Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Follow Alyssa & Eric as they explore and reflect on the great city that is Barcelona (and beyond) during their time abroad.

About The Idea Behind Get Stuck In Barcelona...

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— @getstuckinbarca on Twitter.

Tagged eric:

My first appearance (wearing the Adidas boots) as a futbolista in Spain in the Barcelona Independent Football League. Despite a preference to play in the midfield, I started the match playing left back for the Black Sheep (Oveja Negra). My team was brilliantly diverse, in terms of age and nationality, and even language. There was a bit of a British influence and our coach was actually from the south of England despite most of the players being Catalan. We lost this match, but it was only an amistoso (friendly). So much talent, can’t wait for the next match.
Jan 24
My first appearance (wearing the Adidas boots) as a futbolista in Spain in the Barcelona Independent Football League. Despite a preference to play in the midfield, I started the match playing left back for the Black Sheep (Oveja Negra). My team was brilliantly diverse, in terms of age and nationality, and even language. There was a bit of a British influence and our coach was actually from the south of England despite most of the players being Catalan. We lost this match, but it was only an amistoso (friendly). So much talent, can’t wait for the next match.

Los niños de Barcelona no son como este. No es bueno, no es malo… pero los niños de Barça no dicen “connnnnnjjjjjjoooo” cuando su equipo marca un gol. Aunque este chico es impresionante.
Jan 18
Los niños de Barcelona no son como este. No es bueno, no es malo… pero los niños de Barça no dicen “connnnnnjjjjjjoooo” cuando su equipo marca un gol. Aunque este chico es impresionante.

Words cannot describe how wonderful our first Camp Nou experience was. 

Más que cualquier yo podríamos imaginado…
Jan 18

Tilt Shift Camp Nou
Jan 17
Tilt Shift Camp Nou

El Balcó del café / El balcón del café
Jan 17
El Balcó del café / El balcón del café

It didn’t take long to find the Barça store
Jan 16
It didn’t take long to find the Barça store

Alyssa met me at the airport at 9 am. What a legend!
Jan 16
Alyssa met me at the airport at 9 am. What a legend!

“Snack Time” at the BCN airport! Notice all the signs are firstly in Catalan then in Spanish and English.
Jan 16
“Snack Time” at the BCN airport! Notice all the signs are firstly in Catalan then in Spanish and English.

Walking towards customs there was a nicely isolated green area. In general, the Barcelona terminal was spotless.
Jan 16
Walking towards customs there was a nicely isolated green area. In general, the Barcelona terminal was spotless.

I made it! I did an overnight flight so needless to say I was ridiculously exhausted and needed a siesta when I finally met up with my flatmates at our apartment.
Jan 16
I made it! I did an overnight flight so needless to say I was ridiculously exhausted and needed a siesta when I finally met up with my flatmates at our apartment.

Preparation: What is the best way to learn Spanish?

With Christmas and then the New Year right around the corner, I find myself searching for ways to ensure that I am at least conversational by the time I touch down in Barcelona in a few weeks. In all honesty, Alyssa is at a more advanced level in the language than I am, but I hope to catch up while across the pond. Anyway, I came across Word Lens, an interesting iPhone App (featured above), which translates words right on the screen. It’s spectacularly helpful, there’s no question about that. But it doesn’t help you learn a language at all does it? I may very well drop $4.99 to have this as an emergency backup, but that’s all I would like it to be. It’s already far too tempting to latch on to Google Translate these days, and I feel the only way to truly learn a language is to make mistakes and not know, as exemplified in the video, whether or not you’re going to a nude beach.

So tell us, based on your experience, what is the purest way to learn a language? Memorization? Conversation? Simple Practice? A hybrid of all three?
Dec 21

Parte Uno: Preparation

Because we have not actually left for Spain yet there’s still time to prepare ourselves! Until January comes around (mid-January for me, a little earlier for Alyssa since her program at university starts two weeks before mine) all the posts on here will, in fact, not be from Catalunya. But that means we still have a few weeks to step out of our state of ignorance by doing research on what we need to know before hoping the plane towards BCN.

I’ll start with the map of the Barça Metro System. WE NEED TO LEARN THIS. Sure, it may look absurdly nonsensical, but you better believe that I’ll be zooming in and out of this link to master it. If anyone knows how to make sense of it, please tell us!
Dec 16
Parte Uno: Preparation Because we have not actually left for Spain yet there’s still time to prepare ourselves! Until January comes around (mid-January for me, a little earlier for Alyssa since her program at university starts two weeks before mine) all the posts on here will, in fact, not be from Catalunya. But that means we still have a few weeks to step out of our state of ignorance by doing research on what we need to know before hoping the plane towards BCN. I’ll start with the map of the Barça Metro System. WE NEED TO LEARN THIS. Sure, it may look absurdly nonsensical, but you better believe that I’ll be zooming in and out of this link to master it. If anyone knows how to make sense of it, please tell us!

In just a few weeks we will be departing to one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, Barcelona. We hope this will be one of the most exciting and meaningful journeys of our lives (so far). Though we will only be able to embrace the city for a little over 4 months, we want to make the most out of every moment we’re there.

