I'll admit that I went into the creation of this blog, the same way that I went into the start of my new semester studying abroad - I was going to figure it out as I went. The good news in relation to the blog is that my posts are getting posted, and I'm really enjoying being able to re-live my experiences through a wide focus in a matter that allows me to relay the information back to the readers (whoever they may be). As it pertains to my study abroad experience, I feel as though I'm moving into my self-defined phase 2. Somewhere between my weekend trip to Prague that I just returned home from, and falling into my routine of classes, homework, and truly living in Barcelona, I've realized that the novelty of the experience has worn off. This semester no longer feels like an extended vacation, it feels like the true experience that study abroad signifies. I've found myself no longer marveling at how long I've been here for (3 days, 1 week, a month) and instead focusing on how much time I have to live not only in the amazing city that is Barcelona, but in Europe. This past Friday marked the close of the first month of my program, and since I have found myself focusing on the fact that I have all of February, March and April left, versus being fixated on the time that's passed since I last stepped foot on GW's campus or when I boarded my plane at JFK.
I have so much more to visit and tour, a ton more spanish to learn, and even more that I can't even imagine, but that I know is right in front of me. As a result, I've chosen to embrace this change in my thinking patterns and attribute it as my real beginning of studying in Barcelona.