Oh Bar-lo (Barcelona)...do better!

The trip from hell. What started as part 2 of my birthday month ended up being the worst weekend of my life. I was so excited to arrive in Barcelona that I forgot my common sense. Morgyn and I finally had found a hostel and we were taking the metro their. It was our first time sleeping in a hostel and backpacking through Europe. In the metro station it was obvious we were tourists as we hold the map up to our face and talk in English. Then a man came up to us and said we looked lost do you guys need help (first sign of a robber). Nieves, we said yes. We were just trying to get to the next station but it seemed as if he was leading us all over the metro stop (sign Num. 2). We thought since he was a native that he knew he's way around. Then I noticed a young man following me (sign Num. 3). For some reason he kept saying Morgyn go first then would walk between us separating us. (sign Num. 4) then we noticed that the stop we were looking for was the other way so we questioned him about it but he insisted it was this way and we were almost there. So we followed and he lead us up another escalator where him and his partner finally succeeded. At the top I noticed a strange guy was literally right behind me. At the top of the escalator he said this was the metro and it was obviously the wrong one and he started walking away fast. (sign Num. 5) Puzzled for a second, I decided to check my bag and noticed my wallet n passport was gone. He got me on the escalator! I figured it out quickly and told Morgyn to hold my stuff while I chased him. When he saw me he started running n I yelled stop finally I caught him and confronted him. I nearly attacked him and almost stole his phone and wallet. Although I publicly cursed him out the people around just seemed to stare. One guy decided to push the emergency button in the metro. Then all of sudden the thief dashed out and this time I could not keep up. If only I had running shoes instead of sandals....looking back I guess confronting him was very dangerous. He could have had a gun, knife, or gotten physical. But by confronting I was able to get a real good luck at him and the clothes he wore. (On a side note, I need to start running again. I used to be a track star and I couldn't catch him. He was just too fast. A guy even jumped out his car and tried to chase him because he saw me chasing him but couldn't keep up either.) Then I realized I left Morgyn so I went back to the station and looked for her but she wasn't there. I called the police hoping they would come and save me but they made me walk two blocks to the nearest police station. By the time I got there, I was in tears. In situations like this it's easy to blame yourself. I was so mad at myself I knew something smelled fishy but yet I ignored it because I'm too nice. At the station it was approaching 8 and the translator said he gets off duty at 8 and wants to go home. I was extremely pissed and I just wanted to go home to the States. I knew the police in the States might have made me feel more safe and like they care for me. Then I immediately called my friend Pol who lives in Barcelona to help me. I couldn't get in touch with Morgyn because she locked herself out of her phone and could not access it without the right pin. Pol said he would be here soon and could translate. I didn't know where to go, I couldn't contact my parents in the States, I had no money, I didn't know the name of the hostel of where we were staying, and I was having difficulties translating what happened to me to the cops; this was the ultimate feeling of being alone and helpless especially in another country that does not speak your native language. I immediately broke down and began to cry. These Swedish girls came to comfort me. They were in the same situation. One of the girls had her purse stolen with everything in it including her passport, wallet, phone, etc. But yet she wasn't crying. She was fine because her friends had money and she wasn't alone. She let me use her phone to call my parents in the States. When I finally reached them I told them what happened and in situations of turmoil and tears my parents can attack sometimes and say you should have known better. This was the absolute last thing I ever wanted to hear. If anything I wanted to be comfort, tell me the next steps I should take, tell me anything but I told you so. I felt bad for the Swedish girl because I was on her phone for ten minutes calling the states which can get expensive. In the process of telling my parents Pol's number I drop my Spanish phone and the battery came out. When I turned it back on I needed to enter the pin but like Morgyn I forgot it and was locked out of my phone. Things just kept rolling down hill from here. I knew it was close to the time Pol would be getting to the police station but I could not contact him. So I had to find the nearest movistar to find the code to unlock my phone. Finally after having a hard time translating I was able to unlock my phone n call Pol who had been waiting for 30 or so mins. I thanked he Swedish girls for staying with me and their comfort. Then Pol and I went to the station where I told the police what happened. They showed me a picture book of thief’s they previously caught and I was able to point out which ones committed the crime. Good thing I got a good luck at them because I was a 100% certain it was them. After I told him my story I called to report stolen cards. My mom called and said Morgyn was looking for me and worried. Apparently she contacted her mom who contacted my mom and contacted me. Within an hour Morgyn arrived at the station, I was so happy to see her that I began to cry. I was literally an emotional reck; I couldn't stop crying. After, the people from IES Barcelona office contacted me. I was so thankful I was in a city with an organized IES program. Without them I would have no money, no copy of my passport, no place to stay, nada. I didn't leave the police station until close to 11 o 12. By that time I had lost my hunger and just wanted to get to a secure area. When we finally made it to the hostel I was able to email my family. That night I did not want to sleep alone. Call me a baby but I would have hopped in the bed with my sister or my parents that night. Of course Morgyn was not down to share a twin size bed in a hostel especially since we were in the same room. That night I hardly slept. My heart was pounding in fear and was not slowing down. My body was literally shaking through the whole night. I could not understand how the Swedish girl I met remained so calm.

