The Good Times Are Killing Me

(ummm not quite killing me, don't worry).

So, this week has been a crazy one! Classes started on Monday. I had Catalan at 9 am, and it was the most boring and repetitive class ever. (It's a class for absolute beginners and only Erasmus students, so the prof has to explain all the politics that go with learning the language since most of them have no idea). Thankfully, I got to change classes for one that is also for beginners, but for the Spanish students, so it moves along much faster.

Then I had Historical Linguistics, which will be super interesting. It's in Catalan, so it was a bit hard to follow at first, but after a bit it all makes perfect sense.

I also have a Spanish Literature class (for Erasmuses), which to my great joy will focus only on modern poetry! Plus, the prof looks like George Clooney. Muy bien.

Then I have Sociolinguistics, which seems interesting as well, though the prof said she wouldn't talk about the situation here because it would get too complicated. I'm a bit disappointed since I was looking forward to more in depth knowledge of the sociolinguistics of Catalunya.

And finally, Geography (also for Erasmuses), which is not so much geography as an ethnology of Spain. This week our prof took us on a walking tour of the Barri Gotic and the old roman city, it was super interesting. One thing we learned is that many of the iconic gothic plazas in Barcelona were in fact "constructed" or staged by the nationalists in the 19th century, when they were striving to emphasize the fact that they had a distinct history (other than the general Spanish one). So they moved whole buildings around, added gothic facades to buildings (like the famous cathedral for example...) It really puts the historical identity into perspective (and also makes for fun times laughing at the tourists!)

Speaking of tourists, I hate them. When do these people go home? It's October, don't they have school, jobs, things to do at home? No, instead they stand in my way when I'm trying to walk to school quickly so I'm not late. And they all take pictures of the SAME things. All of them. They see someone taking a picture of something, and right away they all get their cameras and take a picture of whatever it is.

But back to things here...Wednesday night I went out for a drink with my roommate and some friends, and of course one drink turned into two, etc (we went to lots of little bars that were really fun, some dives, some cozy). And finally ended up going to the huge Erasmus party (not really the best premise for a good time...hundreds of students in a huge bar...but we managed to have fun anyways, without spending money! The joys of being on a tight budget!) We got home at 5 I think, and hurray, I had class at nine that morning (the geography walking tour...when all I wanted to do was sit down with a coffee...) That afternoon I tried napping, to no avail. I watched The Virgin Suicides (really good!) and then we (me and two roommates) had to go to a friend's for dinner. We got there at 11, ate, talked, etc, etc, and got home at 3 (on a pris le NitBus...c'est toute une expérience culturelle! Les chansons traditionnelles chantées à tue-tête...)

Friday I had three classes (one I was only going to to see if I wanted to take it) and had to meet a girl to do an assignment, I somehow managed to get through the day with only one coffee (I only had enough money for one). And didn't do anything Friday night except homework (Hi, I'm a model student!).

Last night we had some people over for a few glasses of wine, then went to this HUGE pub type place, that's an old factory, so it's a "hangar" with big wooden tables, it looks sort of like a monastery cafeteria or something. Pretty cool. And it's called La Ovella Negra (The Black Sheep...comme à Wakefield). Got home not too late, but then we sat on the balcony eating chorizo and cheese and drinking cheap rosé, and ended up talking until 6.30 am.

Anyways, I'm done all my school work so I can take it easy today, we might be going to a museum later on since lots of them are free on the first Sunday of the month, and it's my laundry day, yay! I also have to practice the violin for a few hours since I have something coming up...It's not confirmed yet so I don't want to say too much...I'll update tomorrow night!

This week will be more quiet, I hope! School routine is settling in, although it's hard to think of school when it's sunny and 20 degrees out...I keep forgetting we're in October. I'm still wearing flip-flops! I have to go put my clothes out to dry, so that's it for this time.