We don’t want this to be your average blog from college students studying abroad. No, we want this to be interactive and we want your help in making our trip the best it can possibly be. In our posts we’ll share with you our latest discoveries and adventures, whether it is a catchy new Delafé y Las Flores Azules song, a trip to watch Xavi, Iniesta, little Lionel Messi and the rest of FC Barcelona play at the Camp Nou, or breathtaking photos of the city’s architectural landscape.

But we also sincerely hope to create a collaborative forum in which all of you can contribute your own personal experiences, suggestions, and advice about the hidden gems of the city. With your help, we will put together a sugerencias (suggestions) category from experienced travelers and knowledgeable Barcelona-natives. As shown on the sidebar, we invite you to contribute (via our simple ask/recommend page or our more in-depth submit page) to our actively expanding “must-do/must-see” to-do list - we’ll check everything off as we go!

We hope that through sharing and writing about our everyday reflections and new encounters in the “ciutat” (and even beyond in our trips to cities across Europe) we will, in the future, always be able to nostalgically look back and live vicariously through these memories.

And even though we know we will have to leave, we look forward to connecting with the people, the culture, and the art in the Catalan city. By the end of our experiences, we might even wish that we could be stuck in Barcelona forever.

Sincerely,

Eric and Alyssa
Dec 15
Dec 15

¡Benvingut! ¡Bienvenido! Welcome to Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Monday January 24th 2011 at 06:59pm. Its tags are listed below.

My first appearance (wearing the Adidas boots) as a futbolista in Spain in the Barcelona Independent Football League. Despite a preference to play in the midfield, I started the match playing left back for the Black Sheep (Oveja Negra). My team was brilliantly diverse, in terms of age and nationality, and even language. There was a bit of a British influence and our coach was actually from the south of England despite most of the players being Catalan. We lost this match, but it was only an amistoso (friendly). So much talent, can’t wait for the next match.
My first appearance (wearing the Adidas boots) as a futbolista in Spain in the Barcelona Independent Football League. Despite a preference to play in the midfield, I started the match playing left back for the Black Sheep (Oveja Negra). My team was brilliantly diverse, in terms of age and nationality, and even language. There was a bit of a British influence and our coach was actually from the south of England despite most of the players being Catalan. We lost this match, but it was only an amistoso (friendly). So much talent, can’t wait for the next match.

My first appearance (wearing the Adidas boots) as a futbolista in Spain in the Barcelona Independent Football League. Despite a preference to play in the midfield, I started the match playing left back for the Black Sheep (Oveja Negra). My team was brilliantly diverse, in terms of age and nationality, and even language. There was a bit of a British influence and our coach was actually from the south of England despite most of the players being Catalan. We lost this match, but it was only an amistoso (friendly). So much talent, can’t wait for the next match.

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Tuesday January 18th 2011 at 06:47am. Its tags are listed below.

Los niños de Barcelona no son como este. No es bueno, no es malo… pero los niños de Barça no dicen “connnnnnjjjjjjoooo” cuando su equipo marca un gol. Aunque este chico es impresionante.

Los niños de Barcelona no son como este. No es bueno, no es malo… pero los niños de Barça no dicen “connnnnnjjjjjjoooo” cuando su equipo marca un gol. Aunque este chico es impresionante.

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Tuesday January 18th 2011 at 01:25am. Its tags are listed below.

Words cannot describe how wonderful our first Camp Nou experience was. 

Más que cualquier yo podríamos imaginado…

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Monday January 17th 2011 at 03:46pm. Its tags are listed below.

Tilt Shift Camp Nou
Tilt Shift Camp Nou

Tilt Shift Camp Nou

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Monday January 17th 2011 at 02:38pm. Its tags are listed below.

El Balcó del café / El balcón del café
El Balcó del café / El balcón del café

El Balcó del café / El balcón del café

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Sunday January 16th 2011 at 03:07pm. Its tags are listed below.

It didn’t take long to find the Barça store
It didn’t take long to find the Barça store

It didn’t take long to find the Barça store

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Sunday January 16th 2011 at 11:18am. Its tags are listed below.

Alyssa met me at the airport at 9 am. What a legend!
Alyssa met me at the airport at 9 am. What a legend!

Alyssa met me at the airport at 9 am. What a legend!

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Sunday January 16th 2011 at 11:15am. Its tags are listed below.

“Snack Time” at the BCN airport! Notice all the signs are firstly in Catalan then in Spanish and English.
“Snack Time” at the BCN airport! Notice all the signs are firstly in Catalan then in Spanish and English.

“Snack Time” at the BCN airport! Notice all the signs are firstly in Catalan then in Spanish and English.

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Sunday January 16th 2011 at 11:11am. Its tags are listed below.

Walking towards customs there was a nicely isolated green area. In general, the Barcelona terminal was spotless.
Walking towards customs there was a nicely isolated green area. In general, the Barcelona terminal was spotless.

Walking towards customs there was a nicely isolated green area. In general, the Barcelona terminal was spotless.

