Roma to Barcelona

Before my program in Barcelona, my mom and I travelled to Rome for a few days for some sight-seeing and great food. I had always wanted to travel to Italy! Thanks mom! Rome was amazing, and I loved seeing all the historic sights like the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Trevi Fountain. It amazes me that the Romans were able to build such monumental, gigantic structures so long ago, not to mention all the sculptures and paintings that have been preserved.

However, after eating all the pasta, pizza, and bread I could imagine, I was ready to move on to a different cuisine. Our first night in Barcelona, my mom and I went to this awesome restaurant called Bar Lobo and both ordered good old American cheeseburgers for dinner. !Qué deliciosa! I was also happy to see that people in Barcelona are on average taller than the people I saw in Rome:)

The next day I met my host family I will be staying with for the spring. My mom and I met my host Ana Alonso over lunch, my first paella. I found out that Ana and her husband have been hosting Dartmouth students for the past 15 years! Ana doesn't know English very well, and my mom doesn't know Spanish, so it was quite the experience my first day in Spain speaking Spanish to Ana and then translating for my mom! Ana showed us around the city-we saw La Rambla, Barceloneta (pretty beaches! with beach volleyball. yess), and the University of Barcelona where I will be taking classes. Barcelona is so beautiful, and the weather here is much warmer than at Dartmouth at this time (it's already 70! sorry Hanover). I can't wait to explore the city. ¡Hasta pronto!