Kübra: Settling into life in Barcelona

It’s been a little over a week in Barcelona, and I think it’s fair to say that I’ve already fallen in love with this city. Not only is the city itself beautiful, but the people are also incredibly nice and welcoming.

On the day we arrived, we had a minor issue with our Airbnb—it had been booked in advance, but we already knew that, so we solved it by booking a hotel for the first night. The next day, when we finally arrived at our accommodation, we were absolutely starstruck by the breathtaking view from our balcony, which looks directly onto the world-famous Sagrada Família. I honestly couldn’t be happier about it. Late-night overthinking while admiring the view has kind of become a daily ritual.

Of course, Barcelona has much more to offer than just the Sagrada Família. We also passed by Casa Batlló while strolling along the beautiful, wide streets leading to Plaça de Catalunya. In the following days, we explored Parc de la Ciutadella, the Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral of Barcelona, and Barceloneta. Over the weekend, we planned a beach day trip to Blanes, located in Costa Brava, which has amazing beaches with crystal-clear water. On Sunday morning, we visited another of Gaudí’s masterpieces—Park Güell, of course.

Even though we’re doing a lot of sightseeing, the main reason for our stay is the internships we’re completing. I consider myself really lucky in this category as well. I work in CIEE Barcelona which allows high school or college students in the USA to study abroad in Barcelona. So far, my main task has been organizing events for these students and finding additional activities they can do outside of class. All of my colleagues are extremely friendly and talkative. They’re always happy to help whenever I have questions and often give me great tips on what to see and do in Barcelona.

All in all, my first week here has been exceptional, and all I can hope for is that this amazing experience continues until the end of my Erasmus+ program.