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4 Sleeps Left

Sonal Gupta
July 19, 2016

English: It’s been quite the adventure here the past seven weeks, and the fact that I only have four more nights here is extremely bittersweet. There were points of homesickness this summer when I wished for this moment to come, but in the back of my head I always knew I wouldn’t want it by the time it happened, and I was right. I have to say, though, I truly feel like I’ve made the most of my time here. Until now, I haven’t felt like I was running out of time. It’s been eight weeks full of making new friends, working in a new environment, trying new foods, going new places, and making a new city my home. As cliché as it is, Barcelona will always be a part of me now and I have no regrets about coming here. The daily routine is something that back at home, I don’t always enjoy. But every Sunday night part of me was excited to go through the routine of the week – working during the day, roaming around after lunch, hanging out at the apartment or going out at night, and doing it all over again the next day. I have really come to appreciate the routine I’ve swung into here, and it’s one of the many things I’ll miss dearly. Seeing Sagrada Familia before hopping on the metro with my café con leche is another, and laughing with some of the fastest and closest friends I’ve made definitely makes the list. I want to take a second to share some of my goals that I made before I came here:

  • Be myself 100% of the time – don’t follow anyone else’s schedule, take time to be alone with my thoughts, be independent, etc.
  • Speak Spanish as much as possible
  • Work really hard and learn as much as possible from my internship
  • Become a sangria connoisseur
  • Keep a journal
  • Say yes to new things
  • Don’t dwell on the past; focus on the present

I can honestly say that I don’t think I’ve left any of those hopes empty this summer. I’ve felt the most independent that I ever have before and the most confident in myself. It’s been a luxury to have virtually nothing to stress about, but it has definitely made me appreciate the stresses in life when they do come. Here are some of the biggest things that I’ve learned here:

  • Exploring a new place by yourself, letting yourself stop to appreciate a cool building or piece of art or little boutique, and following no one else’s watch, is essential in life
  • If you speak confidently, no one will care if you mess up a verb tense
  • History is everywhere, it’s important to know what has happened where you are. But also know, you are living through history right now.
  • If you are learning something new or about yourself, you’re not wasting your time.
  • It’s okay to miss home, and the fact that I do means I’m lucky
  • Every single person has a hardship they’ve been through…getting to know them without knowing what that is is a really special experience
  • Following your own path is so much more important than molding into expectations and status quos – it’s cliché, but it’s so important to spend your time in a way that is fulfilling to you
  • Relationships with coworkers should always be a top priority
  • It’s never too early for a glass of sangria

Enough reflection for now…I still have four more days to complete my BCN Bucket List and I’ll report back soon!

 

Español: Mi tiempo en Barcelona ha sido una aventura muy especial, y es muy agridulce que solo tengo cuatros noches más de esta aventura. Había tiempos de añoranza en que quería este momento mucho, pero ahora no lo quiero. Pero estoy muy satisfecho con mi tiempo aquí y las memorias que creaba. Ha sido ocho semanas de hacerse nuevos amigos, trabajar en un nuevo ambiente, probar nuevas comidas, ir a nuevos lugares, y hacerse una nueva ciudad mi hogar. Barcelona siempre tendrá un parte de mi ahora, y ahora quiero reflejar en las metas que escribí antes de llegar aquí en mayo:

  • Ser tu propia persona todo el tiempo
  • Hablar en español en cada oportunidad que recibe
  • Trabajar duro y aprender mucho del internship
  • Hacerme un conocedora de sangría
  • Mantener un journal
  • Contestar “sí” a nuevas cosas
  • No obsesiona al pasado; enfoca en el presente

Creo que no voy a dejar ningún meta vacía. Me siento más independiente y tengo más confianza que todo mi vida. Aprecio los estresados en la vida, aprecio la rutina diaria que puede ser un poco aburrido a veces, y aprecio el tiempo mucho. Estos son las cosas que me daba cuenta durante mi tiempo en Barcelona:

  • Explorar por tu cuenta, parar para apreciar algo bello y no siguiendo el horario de alguien más es esencial en la vida
  • Si hablar con confianza, nadie le importa si uses un tenso de verbo incorrecto
  • La historia está en todos los lugares; es importante saber que ha pasado en el lugar en que estás. También, la historia ocurre cada día que vivimos.
  • Si estás aprendiendo algo nuevo o sobre ti mismo, no estás perdiendo el tiempo
  • Está bien si le extrañas tu hogar, si tú haces esto, indica que eres suerte.
  • Cada persona ha tenido tiempos difíciles en la vida…es una experiencia única si hacerse cerca sin sabiendo lo que es.
  • Siguiendo tu propia ruta es mucho más importante que siguiendo las expectativas de otras personas o la sociedad
  • Tus relaciones con tus compañeros del trabajo deben ser una prioridad siempre
  • Nunca está demasiado temprano para un vaso de sangría

Ahora es bastante de reflejas…todavía tengo cuatro días para completar mi “BCN Bucket List”!

Spanish Lesson #7: If you want to say "for now," you say "de momento" 

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Sonal Gupta

<p>Travel enthusiast, creative thinker, and lover of all people and food. I&#39;m a hard working business student, environmental supporter, and music lover looking to creative positive change for the world. Sharing my experiences through an 8-week journey in Barcelona, Spain through IES Abroad as I work for an innovative, socially impactful startup, take classes, learn the dialect, and immerse myself in the Spanish culture.</p>

Home University:
Ohio State University, The
Major:
Finance
Marketing
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