"Quiero Practicar el Español, Por Favor"

Here's a short video I shot on my run this afternoon of the view from the top of Montjuic. It's pretty shaky, but you can get a sense how high the mountain is.

Also on my run this afternoon, a group of Chinese tourists flagged me down and asked -- in English -- if I knew where the nearest metro stop was. They didn't even try Spanish with me. I must give off some kind of American smell or something, because almost everywhere, especially restaurants, people just start talking to me in English!

We addressed this in my conversation class this morning. The professor said that for the most part, people in Barcelona love to practice their English. She said that we should tell them "quiero practical el español, por favor" (I want to practice Spanish, please) because we're in Spain to learn Spanish, after all. 

Conversation class is definitely my favorite class because A) it's always good to be speaking Spanish, and the more practice the more comfortable I get, and B) the topics we discuss are helpful for understanding Catalunian culture and other practical information. Today we talked about public transportation in Barcelona. For homework tonight, we have to read an article about el Día de Sant Jordi -- a special holiday in Catalunia, similar to Valentine's day, that's coming up on Monday. Tomorrow in conversation class, we will discuss what to expect on Monday and why the holiday is so special to Catalunia.

Bonus! Here are a few things (the list could go on and on) that I like about Barcelona:

1. When my host mom talks to me, she refers to me as "guapa" or beautiful. Everyone enjoys a daily self-esteem boost. The woman who works in the cafeteria at the Universidad calls me guapa as well, and every day she complements my Spanish.

2. All the fresh fruit! After every meal, my host mom cuts up a pear, an apple, strawberries and bananas, an orange, or kiwi for me. And tonight, we had watermelon!

3. Walking everywhere. On nice days, like most are in Barcelona, walking is very refreshing and a great way to see the city. Most of the main attractions are within walking distance of my house. Today, Mary, Sam, and I (affectionately known as "Team Rocafort," which is the street where we all live) walked home along a different street than usually. It's always fun to see some different restaurants and shops. We passed a marvelous old church on our way home.