Saturday 19 July 2014

Game-changer: I just kind of relocated to Barcelona!

Surprise! Perhaps you have noticed that it has been quiet on the blog and in my social media channels in the last ten days. This is because I am in Barcelona right now and I intend to stay here for a few months! I was looking for a flat in the past few days, and now that I have one I'm trying to find a job - something to pay the rent, not my dream job, because that is hard to find.

A cycle has finished for me. I have finished my PhD, and at the same time I had to move out of my flat in Venice. Subsequently, I had to look for both a new flat and a job.
 
While Venice has been a great place to live in for a while, a good detox from chaotic London, where I used to live before that, I feel that I need a change in my life. In spite of the millions of tourists, Venice is a small town, with a small-town mentality. I miss the international dimension of a city, the possibility of doing something new every day, of exploring new neighbourhoods, of having a wide choices of bars and little ethnic restaurants. I need people that can inspire me, with innovative ideas and . Venice is gorgeous aesthetically, it has a great cultural offer especially concerning art exhibitions and theatre, but it can hardly be called a city.  


A cool bar in Barcelona


Why Barcelona?

Barcelona is a city I love, in a country that I adore and where I have been several times, but just on holiday. Barcelona has everything that I like about London (I also lived there for over a year): it's a vibrant city, multicultural, and with a lot of things going on at all times. At the same time, it doesn't have the disadvantages that I find about London: it's not as big, for one thing, and it doesn't have that crap depressing weather. Moreover, people actually speak to each other, and the food is awesome!
 
Yes, I know that Spain is not the best country to relocate to right now, because of the economic crisis, the unemployment, and so on. The truth is that I can't see myself living in Berlin, but I can easily image myself in Barcelona. At least for a few months.


The Barceloneta beach

This is not a definite move. I am not leaving Venice forever. As one of my wise friends say, Venice is the perfect place to return to. I intend to stay there a few months, and see what (or where) this experience takes me.


Selling fruit at La Boquería market


You can expect updates from Barcelona: its cool bars, its hidden gems, its world-famous night life and its culture. Let's see if I also mention to visit other pars of Catalonia and Spain!

Arc de Triomf


Do you like Barcelona? Have you been? What strikes you the most about this city?

3 comments:

  1. Wow. Cool! Barcelona sounds to be good. I mean I haven't been to London, Venice or Barcelona, so don't know. I have to see it through your eyes!

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  2. I definitely want to go to Barcelona, I ran out of money for the trip the last time I was in Europe :(
    The tourist me will say that you have to visit as much Antoni Gaudi buildings as possible, spend as much time on the beach as possible, and definitely visit the Camp Nou LOL.

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  3. Wow congrats on the big change and will keep an eye on updates from lively Barca! Go girl!! :)

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