which would be a completely new and different experience. My friends and I bought FC Barcelona jerseys specifically for the game. Each of us bought a different jersey. There was one Messi, one Henry, one Xavi, and one Ibrahimovic. About four hours before the game, me, my friends, and my father went for tapas and drinks in Plaza Catalunya. We ordered tons of tapas and they brought us a liter mug full of San Miguel. It was amazing. After a couple beers it was time to head to the game. We caught the metro at Catalunya and took it to Maria Cristina. The metro was packed. You could barely move with all of the people going to the game. Once getting off the metro you would see thousands and thousands of people walking to the stadium. People chanting "Barca, Barca!" I could already tell how much passion these fans had for FC Barca. Soccer here in Barcelona is like a religion. It is taken very seriously and Catalans take great pride in their team. After getting our tickets from the will call, it was time to enter Camp Nou and find our seats.

Not only were our seats incredible, we all got to sit together which we thought was going to be difficult since all 5 tickets were in different locations. The stadium slowly began to fill as kick off drew closer and closer. It was a beautiful night for a soccer game. The game started and FC Barca had control over the game immediately. Malaga barely touched the ball in the first half. Although neither team scored in the first half, the game was exciting watching Messi and Xavi dominate the field. They had several opportunities to score but they could not execute. Second half started and FC Barca started where they left off from the first half. With possession of the ball the majority of the game, Pedro finally scored a goal from about 17 feet out. It was a bullet. The fans went crazy. I have been to several big games in the United States, but this did not even compare. Throughout the game, the fans did many "Barca" chants along with a few songs that I did not know. Not long after, Malaga made a good play and scored a goal. The stadium went silent. Everyone was in shock. 3 minutes later in the 84th minute, Messi made an incredible play and scored the winning goal. FC Barcelona beat Malaga 2-1. What a game!

Carnival in Sitges: February 16, 2010

Before I even arrived in Barcelona, I was told by several friends and cousins that Carnival in Sitges was incredible. There was outrageous costumes, music, and most of all, dancing. The party begins on Thursday before Lent and ends by Ash Wednesday, when an effigy of Carnestoltes goes up in flames and people celebrate the mock burial of the sardine. The busiest days are Sunday and Tuesday, when the local carnival parade makes its way down the Rua del Extermini in decorated carriages, wearing the craziest razzle-dazzle type outfits you have ever seen. When I was there Tuesday, which is the final day of carnival, there were some interesting drag shows. Just when you think you have seen it all...you haven't.

After about 45 minutes of traveling to Sitges by bus I was finally there. Right when I stepped off the bus I knew this was going to be an experience I have never had before. I walked down several tiny streets until we could hear the music louder and louder, knowing that I was getting closer and closer to the party. Finally, I found the beginning of the parade. I have never seen anything like it before. People were dressed in some of the most ridiculous costumes I have ever seen. I imagined it would be like Halloween in the United States, but these costumes did not even compare. Not knowing what to expect and where to go, we found ourselves in the middle of the parade. Dancing down the streets with hundreds of thousands of people was amazing. It was a non-stop party.

Carnival is a prime example that explains the Spanish culture and why it is so important to everyone here. Catalans take great pride in their culture. In this case, everyone comes together in the center of the city to celebrate before lent occurs. Carnival is about tradition. I found that Catalans are very accepting of others. They are open to anyone and everyone who wants to be a part of this unique experience. Everyone is united from all over the world and comes together to celebrate for the same reason.