Lesson Learned: Always Have a Back-Up Plan

Last night, right as i was going to bed, i heard a knock on my door. "Caroline?" It was Yara. "Can you come out here? We want to talk to you."

15 minutes later, i sat on my the bed, stunned. They want me to leave? I was totally shocked. I didn't realize i'd been on trial. They decided they don't like living with me, that i wasn't a good person to have in their house, and they wanted me to leave - and that there was someone else they wanted to put in my room on the 20th. "So you have like, two weeks, okay?"

Also, they were offended that i'd put my name on the food that i'd bought. It's very creepy to me to think they've been watching me and judging me and talking about me behind my back. There was not even any space for negotiation - no, these are the problems we're having, you could change it this way and it would be better - just - get out.

So i was on the phone and IM until 2 AM with various consoling family/framily members, while i cried, angry, hurt, and confused. Not only was i upset at the way they felt about me, i liked living there. I'd thought Yara and i were getting to be friends.

I've spent the afternoon looking for places, and i have one really good prospect that said i could probably move in. They had 3 other people to meet, but said i was the only English speaking one, which is what they were looking for, so, fingers crossed.

It's only €250, including utilities, which is incredibly cheap for Barcelona, especially the area and the quality of the building - it's GORGEOUS. It's what you think of when you think of classic Spanish architecture. There are two balconies, one in the back and one in the front, and they have a washing machine. And they also really have WiFi - no more windowsill perching.

And while they want to practice their English, i'm hoping also to practice Spanish. They're two guys (the one who showed me around is named Raul), they seem very nice. The apartment has very tall ceilings, dark hardwood floors, and the room is at least double the size of the one i'm in now. There's no window, but the apartment on the whole is full of light. And without a window, it will probably be quieter. Also, it's a 10-15 minute walk from school.

They're going to call me at 7:30 tonight to let me know for sure, and said i could move into tonight if i wanted. Which i will, if it takes til 2 AM. I don't want to share space with people who are so hostile to me. Ick.

Hopefully this is the last of the difficulties - though this is way worse than cell phone purgatory.

Grocery Stores and Homesickness

Yesterday I made my first venture out to the grocery store. There's a small basic one near the house called Consum. Small means there are three short aisles, and one of those is toiletries, pet food, and cleaning supplies. I was getting very basic stuff that hopefully will last a while, like rice and lentils and beans in addition to vegetables and water (our tap water tastes really weird). Big grocery stores like Food Lion or Kroger are rare over here, mostly there are small specialty stores. There's a big indoor market here in Sant Boi that looks like a big box store from the outside and on the inside is set up exactly like the outdoor street markets!

So Consum is tiny, and yesterday it was PACKED with loud Spaniards, and loud music playing in the background. Grocery shopping has always been kind of overwhelming for me, and this tiny crowded noisy place was hard to be in. Add to that the unfamiliarity of well, everything, and I found myself almost in tears in front of the shampoo. Even the vegetables are different. The fresh ones almost all come packaged in plastic on styrofoam plates, like meat, and they have jars of things like green beans and corn instead of cans.

I do like that most of what I bought yesterday is a product of Spain, even the rice and the orange juice. Another perk of living outside the main city of Barcelona is that things are waaay less expensive. I only spent a little more than 11 euros yesterday, and probably won't have to go back again until next week.

Yesterday I started really feeling the absence of familiar people and things, and I was pretty sad for most of the day. I miss Ethan and Angie especially – they're the two people who share the bulk of my daily life. I miss the kids at Twin Oaks and the tall trees. Feeling homesick for the landscape is something I experienced in France, too. I'm also a little sad at the idea of missing fall and winter. They're such cozy nice times at Twin Oaks.

I've been here for over a week now and i'm all settled in (even cell phone purgatory is over!), so i've been a little bored the past couple of days. I think the lack of specific activity has exacerbated my feeling homesick. School starts tomorrow, so hopefully that will help me reconnect with my sense of purpose. Also i'll activate my monthly metro pass tomorrow so it will be cheaper for me to venture into the city. I'm looking forward to meeting my classmates. I'm hoping to find a kindred soul with whom to experience the famous Barcelona nightlife! There are two art exhibits i'm looking forward to (Olafur Eliasson and Nancy Spero, both brilliant contemporary artists), and there are a couple of touristy things I still have left to do in the city – Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia, both Gaudi projects.

Soon i'll need to do laundry. A Spanish laundromat - that should be an adventure too!