Week 4

I officially have one month left here in Barcelona, Spain. I am not sure I can pin point exactly how I feel about it, but I do know that I have so many mixed feelings.

This week has been BRUTAL. This is mostly due to the fact that the heatwave throughout Europe has caused every day to be an average of 95 degrees accompanied by 80-90% humidity. Coming from Colorado, humidity is not my friend. I have quickly figured out that in order to comfortably be out and about, I have to leave in the early morning or late evening. Besides the scorching sun and daily hot flashes, it’s not too bad :,).

This week I have really been focused on my internship as I spend a good portion of my time there. By now, I am very aware of what is to be done and what I can expect on a daily basis. I continually go back and forth with my satisfaction with the job itself. To be completely honest, I do not feel that I am learning as much as I thought nor am I being pushed to my potential. I’ve tried to communicate this to my boss, but at times it feels as she doesn’t care. I try to remind myself that it doesn’t matter because I am basically on a two month vacation in Barcelona. So who cares, right? Well, I care. I try to not compare my internship experience to my roommates’ but I continually find that they are enjoying what they’re doing and look forward to work every day, and I just cannot say the same. I am well aware that internships (especially unpaid internships) are not always glamorous, however I find myself doing the same task day to day that requires little to no brain power. I feel crazy for wanting to ask for more responsibility and more tasks, but I want to gain more out of my time here. I am planning on talking to my boss about it tomorrow, so we will see how it goes! I really can’t imagine anyone saying no to that sort of request, yet given my time working with her, it is very possible…

On another note, I am meeting so many great locals! When first arriving, I was slightly bummed to find that we were further away from the main areas in Barcelona. The more I’ve been here, the more I’ve come to realize that my neighborhood is much better for different reasons:

1. It is a neighborhood primarily inhabited by locals

2. We are about a one minute walk from a main metro stop

3. I can walk to work

4. Little to no tourists (Do I count as a tourist?)

While many abroad students are living closer to the hub areas of Barcelona, there are so many people there all the time that make getting anywhere a hassle. I really enjoy being able to come home to a quiet and stress free apartment surrounded by people who have lived here for many years.

The longer I am here the more I appreciate Barcelona as well as my home in the U.S. To be honest, I mostly miss the drinking water, the air conditioning, and Chipotle. When I begin to think about what I miss from home, my mind jumps immediately to the thought that I only have 4 weeks left in this beautiful place. I’m not sure what’s to come in these last four weeks, but what I am sure about is that I know I’ll miss it all so much.