The Futbol Game

This story happened this past Friday. Mike and I and several other API people signed up for a closed-court futbol game. I get excited as this is the first time in ten years that I have played soccer, so I have high expectations for how bad I'm gonna be.

Anyways, I stick to defense because I can't control the ball very well, but after 10 minutes I realize how badly out of shape I am when the asthma kicks in and I start drawing everyone's attention by how loudly I am gasping for air. It gets so bad the directors call a half-time break and I convince Mike to trade positions so I can be goalie (portero en espanol). I actually do pretty well, except for attempts made far to one side and low. I actually pulled a muscle in my hip or something trying to stop all the goals. Anyways, we lost 6-1, but our team had more heart.

The rest of this week I have walked around like a gimp and have jokingly referred to myself as un viejo (old man). My legs, back, and sides were excruciatingly sore from all those hours of watching TV and sitting on Katie's couches. Anyhow, I made a resolution before I came to get back in shape, so far so good eh?

Anyways, I hope to play more futbol at least weekly, pero a ver, no? (but we'll see, yeah?) That's it for this post. Sorry there are no pics or vids, but I didn't think it a very good idea to bring a camera. Maybe we'll see some live action shots of my awesome goalie skills in action later. Anyways, hasta luego!

Barca Game

Here's a picture of Camp Nou


So the other Thursday, Mike and I get tickets through Marina's boyfriend (Chavi) to the Barca game. Basically we saved about 20 Euros, so having a connection like Chavi (who used to play for Barca until he got injured) is pretty sweet. I asked the family whether or not I could buy a Barca jersey, but they shook their heads and told me I would have to pay an arm and a leg at one of the merchandise booths. I might pick one up later, but maybe getting that Spanish guitar is a little more important...

Anyways, we take a bus to the stadium (called Camp Nau) and when we get off we start to ask someone where we're going, until we notice the massive migration of people. This is no UGA game, more like a GA-FLA game, with thousands of people (mostly Barca fans) flocking in by the second. So we get in and find out that our seats are right next to the Espanyol fans, and the rivalry between these two teams is so intense that riot police line this netted off section for the Espanyol fans. I find out why, because the entire game, even when they are down 3-0, they are shouting invective after invective about Barca. Their jeers arent even that good, they just sing a few songs with some or all of the following words about Barca: putamadre, mierda, joder, and maricon (motherfucker, shit, fuck, and faggot). None of the songs have anything especially thoughful or insightful or clever, their just cursewords. And you thought the GA-FLA game was bad.

Anyways, Espanyol (which isnt even that great of a team) comes back and makes the game 3-2, but Barca ends up winning and maintains its lead in the league as number one (GO BARCA!!!). I didn't actually watch the end because I went to meet up with a girl I had met, but thats another story in itself. Anyways, here are some photos and videos.



Here's me and Mike at the game

Orientation

I meant to write this last night, but got writer's block. I was telling my roomate Micheal about it and he said that I needed to stop worrying so much over details and get to the point already. I guess this also means include interesting stories along the way, so I'll try my best.

Orientation lasted two days. I arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday the 21 around noontime here. I was a bit exhausted, having to run around three different aiports and having not slept much on any of the flights, and being in a differnet hemisphere will do that to you. Anyways, one by one, we API students met up with eachother and made introductions. About an hour later the two directors came to pick us up from the airport and we were on our way to our hotel, the Hotel Granvia.

Having unpacked everything, a few of us decided to go out and walk around until meeting time. We did a little sight-seeing and tried to go into a bar called Obama (I kid you not) but it was closed. Instead we went elsewhere and had a pint a piece of Spain's most common beer "Estrella." At first I was a bit tentative about the entire API thing, since everyone but me was a girl. However, at the introductory meeting that night I finally met the rest of the guys and my current roomate Micheal, who is from UF but I'll forgive him anyways.

Actually, Micheal and I get along pretty well, both of us being kinda nerdy but also sharing the same interests in music and travel. Anyways, he mentioned that Barcelona and Espanol (futbol teams), were going to square off that night, so we asked around and found a sports bar to watch the game. Apparently, Barcelona has a rivalry like the GA-FLA rivalry. The rivalry between Barcelona is so intense, that if the game is held in Madrid (Team Real Madrid) and you are from Barcelona, you do not go to that game: your health and life are at stake for doing that (its the same the other way around). The main reason for this goes back to Franco's dictatorship: Franco was a huge Real Madrid fan, so Barcelona was never able to really win, or else risk their lives. Sports are crazy over here.

The next day we all went out to learn all about Barcleona in two tours: El Raval and Barri Gotic. We went to Barri Gotic first, and unfortunately I didnt take any pictures, but we saw many shops and a Gothic Church. El Raval was more intereting for me anyways, but we all had to especially watch out for pickpockets. El Raval is probably the most likely place for you to get pickpocketed, besides the metro, where within ten minutes, two pickpockets tried to rob us. Apparently, you are a prime target for pickpockets if you are a tourist so avoid or be aware of the following: If you are in a big group (like our tourgroup); If you are a tourist (speak Spanish, not English); If you are wasted (then you'll probably really stand out).

Anyways, I have some pictures of El Raval and Las Ramblas, this big walkway that divides the two neighborhoods of El Raval and Barri Gotic. But you'll have to see them next time because I am so hungry. I think I am finally over my jetlag, but that's probably because I slept until noon. Anyways, gotta go and shop for slippers (I'll explain that later).