Hola!  This past weekend I had an absolutely amazing time visiting Barcelona!  Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to go to Barcelona (I blame it on the Cheetah Girls movie).  I’m so glad I was finally able to make my dream a reality!  I’ve said it before, but it never ceases to amaze me how within a little over two hours, I can be in a new country with a completely different culture and lifestyle.  This beautiful, colorful city is filled with so much life and history.  From exploring La Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo, two of Gaudi’s masterpieces, to relaxing on the beach, we were able to experience all that Barcelona has to offer.  After experiencing the laid-back culture of Spain, I definitely was not ready to return to work in Berlin where the lifestyle pace is much faster.  I think I could get used to the slower pace of Spain, especially afternoon ciestas.

Even though I had a great weekend in Barcelona, there was a point where I was worried that I would not be able to go.  On Thursday of last week I found myself sitting in the waiting room of a German hospital, waiting nearly four hours to be seen.  I never imagined that I would have to go to the hospital during my time in Germany and having to do so definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone.  Prone to getting severe migraine attacks, I unfortunately had one of my episodes while returning home from work Wednesday night and was instructed by a medical professional to go to the emergency room the next day.  Long story short, everything ended up being okay, but navigating the German health care system, especially when the people in the hospital barely spoke English, was definitely an interesting experience, one that I did not think I was going to have.  Living and working in another country for an extended period of time is so different than simply visiting for a family vacation.  It exposes you to so many different situations and pushes you far outside of your comfort zone. However, I am definitely thankful for all of the experiences that I am having here as they are forcing me to grow and mature as a person.  We are truly experiencing what it’s like to live in the real world where people aren’t going to hold your hand every step of the way.

I honestly cannot believe that there are only about 3.5 weeks of our program left!  Time has really gone by so quickly.  This upcoming weekend will be my last trip out of Germany.  Friday morning, I’ll be leaving for Switzerland!  I absolutely cannot wait to experience the beauty of the Swiss Alps first-hand.  Check back for pictures and updates in my next blog!

Bis Später!

Lindsey