Schroder Week One Barcelona Update
Well we made it through the first week. To my great surprise, the first week was borderline hell. The jet lag, the 9 hour time change, the last week of summer with 4 kids fighting in a small apartment, the isolation of the language barrier, the muggy heat, the pukey sewer smells and nasty body odor on the streets, the housework without American conveniences (micro mini washing machine and no dryer, no Clorox wipes, no Maria), McDonalds being our only meal out, the traffic and noise of city living….all of these things were not part of my “Spanish dream”.
Where are you Barcelona? I have thought many times this week. Where is the family bonding, the laughter, the freedom from the daily grind, the amazing architecture, the gorgeous Mediterranean sea, why don’t I already have a Spanish accent, where is the Spanish love?
With the first week behind us, it can only go up from here. The girls started school yesterday and their
school is great. A potpourri of culture and some English speaking people to help us navigate better.
The boys got bikes yesterday so they have a little bit of freedom to go out and get their energy out. We are figuring out the part of town that will better to live in and closer to school. Ricky and I start Spanish classes next week. This weekend we are taking a road trip to San Sebastian in the Basque country so the boys can catch some big waves and we can enjoy the countryside for a few days.
Quotes from this week….
Holden
“This trip I am suppose to bond with my family, and all I want to do is get as far away from my family as possible.”
“I wish America would adopt topless beaches”
Luke
“Cambrie, you are driving me crazy, I literally want to shoot myself”
“You could look at real estate blindfolded….oh this elevator smells like BO, forget this place.”
Cambrie
“ If there are no cute boys at my school, this year is going to be horrible”
“ Just look for the p…. building and then you know where our apartment is.”
Faith
“This is nothing what I thought Barcelona would be like, it reminds me of Romania, which I didn’t like.”
“I miss my baby bunnies, why did we come here again?”
Ricky
“I have gone to mall more times in Barcelona this week, than I have been in the past 10 years”
“Everyone just be quiet and leave me alone, I have work to do.”
Andrea
“Oh look there is Sagrada Familila , can we please stop for a second?”
…the rest of the family loudly says…..”NO!!”
“Ricky, I don’t really think I thought this trip through.”
SOME DIFFERENCES I NOTICED THIS WEEK
1. Milk is sold unrefrigerated in boxes on the shelves.
2. Arabian gypsy pants to Spaniards are like jeans to Americans
3. There is no used car market in Spain
4. Beaches are 50% topless (will this be the same mix at ward beach parties)
5. All Clothes are hung to dry
6. Solar power an almost every roof
7. Vespas and motorbikes are more common than cars
8. Peanut butter, and tortillas are specialty items and hard to find.
9. People walk out of the supermarket with whole cured pig legs in their baskets.
10. Fresh baguettes are a daily purchase.
New Spanish Word…Valle which means ok
So that is the update from this past week…maybe should do blog format, not sure, but anyway, love and miss you all. Until next week….
Oxox Andrea
