I found my happy place – se llama Haagen Dazs

“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” – Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

No, really it’s Barcelona. While Egypt was my first international trip, Barcelona was my first solo international trip. Remember, I was bit by the travel bug in the year 2000, but I didn’t embark on my next international trip until 2004 following graduation from college and a 3-month internship program.

I took Spanish from kindergarten-12th grade, which probably influenced my decision to travel to Spain. You’d think that much time taking lessons would result in fluency – it didn’t. I speak and read enough Spanish to get by – I can greet someone, locate or ask for directions to essential locations such as el baño, ask how much something costs, and order food. However, if someone mistakes that basic level dialogue for fluency and decides to engage in a full-blown conversation, we have a problem. Nevertheless, Barcelona is still my happy place.

I’ve visited the city on two separate occasions during different times of the year – an after Christmas/New Year’s trip and a summer Study Abroad Program. Each time I felt a level of comfort that didn’t make it seem I had ventured the 4,000+ miles from home. I’ve wandered Las Ramblas after dark, participated in the eating 12 grapes at Midnight on New Year’s Eve tradition, joined in celebration when Barcelona won the World Cup in 2009, utilized the Barcelona Metro seemingly more than I do the “El” at home, and rented an apartment there (only for two weeks).

The first trip was part of an 8-day excursion to Barcelona and Madrid. It was a solo trip for me, though I was part of a larger tour group. I booked my trip through EF College Break. The trip itinerary involved guided excursions and free time to explore. We stayed in a hotel not far from the city center, and had chartered buses to take us on excursions. The second trip occurred in 2009 as part of a 2-week summer study abroad. That one, was a much more immersive experience. There wasn’t a tour guide, I rented an apartment with two other classmates, and was responsible for my transportation to and from school and any other locations I wanted to venture to. It was during my free moments on each trip that I discovered how much I liked the city.

Barcelona is just interesting. There’s architecture – La Sagrada Familia – the unfinished church designed by Antoni Gaudí, Park Güell; cool streets – Las Ramblas which reminds me of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, the Gothic Quarter; museums and other activities – fútbol, The Museu Picasso, beachfront clubs where you can party til the sun comes up; and lastly great food – tapas, paella, sangria, gelato… Even the graffiti inspires curiosity.

When I look through any of my pictures from Barcelona I seem to always be grinning from ear to ear. So yeah, I found my happy place!