Second to last day

First, the last post I made, I wrote it but the Internet was being weird so I didn't get to "post" it until a lot later.

Anyway, today is Wednesday. Boy am I tired. Last night, Michelle and I partied it up one last time in Barcelona (along with a bunch of other IES students). We stayed at the club until about 4:30, and then we got home and she finished packing. At about 7am, we took the metro to the bus stop and took the airport bus to El Prat, the Barcelona airport. You gotta be proud of Michelle. She pulled a Barcelona party-all-night-and-then-catch-your-plane-in-the-morning, and with an international flight! She got checked in and we said goodbye. I'll see her next when I pick her up at the San Jose airport on January 5th. It was great seeing her and it was an awesome opportunity for her that she took full advantage of. Sheesh, she/we did a lot this past week or so.

I left the airport and then took my second to last final. It was in art and I think I did really well, although, yes, I was super tired. I got back home and crashed. I woke up, checked emails and stuff, and then went to a closing ceremony put on by IES that had lots of free food. It was sweet.

I'm now going to study a bit for my final test. It's tomorrow morning in my religion/art/history/architecture class (I'm really not sure what to call it). It's basically going to be a critical thinking class, so since I was in every class (well, I skipped one when Michelle was here. Don't tell Dad) and I feel I'm fairly smart, I think I'll do fine. On a related note, apparently we don't get our grades until February, so that should be interesting.

After that final, I plan on doing some mild shopping and packing. I only have about 25€ left and I am trying to avoid withdrawing more cash. We'll see what I end up doing.

I've been asked if I'm sad to leave and what I'll miss. Well, I'm sick for the fourth or fifth time, so I won't be sad or miss the abuse my body has gone through. For the record, Michelle was blown away by the amount of smoking here. Made me feel good because recently I've been thinking that I exaggerated it. Apparently after 4 months you get "used" to it.

I'll miss the clubs, but I'm sure there's some around where I live. Many are in downtown San Jose, but I'm not sure if they're the best places to go. Plus, no Kike's List so I'll have to pay a cover. Sad times. And basically, I think I'm going to come home with a more adventuresome and active attitude, so whatever my area has to offer, I'm sure I'll have fun.

I had a great time in Barcelona and experienced a whole lot. I don't know if I'll "miss" it though. To me, the definition of missing is when you really want to be with someone or go back to a place. I feel I have thoroughly "done" Barcelona, and while I'd like to come back some day, there's a whole lot more out there for me to see. That said, my study abroad in Barcelona was awesome.

One thing I'll miss, trash cans at every corner in the streets. I didn't realize how handy it is until I went to other cities that fail to have this same system. Barcelona smells, but it is a very clean city.

I'm excited to get back home. I'm pumped for college football. American food is going to be great, too. Michelle really wanted bacon and eggs while she was here and said she really missed it. Michelle, I've barely had cheeseburgers in 4 months. You went 10 days. She respected my American food sacrifice more after that, haha. It will also be great to get back to all English. Walking around Madrid with Michelle, I realized how much Catalan is actually in Barcelona. I understood so much more in Madrid (and she did as well, of course). I won't miss Catalan.

I'll miss Spanish, and the cool feeling I get when I understand it. I'm seriously thinking about taking a Spanish course in the spring (SCU is on a quarter system).

I'll end with my complete flight schedule. Carrie, I land at 9pm, not 9:30, although I suppose I'll have to get my luggage and stuff so 9:30 would probably be okay. Be at baggage claim, por favor!

Flight Schedule:

Barcelona to Madrid- Take off: 9:35am Land: 10:50am

Madrid to Philadelphia- Take off 12:45pm Land: 3:30pm

Philadelphia to San Francisco- Take off 5:55pm Land 8:55pm