Notes from my past six days in Barcelona, Spain

I have been in Barcelona, Spain, for approximately six days, and I am already dreading my departure on December 18th, 2026. Besides the scorching heat, getting lost on the metro and then taking a taxi to my homestay, and dropping my computer in my bedroom—my screen now has a Black vertical line and rainbow glitches at the bottom. I adore this place.

During the first four days, I endured staggering jet lag, and because I do not drink coffee, I worried about my adjustment to the new time zone.  As of Friday, September 4th, 2026, I adjusted and did it naturally without the caffeine. In a Los Angeles Times article, Horace Sutton stated, “you can count on contracting Jet Lag, a debility not unakin to a hangover. Jet Lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast they leave your body rhythms behind.”

Speaking of leaving my body rhythms behind, in May of this year, I left Georgia for Baltimore for the summer break, and this month I left Baltimore for Barcelona, Spain, for my fall semester of junior year. Every state and country carries a particular energy, and depending on where I am, this can profoundly impact how I show up and perceive my own rhythms. So far, the rhythm that Barcelona has shaped in me has been “the unknown serves as a period of growth and launching pad for exploration and self-discovery.” Needless to say, this era will be a gorgeous one.

I intentionally curated an academic schedule that would launch me into an artistic and storytelling lane. This intellectual and creative rigor, paired with navigating the city, meeting new people, and exploring new spaces, will be splendid.

Some of the highlights from my first week have been meeting my roommate and homestay family. My roommate and I have talked about family dynamics, racial dynamics, politics, and personal interests. We have our similarities and differences. I wonder how both might guide our understanding of each other and serve as a reflection. I always want to know what an individual is teaching me. Where I tighten, I need to release. Where I lean in, I need to explore. My roommate described me as a “compulsive creative,” in Joni Mitchell’s words. My roommate is right. I have "aha" moments, I’m obsessed with symbols, I look at things and want to draw them, remember them, hold them with me long after they are gone. The future also lives in my head, and I must demand myself to be in the present; otherwise, I lose track of what I am learning at the moment. My mind can be an escalator, always in motion.

As for my homestay family, there 'smy homestay mom, her husband, and her son. Anna, my homestay mom, is the main person that I see. We talk during breakfast and dinner and during the in-between moments. Yesterday, at dinner, I asked her if she could show me photos of her younger self. At first, she hesitated, but eventually she showed photos. I am grateful to her for sharing those photos, since I am a stranger. Photos are precious gems. I saw a baby picture, a teenage photo, and photos from when she got married to her husband. In every photo, I saw different phases of her, and I was curious about how they made her the woman she is today.

She does not speak English, so I have no choice but to speak Spanish. Before coming on the trip, I was worried that I would not know enough. I am going into my third year of college, and I did not take any Spanish classes during my second year. Despite all of this, it is worth underscoring that my Spanish foundation stretches over a lifetime.  I studied Spanish from 6th to 12th grade, and given my cultural background, with my mother’s Puerto Rican heritage, the Spanish language has always been the backdrop of my life. I also took two semesters of spanish during my first year at Spelman. Knowing this and receiving the affirmation from my homestay mom that my Spanish is great and I will be perfect in two months, I now have the confidence to continue speaking Spanish.

Despite my optimism about the language, I was frustrated as learning can take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you. This week, I asked a man at the metro station for directions to the IES Abroad Barcelona Center and followed his advice. Then something didn’t feel right, so I asked another woman, and it turned out I was in the wrong place and had to navigate to the proper location. After this, I was supported by another local on how to get to the center, and we had a wholesome dialogue. I learned from this experience that learning requires risk and trust. I could’ve sat there when that man gave me the improper directions, but I took a risk and asked for help. After his misguidance, which I know was not malicious, I persisted and found what I was looking for.

Lastly, when we settled in for the overnight trip to Tarragona, some friends and I walked nearly 25-minutes to the beach. As aforementioned, the scorching heat was a bummer for me, and paired with the smelly streets during our voyage, was quite irksome. At last, we made it to the beach. I really enjoyed swimming in the ocean with them. I am most free in the water. The water is vast and beautiful to look at, and it has components buried, and if you look long enough, you’ll discover more.

For now, my first day of junior year is tomorrow. I am nervous. I am prepared. I am ready to walk into this new era of Denim. I have high expectations and goals, and there are many things I need to see and be immersed in. There will be many happenings that contribute to my evolution. I envision myself as a perpetual student, remembering and returning to what she was meant to do all along—create, inspire, and awaken.