Finally getting caught up

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Hola Todos!


So before this next weekend gets underway, I figured I'd better fill you all in on what's been going on since the "Paris Fiasco," as I now call it. Then again, it did make me think on my feet and adapt. What good is four months in Europe if I don't get stuck in a country where I don't know the language and without a phone? I think everyone should have to deal with it.


Anyways... On Wednesday after I returned from Paris (February 27), FC Barca played Valencia at Camp Nou in the Copa Del Rey, which is a soccer tournament in Spain. It's the semifinals round, so it was a very big game. Unfortunately, all of the top tier 10 euro seats sold out, and seeing as how there aren't many people that share my love of the beautiful game (meaning they weren't willing to pay 24 euro for better seats), I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to go. Luckily, my friend Ray (who happens to play at Colorado) had already gone and bought two 24 euro seats, only to be bailed on - I gladly took the extra seat which ended up being completely worth it. We were 16 rows off the field, right behind one of the goals. It was aaaaaamazing. Watching the game with another player helped too - it's been a while since I've been able to legitimately discuss strategy and formations with someone who knows what they're talking about (miss ya Mom and Dad). Anyway, the game turned out to be extremely exciting, and Barca scored in the 94th minute to tie the game 1-1. The second leg of the round takes place in the next couple of weeks - unfortunately it will be down in Valencia, but at least I'll be able to watch on TV. I have a video that I'm going to post of the Barca fight song - hearing 75000 people singing together before the match even starts, its a great thing. I'm seeing as many games as possible before I leave.


On Saturday the 1st our program coincidentally had a day-trip down to Valencia. Its a 3-hour train ride away...and the train left at 6:50am. 6:50 am!!!!! what the heck are they thinking?!?!? Luckily for our program's activities planner, the trip was worth it. We stepped off the train and right away started a walking tour around the city (pictures to follow), which was great and had a much different and more traditional feel to it than Barca. The tour lasted from 10am until around 1 or 1:30, at which point we took buses over to the Science Museum and Aquarium. We were told the science museum was just "eh," so we pretty much just spent the whole time at the aquarium. That place was awesome. The Barca one doesn't even compare - the one in Valencia is just as good, if not slightly better than, the one in Boston. We got to see a dolphin show (always fun), and then before we knew it it was 5pm and time to head back to Barca. We got back around 9 and then went out a few hours later.

Midterms were this week, so pretty much everyone has been bogged down with work and studying, so not much has been going on. Tuesday night, Barca played at home again for the Champions League match against the Scottish team Celtic - unfortunately, because of the game's international demand, the tickets that were usually selling for 10 euro were 73 euro, sooo the game was slightly out of my price range. I watched it at one of my favorite bars though, the George & Dragon, and had a great time there. We won 1-0, and so we're continuing on into the quarterfinals in that tournament. Gotta love such a football-mad city.

This weekend friends and I are heading to Amsterdam - no worries, I'll be at the airport 3 hours before the plane takes off this time. Espero que todos esteis buenos, os echo de menos y cuidados (Hope everyone's doing well, miss you all, and take care!)

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