OK, with that out of the way, the big news of the month is that I have found a flat and no longer have to live in youth hostels! (big round of applause here) I actually enjoyed staying in hostels and meeting new people from all over the world. During the 2 weeks I spent in the hostel, I shared a room (4 beds) with 2 guys from England, 3 girls from Belgium, 1 guy from Taiwan, 1 guy from New Zealand, 1 guy from Australia, 1 girl from Italy, 1 girl from Romania, 1 girl from Sweden, 1 guy from Hong Kong, 2 girls from Korea, 1 girl and 2 guys from Ireland, and I even think there was 1 partridge from a pear tree somewhere outside Argentina. I spent most of my time with Michele and Anna (my 2 Canadian chickies) and our “gang” staying at my hostel. We went out just about every night and we even played soccer a few times during the day after everyone eventually woke up (I’d never played before and I was sooo bad (especially next to the guys from Brazil and Spain)). The down side to the hostel was that it was getting pretty expensive. $1 US = 140 pesetas (this is something that I have to constantly keep in mind (thank goodness I’m a math major!)). One night in the hostel that I was staying in cost 1.600 pesetas which isn’t too bad considering I’m from New York. But staying in a hostel also meant that I had to eat out for all my meals which ranged from coffee and a pastry for breakfast (250 pesetas) to a cheap but nice dinner (1.000 pts). Having a refrigerator makes everything cheaper (but it’s so hard to find peanut butter here!). And then, of course, there was the obligatory hostel partying… And get this: not only do I have a flat to call my own; I also got a mobile phone (which I never thought I’d get). I remember thinking that it was completely unnecessary and I’d never need one (right Jovan?). But like the microwave and the computer, I can’t imagine not having one now. The reason I decided to give in was that, staying in a hostel, I had no way of having people call me while I was looking for a flat or a job (and this is essential). I don’t think I could have found a place to live without it. Plus, most of my friends that I’ve met here have one and it’s a great way to keep in touch and make plans at the last minute. Now you can finally send any of those house-warming gifts you have just lying around (like American peanut butter) or you can call me and increase your phone bill three fold! Be the first to have a letter arrive in my mailbox and receive a free Barcelona T-shirt upon my arrival in the States! (one size fits all)
Oct
10
1998
10
1998
