I din't know my life would come to such an unexpected crossroads in Barcelona. Let me go back an year. Last summer when I applied for Erasmus Mundus program , I thought it would be a great cultural experience, and some thing different from my regular Economics Honours course back at Delhi University. Never did I, think that it would have such a huge impact on my life.
Firstly even before i got on to my flight to Barcelona, my Mom began preparing for my two years there as soon as my aprroval came, which gave her around two months. The entire two months were filled with shopping, meeting a long list of people including long forgotten relatives and out of touch friends.
Luckily i had a another Delhi lass Rupali also going to Barcelona for her studies who i had met at the Spanish embassy. We quickly became friends and she helped me quite a bit in my packing and other arrangements.
As I arrived on the airport, I was struck by the pleasant climate and bohemian nature of the local Catalan speaking Spanish people.The sun was bright and people loafed around on the streets with no apparent purpose on mind , like on holiday. I was homesick for about a week.
But thanks to Rupali , I had picked up pre activated Sim from Matrix in India, through which I was on phone with my mom a lot during the first few weeks begining with the moment i landed at Barcelona airport. I stayed in a small room alone in the beginning and was having a tough time getting along with the partying and flamboyant ways of Spain.
Coming back from class one day, I met a guy, Rob who was talked about looking for flat mates to share an apartment among Erasmus people.I agreed to see the flat and
make up my mind.
I freaked out at the first meeting with two guys and two girls already sharing the flat. But I felt at home with their chaos and confusion. Thats how I am. I moved in with them next day. My parents dint like the idea, but I was more comfortable with this eccentric bunch than drifting alone in foreign land. My mom thanks to my daily phone calls was able to alley her fears of me in an apartment with three strange guys.
Rob from Netherlands was tall blond guy who would make heads turn at parties. My agony uncle and the most gentle guy. He sat with me through a cold night in Marseilles when we were stranded in middle of no where coming back from a party late night. He spoke about his complicated relationships and how he dated three girls a day, and swears that he loves them all. My drinking buddy at parties.
Agatha,the girl with the weird British accent who was the organizer of everything. She ruled our apartment and executed any one found guilty of making mess around it.I feared and admired her. Her boyfriend was dead boring but his good looks made him bearable.
Mathieu was the French lover and the party animal. Boy, did we party ? Barcelona if not for anything will rule the world for parties. Pitch drunk we have also slept on the streets ,
been carried back home on police cars, went to classes with a hangover, endless pots of smoke and coffee next morning. He wore Coleen's undergarment over his jeans to get entry in a fancy dress party, which required sexy dress.
Coleen was the geek who would breath and chat with her boyfriend online only. The object of professor's affection in psychology class. Her affection for the professor made headlines in the campus newspaper and was posing a diplomatic problem between Spain and Denmark when her boyfriend ,Nicholas arrived in winter.
