I’m extremely glad to be back home in the States. I’m ready to go visit H-SC and see my friends, I’m ready to see my family and be in my own bed. I am going to miss Barcelona like crazy, though. There are many special qualities of that place that are giving me excuses to go back in the future.

What I found that I loved from Barcelona and Europe was the quality of the things there. The food was fresh – you can buy a fresh baguette for 35 cents and have a great, cheap sandwich for 2 days. It’s really easy to keep a very healthy and well-balanced lifestyle there. Breakfasts usually consist of granola or fruit and lunch and dinners are usually light and healthy. Although I am looking forward to digging into some Fishin’ Pig BBQ when I visit H-SC.

Probably my all-time favorite part of the city is that it’s close to both the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and a quaint mountain range. I could go hike up to the top of Parc Güell and then go bring a cooler of beer to the beach all in the same day. Theres usually 2-3 F.C. Barcelona soccer games on every week, so it’s always fun to go to a bar to watch the game or go see it in person.

If you’re looking for a more relaxed day, there are plenty of cafes and parks to grab a coffee or sit out and people watch. If you’re lucky, you might just meet someone famous, like the President of F.C. Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, who frequents the corner café on my street.

I’m really going to miss the feeling of always having something to do. One of the major differences of being home and abroad is the feeling to make the most of every day. In Barcelona, I was almost pressured to go see something or do something fun or different since I knew I only had a limited time there. I hope I am able to keep that sense as I am back home. I really feel that I have taken a lot for granted back home and at school. This summer and next year I hope to take advantage of everything in the States.