My First Week in Barcelona

Simply saying I love this city would be an understatement. I still can't believe it's only been one week since I first arrived. The first thing I did as soon as I left the airport was search for food (we all know how good airplane food is). Thanks to a close friend of mine who lives in Barcelona I discovered National, a gothic inspired Tapas restaurant. For those like me who don’t know what Tapas is, they are small dishes of various types of finger foods that are served throughout the course of your meal. I absolutely loved the experience and was very impressed with the customer service at the restaurant. If you find yourself in Barcelona I would recommend stopping by and judging for yourself.It only took me a couple hours to fall in love with the architecture in the city. Coming from a metropolitan city like Toronto I’m used to high-rises and modern condominiums; but Barcelona has this enchanting aura embedded in every building. Years of history and culture are hidden behind its walls from El Barrio Gotico to the ocean neighborhood of Barceloneta. All across the city there is an abundance of beautifully constructed monuments commemorating important Spanish artists and political figures.Like many other exchange students finding a place to live was the hardest and most stressful part of coming to Barcelona. It took me almost two months to find a "piso" but it was worth the struggle.

As I walked through the narrow streets of El Raval, a 3-minute walk from Plaza de Catalunya, I found myself in a bohemian community of skateboarders, graffiti artists, foreign food sellers and independent clothing shops. El Raval is known for being the most multicultural area in the city of Barcelona, to some it's a bit dangerous, but to me the multicultural atmosphere adds a unique twist to the European experience.For the past week I’ve been lucky enough to wake up to the Barcelona sun shining through the white rustic window in my room that overlooks the museum of modern art; but that’s not the only thing I am waking up to every morning. How can I write this post without mentioning my hipster neighbor who is an up and coming rapper/ singer/ DJ/ MC/ Drummer among other things. He has managed to keep me up along with the entire building this whole week as he records his next mixtape, if you can really call it a mixtape. But surprisingly, his odd character sort of makes me happy.Before I arrived in Barcelona I was advised to enjoy every single second of my experience because when I least expect it all of it will be over. It's only been a 

week and I'm already feeling nostalgic about leaving in July. Here's to the many adventures yet to come!