Settling In

AFS Catalunya at Parc Güel!
*can you believe this isn't even all of us!!
huge chapter

Hello again!

In the past month I have continued to settle into my new life here and get to know people a little better. I have started taking Flamenco lessons close by at “Casa de Andalucia.” There is a dance studio in the back of the restaurant where people come of all ages to learn how to dance Flamenco. It is something I look forward too doing every week and not just for the dancing.

The atmosphere in dance class in a completely new experience! I have almost always been involved with dance, but the lightness and laughter during class is something that makes it that much more fun!! We have an upcoming festival in December and will be performing four different dances that we will have learned in a little over a month!!!

Tourism:

Some of the things I have done outside of my town include an AFS orientation in which all the students in my chapter (Catalunya) got to go to a famous park in Barcelona called Parc Güell. It was designed by Gaudi and is home to the longest bench in the world… which happens to be completely mosaic!! It was incredible!! It is possibly one of my favorite things in the city. However, the architecture here is only one of the things I love.

Parc Güel

Parc Güel is absolutely enormous!


The old section of Barcelona is fantastic too with its plaças and the cathedrals dating back more than one hundred years. It is hard to imagine building such impressive buildings even with the technology we have today, let alone then.

I have also gone to the Les Rambles in Barcelona along with a place called La Boqueria. Les Rambles is a street in Barcelona that is home to street performers and shops as well as the Boqueria.

La Boqueria is the one of the largest, continually open, world markets and is home to almost any type of produce or ingredient. It the most impressive market I have ever seen with all of the people and venders! Also, the fresh made juice that most of the shops sell is incredible!! (Luckily, my host mom also knows how to make it just like they do there, so I have learned!)

In my town there was a festival a few weekends ago as well. The festival was for Castells (Catalan). Castells are effectively human castles and are either very big with many people across and high, or a single base with 4 or 5 people high. In addition, there are always 2 other outside groups invited to participate in the celebrations which are held in plaças (Catalan). 

 Group from Mataró! (dark blue shirts... the other groups had lighter blue shirts)

 The castells are usually several stories high and music is played while those who participate climb up. Once the very last person is at the top, the music changes so that those below are aware of the descent. The crowd awaits in silence until the last person is on top and then errupts with applause and then grows silent again until the last person has safely reached the ground. Again, the crowd goes wild. It is a very impressive celebration and one that all ages enjoying going to.  

Overall, I have discovered that Barcelona is one of my favorite cities. It is impressive, but still friendly and unique at the same time. The smell of castañas (roasted nuts) and sweet potatoes in the fall sold by the many street vendors fills the air with a sweet and salty smell unlike any I have ever smelt before.

School:

The structure of school where I am is as follows:

ESO: grades 6 through 10 roughly

Batxillerat: grades 11 and 12

*I am not too familiar with the school system before this since I do not go to a school that includes the lower levels.

In Spain, Batxillerat is not mandatory and if you choose to take courses, they are a lot more rigorous and the teachers expect a lot more out of you. Basically, not like any high school I have ever witnessed!

I am in primer batxillerat which is 11^th grade in the U.S. Segon Batxillerat is 12^th grade. (these are in catalan… they are similar, but spelled a little differently in Spanish)

Here, they have courses you choose as well. I am in sciences, but you can take a course similar to the equivalent of history, language, or art. In addition, the required classes for each course such as math, English, P.E., Spanish, and Catalan differ depending on which course you are taking.

For example: I am in the sciences course and our math is a lot more difficult than the math of those taking the art course, but it is still the same course in the eyes of the country… it’s difficult to explain.

And, need I say it?? Yes, I am probably only going to pass English, sorry Mom. As much as I would like to say that I am an excellent student, this would simply be lying. If school was in Spanish I feel like I could say that I was getting what they were talking about in lessons and passing the tests. However, school is in Catalan and I only understand if I concentrate very hard on what my teachers are saying. Even then I have no idea what I am supposed to do when it comes time to apply it. It is somewhat frustrating because when Catalan is spoken I still feel like I only understand part of what is going on. It is something I am learning to accept and I know that it is normal to be confused and not knowing is part of life. It has, believe it or not, made me more comfortable with asking questions and feeling stupid! As of right now, I do feel a lot more comfortable with the language and try to speak it when I can, but for now, I mainly communicate in Spanish. My family is very encouraging and helps me a lot with both Spanish and Catalan. It is still very funny to hear my pronunciation issues with Catalan and they often come up when I am trying to do homework.

***I will write again soon and next time will most likely write about the Christmas traditions here in Catalunya. I can’t wait to take part!!!

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE HERE IN CATALUNYA PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM! THANKS!!!