May 17, 2019 - Danielle Harrison
It is crazy to believe how fast this trip is going. If I had things my way, I would stay here in Spain forever. This has been the trip of a lifetime and I have made friendships so deep that I didn’t think were possible to develop in such a short time.

Today we travelled to Barcelona which is about a four-hour bus ride from Valencia. Yesterday was my 19th birthday so the group went out to dinner. It meant so much to me to know how loved I truly am, even by my peers whom I only met less than two weeks ago. I can’t speak for everyone else but I am not usually a night owl so that has been one of the biggest cultural adjustments. Needless to say, I spent the bus ride sleeping so I would be ready to soak in all of the beauty of Barcelona.

View during the bus ride to Barcelona.

Despite the day being mostly rainy, I was able to make the most of my time. As soon as we arrived, we took a bus tour around the city with our amazing tour guide Christina. I am a huge history buff and it was fascinating to learn a brief summary of the city and its history before we delve deeper during tomorrow’s tour.

Lunch at "4 Cats" where Pablo Picasso was a regular.

Skyline view of Barcelona.

After an amazing lunch at four cats, I had to find somewhere to purchase a cheap pair of pants because I made the mistake of not packing any long pants despite the weather forecast. I was able to find a small thrift shop similar to Goodwill, the catch though was the only pair of long comfy pants my size was neon pink. This made for a silly memory and a lot of unnecessary attention. Next, a group of us decided to head to Montjuïc to ride the skyline cable and explore the city. This was an experience with peers that I will always cherish.

Me with an amazing view of Barcelona wearing my neon pink thrift shop pants.

Barcelona's port.

From taking in the incredible views, we headed back down to go shopping at a mall near the Port. We spent around two hours shopping, where I bought more than I needed to (sorry mom). From the mall we headed to dinner at an Italian restaurant that I would compare to the nicer version of Noodles & Company. For only 10 euros, you could get your choice of pasta with sauce and add-ins, a drink, and dessert. I think I have finally adjusted to eating dinner so late in the evening it will be interesting to see how this translates when I return home. The small group enjoyed a nice rainy walk back to the hotel where we showered and ended the night playing truth or dare. If I had been told all of the experiences and friendships this trip would bring me, I don’t think I would have believed it. I have cherished every moment of this trip getting to know my peers and learning about the different cities.

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