time with andrew

my eldest brother cam to stay for the weekend which was amazing! we had so much fun hanging out and seeing the city. a few days after leaving he sent me an email with these attached. its a really nice memory of the weekend but also has made my blog a bit quicker.

making the most of every minute...

Before Christmas we were so rushed and overloaded with work I forgot to just stop and enjoy the fact that I was in another country and studying at a completely different uni. The work seemed to take over and I don’t think I was always getting as much out of my time as I really could and so now the work load has eased off and we have completed a lot of our big projects it has allowed us to sit back and enjoy it all again. Going into uni seems more of a pleasure than a chore and we have had more of a chance to talk to and get to know our fellow course mates. It has been really great spending the time with all of them and getting to know them but its just a shame that the minute you start to feel like you have really got to know and like people its time to leave. We have made a lot of good friends and contacts for the future and it’s a benefit that you know you have friends and a place to stay in a lot of places around the world. For someone who loves to travel this is a massive bonus!

time with my best friend

I got a nice surprise a few days after returning. My best friend Emily from home sent me a message to tell me that she had booked flights and would be there 5 days later. I had been wanting her to come but with time running out I wasn’t sure if she would make it so I was so excited when I knew she would be here for a few days. She had never been to Barcelona and so it was really amazing to be able to walk her round and show here everything and everywhere I loved about the city. We crammed in as much as we could in the short time she was here and really made the most of it. I really enjoyed it as it made me get up and do a lot of things and really make the most of my weekends which was good as I am running out of time.

christmas time

The weeks leading up until Christmas seemed to drag on forever! Although I was having an amazing time and enjoying every minute, I was definitely ready to go home and see my family and have homecooked food and a comfortable bed. We tried to make the most of the few weeks we had before leaving but Christmas in Barcelona just dint feel the same. For a start it was warm and they just don’t seem to go all out in the same way we do in the uk. We managed to find mulled wine in a small Christmas market which definitely helped us to get more in the mood. In a way it was quite refreshing as I feel they capture much more the real meaning of Christmas as a time for family, rather than then commercial event it seems to be at home. It was interesting to see how Christmas is celebrated in another culture as they have different dates throughout December which are of importance and unlike England the religious side of Christmas is still the most important part which is something we have definitely lost.

my yummy mulled wine

The flight home could not have taken any longer. I felt like I would never get there but when I touched down at London Heathrow and walked through the arrivals gate and saw my mum and dad standing waiting for me I couldn’t have been more happy to be home. Christmas for me is a time for family and so it had finally started! It was a crazy few days before Christmas trying to cram in seeing everyone and catching up and trying to enjoy as many mince pies and mulled wine as I could! Definitely been missing out on that! And then once Christmas was over and done with I headed straight to Austria with the whole of my mums side of the family so ski and celebrate the new year together. Was an amazing week with perfect snow and a nice opportunity for us to all get together and enjoy each others company. The week quickly few by and I was back in London to enjoy my last few days before returning to Barcelona. Although I wasn’t really home for long, it was nice to enjoy the comforts it brings and to spent time with the people I love. But I was surprisingly excited to head back to Barcelona. In a way it felt weird being away for so long and part of me felt like I was heading home when I got back. Im sad I only have a few short weeks back here but im going to enjoy every minute and make the most of this amazing experience.

most perfect welcome home

my idea of skiing!