Wow, what a crazy and exciting past 10 days it has been in Barcelona! I have absolutely loved this city and cannot wait to explore it more throughout my next couple of weeks here. These past 10 days have been non-stop busy because my friends and I are trying to do the most with our time here. We have been all over the city, literally, we took the metro 7 stops too far. But that’s part of the experience of being in a new city right? After that one metro mishap on the first day, we finally got it down. It makes it so easy to get to class if you are not in the mood for walking and allows you to get across the city in a matter of minutes. The residence hall I am staying in is also only a 25-minute walk to the IES Abroad Center and has stunning views on the way which makes it a fun walk. My step count has been through the roof the entire time I’ve been here and has averaged around 6 miles a day—which I love because I am getting to explore all the little city streets.
Some of the first things I did in Barcelona, besides drink copious amounts of coffee, was visit Casa Batllo and wander the Gothic Quarter and other neighborhoods. Casa Batllo is a house designed by Antoni Gaudi and is absolutely beautiful and is a must-see when coming to Barcelona. When we are not visiting specific sites in the city my friends and I find ourselves getting lost in all the cute neighborhoods that branch off from Plaza Catalunya. There are amazing tapas restaurants to sit and have a little lunch at before roaming the city streets. And of course, I cannot forget about the shopping I have done. All of the main department stores are 5 minutes from the IES Abroad Center making it a little too tempting for me to go there almost every day and find a new addition to my wardrobe. I have been having the best time in Barcelona and can't wait to talk about all the other adventures and cool places to check out in the city. But for now, I am headed off to Madrid tomorrow morning for the weekend to explore a new Spanish city!
Ellie Carter
<p>Hey! My name is Ellie Carter, I am a senior in college studying media advertising and minoring in political science and Spanish at Indiana University. I am studying abroad on the Barcelona Summer - Language and Area Studies - Summer 2021 and am looking forward to all that I get to share with you about my time here. In my free time, I love cooking, spending time with my friends, and running. I am excited to explore the city through food and find hidden gems in Barcelona as well as other Spanish cities. I am excited to share my experience with you as a navigate studying abroad in Spain!</p>
