For the past two years, I have been studying communications and criminal justice, hoping one day I would eventually have a job in homeland security. For years, I thought I had wanted work within that field. I have thought of many other careers as well, such as things like biologist and neonatal nurse. However, I never would have thought I might want to become an English teacher–in a different country.

When I first saw there was a communications trip to Barcelona, Spain, I applied not thinking much of it. I just thought things like “well, I could go, but it wouldn’t be a big deal to not.” I originally only had the thought lingering, and was not for sure about my decision. Eventually, I decided I wanted to fully commit and go, and I am so happy and thankful I did.

I remember getting to the airport and seeing everyone together for the first time, the group immediately clicked. I knew at this moment that this was going to be a wonderful trip. However, I did not realize that the whole career path I have been working towards would change.

When we had our first tour, with Patrick Reyes, he noted how he decided to move to Barcelona for a year to see how he liked it, but never really came back home. He also talked about how he became an English teacher in Barcelona, and that was kind of the start of his new life in Barcelona. When I heard him say that, I thought about it for a second and thought that would be cool and interesting. However, I did not think that I would have enjoyed the thought of it as much as I did.

The rest of the trip, I thought about becoming an English teacher for children in Barcelona. Everywhere I looked, I could see myself living, eating or shopping there everyday. I became more and more comfortable with the city, and began seeing myself there even more. We even walked by an English school for kids, and all I could imagine was myself working there someday.

As soon as I got on the plane to come home, I emailed my advisor. I asked her about adding a Spanish minor to my degree. I hope to become fluent in Spanish by minoring in it. I also want to move to Barcelona after graduating to help me learn even more. If I am familiar with a lot of the language, being around other people who only speak Spanish would help me become more fluent.

Barcelona brought me many, many things. It not only brought me friendships that will last a lifetime, but it also showed me what I really want to do in life. I will always be thankful for what this trip has brought me, and I will definitely be back in Barcelona one day.

-Calista

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Based on an impulsive decision, Trevor, Emily, Jaheim, Kinslee, Oliver, and I took a trip to Tibidabo. We started the day with a Lomography workshop while walking around the city and taking photos. When the workshop was over, we planned on grabbing some lunch and going back to the Beyoo for the rest of the day. However, when we got to the Beyoo, we decided that we did not want to end the day yet. We decided to hop on the Metro and take a trip to Tibidabo to end the day.

We took a Metro ride for about an hour, then we got on a train, followed by a tram, and finally a bus. It was a long process to get there, but it was worth it. Tibidabo is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola. The mountain goes as high as 512 meters, showing a beautiful view for visitors.

During our time in Tibidabo, we rode a ferris wheel, went to gift shops, got snacks, and explored the whole area. My favorite thing we explored was called, “The Church of the Sacred Heart on Mount Tibidabo.” This is also commonly known as “Basílica del Sagrado Corazón Tibidabo.” It is a Roman Catholic church, that is open to visitors. In the church, visitors can look around at the architecture and art. But, they can also go all the way to the top of the church. Once at the top, visitors are able to see the whole city of Barcelona. It is an incredible, must-see view.

Walking through and up the church was my favorite part of this adventure. The inside of the church was lit with candles, with many statues and stained glass. One specific thing I remember inside of the church was a statue of Jesus hanging on the cross. There were candles, dim lights and murals around it, and beautiful stained glass above. The outside of the church looked like a castle. It had huge windows and statues, as well. There were many, many stairs to walk up to see the view. But once we got up there, we did not want to come back down. We were in awe of the view we were getting to see. We were able to see the whole city, even the ocean. Personally, it was one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.

As we walked back down the church and waited on the bus to go back to the Beyoo, we could not stop talking about what we had just saw. Honestly, we did not want to leave. We even lost Trevor because he could not stop looking at the view. On the way back down the mountain, we were looking out the window the whole time, just trying to see it for as long as we could.

Going to Mount Tibidabo and walking through the church was one of the best things I have ever experienced. It was beautiful and we all could agree we did not want to leave. If you ever get the chance to go to Tibidabo, do not pass it up, it is a wonderful place to see and experience.

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