What a day yesterday was...

My day yesterday started at 3:50am in the morning. 3 of my roommates were on the group flight back to California and got picked up at 4:10am. Erinn and I weren't on the group flight as we're both staying to travel. So at 3:50am, Erinn and I helped carry their luggage downstairs and said our goodbyes in the rain as the taxi driver loaded their luggage into the car. Erinn and I, feeling surprisingly alert for being up so early, made videos of us dancing and lip singing to "See You Again" and sent them to Melony, Jasmine, and Lesly after they left. We both had so much fun making them and they enjoyed them so much. By the time we finished making videos, Erinn and I had a few hours before we needed to be out of the apartment so we went back to bed.
Just a few hours later we both woke up, showered, and packed the last of our items into our bags and said our goodbyes. I was so beyond blessed to have met these amazing ladies and lived with them for 3 months. Who knew that when I asked Erinn to be my roommate not even 30 minutes after meeting her we'd become such wonderful and close friends. Florence may not have been my favorite place but it sure treated me well. I met some amazing people and had experiences I will never forget. I know I've made friends for life and that's all thanks to our time spent together in Italy. 
Leaving Erinn at the apartment, I dragged my suitcase behind me and walked to the train station for the last time this year. As I rounded the corner to wait in the line for the bus to the airport, I heard my name. I turned around and saw the smiling face of my friend and classmate Yana. She waved me over and she and I talked the whole way to the airport. It came up in the conversation that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and quickly Yana pulled out a breakfast sandwich and a banana for me. She insisted I take them as she'd already eaten but couldn't bring herself to throw away good food so she packed in her carry on. It was exactly what I needed to get me going for the day ahead. The bus pulled up to the airport and Yana and I parted ways. Both of us were not expecting to have such a long travel day ahead of us.
I walked into the Florence airport and headed start for security. I only had one carry-on and one personal item so I didn't need to check anything. I was about to pass through security when the person checking tickets says my bag is too big. I know it's not as I checked the regulations for the airline and weighed it before arriving at the airport. He insists it's too big and says I can either check it or miss my flight. Grumpily I headed to the desk to check my bag and the line wrapped around the very small Florence airport. I waited in line for almost an hour before getting to the desk. Once at the desk, she quickly checked my bag but says I can't pay there. I have to go to the other side of the airport to pay and she won't let me have my boarding pass back until I go pay and come back. Continuing the grumpiness, I headed across the airport, pay for my bag, hustled back to the desk, got my boarding pass, and rushed through security. My flight was boarding as I raced down the stairs, or at least it was supposed to be.
I step of the last step and rush to the board to see which gate. There's no gate number but instead in big bold letters says canceled. I headed to the information desk for further information. The very nice airline attendant informed me that it is too windy to land in Florence so our plane was redirected to Bologna and we would be bused there in a short while.
With the reason for the cancellation completely out of anyone's hands, I let go pf all the frustration and looked for a seat to wait in. As I scanned the small waiting area, I spotted two more friends, Adeira and Clare. Adeira was waiting for a flight to London and Clare for Germany. We all talked for a while until Clare boarded her flight to Germany. Then, Adeira and I took turns watching each other's bags so we could use the restroom. When Adeira came back she noticed our business teacher Carolyn and her husband Chip across the waiting room. We gathered our bags and headed over to say hello. While we all talked, all flights out of Florence were canceled and all passengers would be bused to Bologna for a flight. 
3 hours after I was supposed to be on the plane and 2 hours after they said the bus would arrive, I got on the bus to Bologna for my flight. We arrived an hour later and the luggage from all the canceled flights was placed on random buses so even though you were on a bus with the people on the same flight as you, your luggage was not necessarily under your bus. I had trouble finding our luggage but I did find it eventually. I ran into Adeira when we were both hustling into the airport to recheck our luggage and go through security again. Flying with different airlines, we parted ways before we checked our bags in. Adeira lives in Sonoma so we'll see each other once we're both home.
After checking in my luggage and going through security once more, I got to the gates but my flight is the only one without a gate. I found a seat by the flight board and relaxed until the gate was announced. I got a sandwich and was halfway down with it when they announced the gate and it happened to be the gate I was sitting next to. But minutes later, they changed the gate and with a collective groan from the group, we all walked down to the other gate. The time on the board that the flight was supposed to leave from Bologna was 1:55pm but we didn't board until 6:33pm.
I happily boarded the plane, ready to get to Belgium only to sit on the runway for over an hour and a half before actually taking off. But, other than a major time delay, it was been a good day. I had a window seat and a whole row to myself. And now I'm in Belgium staying with my good friend Hendrik.

The place that will always be home

Today I left Barcelona to go back to Florence and never has been leaving a place so hard. I arrived early Thursday morning and stayed until earlier today. I spent my whole weekend visiting my favorite places in Barcelona. I didn't feel like a tourist, I felt that I was exploring my city. I remembered every single metro stop I need to get to a specific place and which side streets my favorite restaurants are on. When I exited the airport when I arrived on Thursday, the familiarly smell of Barcelona was waiting to great me. It smelled like home.
I went to my old neighborhood to see what had changed and thankfully nothing had. Getting off at the Badal metro stop for the first time in almost a year was strange but exciting. All the same people worked in the small bodegas and were walking to and from their homes. The frutaría where I got my fresh produce is still there and run by the same father and son. The only thing was was different was that I'm not living at Roger 20 anymore. And my phone doesn't automatically connect to the wifi.
I had tapas and sangria at my favorite restaurant in Barcelona on Thursday night. It's tucked in a side street along Barceloneta. I went back to my favorite art gallery in the whole world to see my all time favorite artist and her new paintings. As she changes the pieces on display weekly, and sometimes more, I used to go once or twice a week. Saturday I went back to see the progress on La Sagrada Familia. In the year and half since I've been gone, they've finished the side they were working on, added a new structure to the opposite side, and have started construction on the top. This morning, I went to La Catedral de Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter for Easter Sunday mass.

Everyone will find somewhere that's their place. For some, it may be their hometown and for others, like myself, it's a city in a country 3,000 miles from where they grew up. After leaving Barcelona my first semester abroad, I knew Barcelona is my place. I know the city like the back of my hand and I'm completely in love with the city, culture, and language. This little weekend trip to Barcelona confirmed once more for me that I really am meant to be living in Barcelona.
This trip reaffirmed that I should and will be living in Barcelona in the not so distant future. So, see you soon Barcelona. I'll be coming your way for good after I graduate or maybe sooner.