Barcelona: late night arrival.

    After our very odd trip through the catacombs: Rachel, Jenna, Ali and I raced back to Termini train station to grab our bags and jump on the train to Ciampino Airport. We are headed to Girona and then on the bus to Barcelona. We are not due to arrive until 1am Barcelona time. But who cares? I am excited to just see another city in another country. It will be our first time flying within the continental Europe. When we arrived in Spain we walked straight through customs. We were all shocked because we were used to being stopped and getting a stamp in our passport. We later learned that the Schengen agreement allows free movement across boarders between all signed countries. Being American however, we wanted our passports stamped. Total bummer! Exiting the airport, we found the proper bus to Barcelona and bought a return ticket. The ride was about an hour and a half to two hours into the main Barcelona bus station across from the subway. A thoughtful conversation was started on the bus. The question was asked what we were all trying to make of this semester abroad. Rachel asked me why I am trying to get so much out of this trip and not worry about friends so much. I think Rachel noticed that I was trying to distance myself from her. I told her that I wanted her to have her own trip. I wanted her to challenge herself without the comforts of me being around. For me, I wanted to examine my life in different ways. I wanted to challenge the boundaries that I have become comfortable with in my life. I also, and most importantly for me, I wanted to breath life into the history and stories of my Italian grandparents. I wanted to have a sense of where they came from and why the family left.     When we arrived to Barcelona and got into the subway we had to call Matt. Matt, Nicole and Brittany traveled here two weeks ago. We weren't too sure how to buy our tickets. We had to get on clot and transfer to the purple line and get off at Pep Ventura. No one was on the train and it was also 1am. Being women and traveling outside of our comfortable Rome, we were afraid of pretty much our own shadow. When we arrived we pretty much walked out of the subway and right into the hostel. We were staying in Barcelona Dream: http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Be-Dream-Hostel/Barcelona/11639?source=adwordsbarcelonanamesbff&KID=1136577&AID=2&sub_keyword=barcelona+dream+hostel&sub_ad=e&sub_publisher=ADW&gclid=CMCIvJT2prkCFYFhMgodVhoAaQ. It reminded us of an art student's dorm room. It was so nice. Marty, the guy at the front desk told us that we might have a guy staying with us. We told him that we would prefer not to have anyone in the room. He agreed to keep it just us which is rare when staying in hostels. They pretty much throw anyone in a room with you. The room was cozy, there were lockers and we felt quite safe. We tried to get some food but nothing was open. Marty fed us with spaghetti. We ate while we spoke with some Irish girls who shared a can of beer with us. It was like college living all over. Marty pretty much told us everything we needed to know. The hostel even had free breakfast.