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Sunday January 16th 2011 at 11:07am. Its tags are listed below.

I made it! I did an overnight flight so needless to say I was ridiculously exhausted and needed a siesta when I finally met up with my flatmates at our apartment.
I made it! I did an overnight flight so needless to say I was ridiculously exhausted and needed a siesta when I finally met up with my flatmates at our apartment.

I made it! I did an overnight flight so needless to say I was ridiculously exhausted and needed a siesta when I finally met up with my flatmates at our apartment.

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Tuesday December 21st 2010 at 12:36am. Its tags are listed below.

Preparation: What is the best way to learn Spanish?

With Christmas and then the New Year right around the corner, I find myself searching for ways to ensure that I am at least conversational by the time I touch down in Barcelona in a few weeks. In all honesty, Alyssa is at a more advanced level in the language than I am, but I hope to catch up while across the pond. Anyway, I came across Word Lens, an interesting iPhone App (featured above), which translates words right on the screen. It’s spectacularly helpful, there’s no question about that. But it doesn’t help you learn a language at all does it? I may very well drop $4.99 to have this as an emergency backup, but that’s all I would like it to be. It’s already far too tempting to latch on to Google Translate these days, and I feel the only way to truly learn a language is to make mistakes and not know, as exemplified in the video, whether or not you’re going to a nude beach.

So tell us, based on your experience, what is the purest way to learn a language? Memorization? Conversation? Simple Practice? A hybrid of all three?

Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Thursday December 16th 2010 at 06:14am. Its tags are listed below.

Parte Uno: Preparation Because we have not actually left for Spain yet there’s still time to prepare ourselves! Until January comes around (mid-January for me, a little earlier for Alyssa since her program at university starts two weeks before mine) all the posts on here will, in fact, not be from Catalunya. But that means we still have a few weeks to step out of our state of ignorance by doing research on what we need to know before hoping the plane towards BCN. I’ll start with the map of the Barça Metro System. WE NEED TO LEARN THIS. Sure, it may look absurdly nonsensical, but you better believe that I’ll be zooming in and out of this link to master it. If anyone knows how to make sense of it, please tell us!
Parte Uno: Preparation Because we have not actually left for Spain yet there’s still time to prepare ourselves! Until January comes around (mid-January for me, a little earlier for Alyssa since her program at university starts two weeks before mine) all the posts on here will, in fact, not be from Catalunya. But that means we still have a few weeks to step out of our state of ignorance by doing research on what we need to know before hoping the plane towards BCN. I’ll start with the map of the Barça Metro System. WE NEED TO LEARN THIS. Sure, it may look absurdly nonsensical, but you better believe that I’ll be zooming in and out of this link to master it. If anyone knows how to make sense of it, please tell us!

Parte Uno: Preparation

Because we have not actually left for Spain yet there’s still time to prepare ourselves! Until January comes around (mid-January for me, a little earlier for Alyssa since her program at university starts two weeks before mine) all the posts on here will, in fact, not be from Catalunya. But that means we still have a few weeks to step out of our state of ignorance by doing research on what we need to know before hoping the plane towards BCN.

I’ll start with the map of the Barça Metro System. WE NEED TO LEARN THIS. Sure, it may look absurdly nonsensical, but you better believe that I’ll be zooming in and out of this link to master it. If anyone knows how to make sense of it, please tell us!

¡Benvingut! ¡Bienvenido! Welcome to Get Stuck In Barcelona!

Posted on Wednesday December 15th 2010 at 08:02am. Its tags are listed below.

¡Benvingut! ¡Bienvenido! Welcome to Get Stuck In Barcelona!

In just a few weeks we will be departing to one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, Barcelona. We hope this will be one of the most exciting and meaningful journeys of our lives (so far). Though we will only be able to embrace the city for a little over 4 months, we want to make the most out of every moment we’re there.

We don’t want this to be your average blog from college students studying abroad. No, we want this to be interactive and we want your help in making our trip the best it can possibly be. In our posts we’ll share with you our latest discoveries and adventures, whether it is a catchy new Delafé y Las Flores Azules song, a trip to watch Xavi, Iniesta, little Lionel Messi and the rest of FC Barcelona play at the Camp Nou, or breathtaking photos of the city’s architectural landscape.

But we also sincerely hope to create a collaborative forum in which all of you can contribute your own personal experiences, suggestions, and advice about the hidden gems of the city. With your help, we will put together a sugerencias (suggestions) category from experienced travelers and knowledgeable Barcelona-natives. As shown on the sidebar, we invite you to contribute (via our simple ask/recommend page or our more in-depth submit page) to our actively expanding “must-do/must-see” to-do list - we’ll check everything off as we go!

We hope that through sharing and writing about our everyday reflections and new encounters in the “ciutat” (and even beyond in our trips to cities across Europe) we will, in the future, always be able to nostalgically look back and live vicariously through these memories.

And even though we know we will have to leave, we look forward to connecting with the people, the culture, and the art in the Catalan city. By the end of our experiences, we might even wish that we could be stuck in Barcelona forever.

Sincerely,

Eric and Alyssa

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