Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Barcelona-bound blues?

As I sit in the kitchen of my little Boston pad, I anticipate the major travels I am about to pursue. As excited as I am to be involved in such an exhilarating experience, I can't help but feel apprehensive. New language? New culture? New means of living? When have I ever experienced more than a week of vacation in a foreign country? I am going to be living it now-and living it is exciting and difficult at the same time. For so long I have completely and utterly looked forward to everything that is AIFS in Barcelona, but a small part of me is starting to realize that I need to increase my mental preparation.

Although I am extremely excited to immerse myself in the lively culture of Barcelona, I have begun to focus on all of the safety precautions that I must adhere to. I attended a four hour pre-departure meeting at my school and could not help but express to my parents that I thought the orientation was not imperative for my trip preparation. I was confident that I could figure it all out for myself. In retrospect, many of the points made at that session made me cognizant of the precautions which should be taken. As exciting as this experience will be, I had not considered certain situations which could be dangerous . For example, it has been drilled in my head that pick- pocketing is a major issue (as would be the case in many other major cities.) Clearly American in appearnce, I will already be considered an easy target for criminals who are seeking valuables from unsuspecting tourists. Hearing repeatedly that this could be a major problem, I will continue to use precaution in order to avoid these situations. I also plan to share my knowledge with others, especially those who are traveling with me.

School is another factor that has caused me a similar amount of apprehension. Having had a rigorous schedule this past spring, I looked forward to having a significant amount of time away from the mounds of work. I have recently learned that I will be in class approximately six hours a day in Barcelona. Although I realize that school is a significant part of my travel to Barcelona, I sometimes worry that I will not be able to prepare myself this soon following the end of last semester. On the other hand, having been in work mode for such an extended period of time might make it easier to manage my studies as well as my travel experience. I have become a bona fide expert at balancing my time after this spring semester and I hope that this experience will help with my summer abroad at a foreign University and city.

Other than safety and educational issues, I am somewhat nervous to leave my friends, and especially my family members. When my grandfather passed away two weeks ago, I have felt the need to grasp onto the people close to me. Such a devastating occurrence has helped to bring my family even closer. Living in a foreign country for six weeks may make for a more difficult experience at this point in time. Although my home right now is Boston rather than my hometown in Connecticut, I know that I am able to take a train or bus to see my family anytime I feel the need. I fear that being so far away might make me regret that I cannot be there for my mother, grandmother and all my other family members during this difficult time. I also realize, however, that all of my loved ones, especially my grandfather, would never want me to stop living and would never want me to give up such an amazing opportunity to experience a different culture. They are as excited for this trip as I am.

The first few weeks of summer have started out hectically and emotionally, and I have certainly had my share of stress, but I cannot wait to fly off into the wonderful city of Barcelona. I have yet to begin the physical preparation but day-by-day my mental preparation continues to grow which, to me is a huge relief

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