A Day in the Life

I wake up to a sun shining light over the city. I look out the balcony door and see the city sprawled before me. It’s the only reason I'm willing to wake up. I do my morning routine, getting ready and eating breakfast. It’s always a treat when my host mom makes crepes for us. I fill mine with Nutella and bananas. I look at the time and see I have 15 minutes left until I need to head out for the day. As I walk back to my room, I pass my housemate (we are lucky enough to have our own rooms). We greet each other, wishing good days for the other. I pack up my computer, textbooks, and a juice box. The juice box is nice to have between classes. I put on my shoes, and I’m off. I have been here long enough that I can now enjoy the walk to the metro station without having to worry about which way to go. I look around at the shops and parents taking their kids to school. It is nice to see the community going about their own day.

It is a Thursday, so I will have three of my classes. The metro isn’t too crowded but it is not as clear as midday or midnight. I enter where it will be easiest for me to switch, feeling a bit like a pro. 30 minutes, one train switch, and a brief walk later I arrive at the IES Abroad building. It is located right in the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. I smile at the attendant and make my way to the fifth floor. I tend to arrive a little early for this class. I work on the last bit of homework for my Spanish class before my first class. As I am working I see my Spanish teacher walk in and am able to ask him a quick question. Just as I finish my assignment, a few classmates come in. We chat about our week and dreaded homework as we wait for the classroom to clear out from the class before ours. This class has gotten interesting as we are participating in a business simulation. My group started with the smallest company so we are working hard to bring it up the ranks. It’s a slow process, but we are starting to see some progress. My group and I spend the whole class period discussing strategy, and calculating related costs. We submit our decision for the “year” just as class ends. Next class period we will see how that affects our company and make adjustments from there. I eat a quick snack between this class and my next. My next class is Spanish. My classmates and I enjoy lunch right outside the classroom and talk about various things. Our professor joins us a few minutes before the start of class. Then the next hour and a half is spoken in Spanish (for the most part). I really enjoy this class. There are only five students so we are able to get a lot of practice and the environment is very relaxed so I feel comfortable asking all my questions. The class ends and I head over to my next classroom. I pull out my juice box and head to the hallway to enjoy it as I converse with some friends. It is the last class of the day and the last day of classes before the weekend. Everyone is excited to enact their plans. My final class is one I find really interesting, so I generally look forward to it. Today we are learning about the different ways wineries and vineyards are run. After class I head to the first floor. I catch up with the ladies working there. They are so sweet. Today there is a little activity through IES Abroad to a local exposition and then tapas afterward. Not many students sign up but those ones who do are pretty consistent, so we’ve all become friends. The rest of my afternoon is filled with this. Good company and good food. This is generally one of the highlights of my week. At the end of the meal, we say our goodbyes and I head home. Then the weekend begins. 

Safe travels!