Two crazy things occurred yesterday, which helped me to remember that... a) this is NOT the USA and b) I better be smart/on guard...always. Yesterday was the first day that each of us girls had to venture out into the city on our own (as we all started our session at the school at different times) So when it was my time, I ventured out. I shouldn't have been nervous, but I kinda was. All on my own in a big city only having walked around for one day. I am typically decent with directions, but Barcelona really enjoys "round abouts", and they make EVERYTHING more difficult. I couldn't imagine driving here. The people are so crazy and drive so fast, and these silly one way roundabouts are everywhere. Yuck. At any rate, the roundabouts get you turned around really easy, because you think you are going straight on a road, then BAM you realize that you have been walking 5 blocks on the wrong street thinking you were going straight(but really you have been going left). No me gusta!
Ok, so I left my apartment, and upon crossing the first street I had to cross, I here a loud crash sound. Slowly, I look around the cars that blocked my vision, and I see that a car had hit a man on mo-ped, and he was laying there, screaming in Spanish. The man in the car got out, and they the two men were yelling and carrying on. It was a mess, but I needed to cross the street so I just kept on without starring. (I usually like to figure out what's going on, but in this instance, I just kept going) The lesson I learned from this (after discussing this encounter with Ana) is that traffic is fast and crazy here, and you must obey the traffic signs. As a walker in the city even if the walk light is red and no one is coming, don't go. Wait for green because things like these accidents occur all the time.
After my session at the school, I found the name of a street past the school that might have the type of electronic store I needed to get my phone. So, I found the street, and a store, and a phone! Success! I was so excited because previously no one understood my phone situation, but finally I got someone willing to help me. (because it was an independent phone store rather than a brand name store).
After finding my phone, I was walking back home on Gran Via (the street I live on...but about 10 blocks away) and I here a lady screaming, and I look back and she is basically playing tug a war with this man over a gym bag in the middle of a crosswalk. I don't know if he was trying to rob her, or like Ana maybe thought, she had robbed him, and she was trying to act like it was her bag when really it was his. At any rate, it was scary to witness, so I scurried ahead, as to avoid any trouble.
Don't get me wrong, the city is very safe. These are just two fluke instances that I happened to encounter my first day off by myself. If you have common sense, these things won't happen. (or so I've been told, haha)
After another amazing dinner by Jose (he is quite the chef) we headed out for the night. We took the metro, which was so clean and nice compared to public transportation in the U.S. It is nice though, because we could walk home. It seems like we really lucked out with our location. Most people I talk to have to take at least a 15 minute metro ride to get into town. Thankfully, we have like a 10 or 15 minute walk to get to school... (Saving money and getting our exercise in!)
Well off to shower and explore some new areas of the city! Miss you all!
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