114: Days studying abroad in Barcelona
5: Classes taken (travel writing, photography, food culture, Spanish and Historia y Evolución de España y Europa)
1: Awesome Serbian journalist roommate
79: Age of my quirky host mother
4: European articles of clothing purchased (Mango sweater, LCF leather jacket, H&M scarf, H&M sweater)
3: Number of times someone tried to pickpocket me
0: Number of times someone pickpocketed me
10: Pounds gained
342: Metro/bus rides and getting to hear “L7 (in Catalan) – Plaça Catalunya”
2: Friends from home I met up with abroad
1: Movie extra experience
8: Times it was warm enough for my three pairs of shorts to get used
20: Euros put on my Spanish Vodafone all semester
75: Approximate number of times pan con tamate was consumed
76: Approximate number of glasses of cava I drank
2: Minimum number of weekly trips to La Boqueria
3: Language immersion epiphanies I had
13: Euros spent in total to have my coat held at a discoteca
1,659: New photos in my computer’s library
5: Average number of courses served during dinner
6: Beach days
6: Art museums visited in Barcelona alone
7: Methods of transportation used (bus, taxi, train, plane, cruise ship, funicular, walking)
7: Countries visited (Spain, England, Belgium, Italy, France/Monaco, Czech Republic)
17: Cities visited (Barcelona, Tarragona, Girona, Figueres, Sitges, Seville, Granada, Madrid, Rome, Florence, Genoa, Monte Carlo, Villefranche, London, Brussels, Brugge, Prague)
Too many times: I was approached by guys trying to sell me sewer beer – “Cerveza?! Beer?!”
Enough times: Money was spent solely on food
Not enough times: I sat outside on our terrace
100+: New friends from schools across the U.S. and travelers met from around the world
75,928: Words exchanged with my mom via Facebook messages
1349285093471103927498347109234109234981257912340912384928: Memories made
∞: Amount of love I have for this city’s culture, food, architecture, people and lifestyle
2: Drinks from La Fuente de Canaletas (My first week and last day – I will return)
1: Chica who wants to go back
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Marisa Ross
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<div><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">Marisa is a sophomore at the University of Florida, majoring in journalism and minoring in Spanish. She is an active writer and photographer for her school newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, and a varsity rower on the UF crew team. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, volleyball, cooking, shopping and hanging out with friends. Traveling is Marisa’s biggest passion, and she has wanted to study abroad in Barcelona for some time now. She is most excited to master fluency in the language, immerse herself in the culture, sample exotic cuisines, and explore cities throughout Europe with new and old friends.</span></div>