The next morning I met the lady from IES Barcelona and she was able to give me money, a copy of my passport and a 15 hour bus ride ticket back to Granada if I could not get on the airplane back. I began to fell better thanks to their comfort. Morgyn and I decided to see La Sagrada Familia (The Scared Family) since it was close to where we were. La Sagrada Familia is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona that was designed by Antoni Gaudi, who also designed pretty much the whole city of Bar-lo. The construction of la Sagrada Familia began in 1882 but when Gaudi died it was only a quarter finished. In 2010, construction of the church passed its mid-point. It is supposed to be completed in 2026 which is also the centennial year of Gaudi's death.

After walking around the church we decided to get something to eat since we hadn't eaten yesterday. But for some reason I still couldn't eat. I hardly finished my meal and I felt like I was going to through up. The event that happened the day before really messed me up. I couldn't sleep, eat, and I didn't want to go out and enjoy the city. It took a lot of strength to move on and enjoy my time in Barcelona because I will probably never get the chance to visit the city again. Bar-lo almost broke me but I found the strength and courage to go out and use the metro again and have fun. Morgyn and I ended up meeting up with Pol and his friends from Spain. We went to eat and talk. I mainly talked to Pol in English because he wanted to practice his English but I spoke Spanish with his friends. It was great to see Pol, the last time I saw him was junior year high school. After hanging out with friends, it was time to go to Sensation! Sensation is this huge all white party with 40,000 people. It similar to Electric Daisy Concert (EDC) if you know what that is. Its pretty much a big rave. The DJ was on point and it was a lot of fun! I got back to the hostel around 4 am.

I woke up at 6 to try to get on the plane back to Malaga with Morgyn. Since I didn't have my passport I wasn't for sure if I could fly. The lady at the front desk said I could fly with my police report and I was happy I didn't have to take the 15 hour bus ride back! Long story short I had to pay 80 euros to get back because I didn't have my boarding pass printed and my luggage was to big to be a carry-on to get back. :(. I was highly upset. I hardly had any money and stupid Ryanair wanted me to pay 80 euros! I tried to explain to them my wallet and my passport was stolen but they said if I didn't have the money I couldn't get on the plane. Morgyn helped me out though, thank God for her. I am never flying Ryanair again! After spending an arm and a leg to fly home and two bus rides I was back in Granada. I have never felt more happier to be home!

Me at Sensation!

40,000 people all white party in Barcelona!

They had special water tricks.

Cool glasses!

Sensation

La Sagrada Familia

Pol, Eder, Victor, Morgyn, Me, Eunic in Barcelona.