End of first day...If I were in BCN

Well today is January 26th, this day next month will be my first official day in Barcelona! I've done this countdown before with my travel mates where we do the "this time next month we will be on whatever day on our vacation" until we arrive at the day of our return home. The difference this time is that my count is the beginning of my first official day of living as an expat. It is a little overwhelming at times to think I am going it alone this time…well me and my dog. Lots of worries…will my Spanish see me through without any major incidences until I can become more fluent. I hope I don’t have some of the same problems that I’ve had in the past such as asking for cocaine instead of a cup of ice or getting felt up by an old man when I was trying to say that I was taking pictures. I guess those things will just be part of getting acclimated. I’m getting lots of crap from my friend Angela who has been on my ass to speak Spanish with her for over a year…oh well I’ve got 4 weeks maybe a miracle will happen between now and then.
So had to take care of some things today to make sure I can transition okay. Contacted my bank to find how I can transfer money when I set up my new banking account in Spain, call HPD to find out how to get criminal clearance letter (both English and Spanish) and crazy thing is that Harper (my dog) has to get approved by the Food and Drug Administration…who would have thought. This week I MUST complete my application for school…no more procrastination on that front. When I land I have to do an in person interview and get a letter from them that will help me rent a flat without coming up with a CRAZY amount for a deposit.
Last day of work here will be 2/12 so I will have about two weeks to wrap up final loose ends. Well right now in BCN it is after midnight so my first full day will have come to end. I wonder how well I will I do? Will I get out, get lost, will I speak to anyone; will I chicken out of speaking with anyone? Crap I’m nervous and sooooo ready to get started.

Firsts

Wow! Finally my first blog! I can't believe I created this blog nearly a year ago and I've just now gotten around to blogging about my "great adventure"! You see, the plan was to chronicle the trials and tribulations of a woman who has decided to chunk her life in the United States to go re-discover herself in Barcelona, Spain! To be honest, I have not had too many trials or tribulations transitioning out of the US but I am under no illusions that there will be a few trials and tribulations when I land in Barcelona. Now the time has come for me to take the leap and I want this blog to be a log of what happens and my experiences; good, bad or indifferent. This blogging experience is a new spin on an old familiar thing for me that I used to love…the joy of writing. I feel rusty and out of sorts about it but also a feeling of joy that as I strip away the layers of my life that the refinishing will include something so simple and rewarding as writing down thoughts, feelings observations and knowing that I have recorded that experience. It makes this adventure that I am undertaking even more exciting. So I am prepared for the hiccups of beginning to write and if you are following me; cut me a little slack when I start to ramble (lol) I will get it together.

I came up with the title for blog s “a girl and her dog” my dog” because when I first got the courage to tell people that I was moving to Spain their reactions ran the full gamit of emotions. Some friends and family were immediately supportive, some said they were supportive but doubt I’d pull it off, some thought I was totally crazy for leaving the comforts of home and others thought I was somehow un-American for wanting to live indefinitely abroad. As I explained all of my reason why to my friends and family my story always ended on "well I'm just a girl and her dog"!