BARCELONA!!!

In the Land of Gaudi...yes, that's right...BARCELONA! As you may have already heard I left Rome the beginning of this month and moved to Barcelona. This cultural hotbed is the artistic 'mother' to Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, and Salvador Dali. It’s a haven for tourists yearning for the natural beauty of the Pyrenees mountains which offers skiing and hiking. Also, this wonderful city lures tourists and locals alike by its idyllic beaches. The 'old lady' by American standards, she is over 2,000 years old, wears her age quite well and by quick glance at the dizzying number of construction sites, she has no intention of slowing down.

Although this city usually experiences mild temperatures in the summer (and winter) months, we have been experiencing record temperatures these past few weeks. As the mercury creeps up the thermometer, the beaches are rushed by tourists and locales seeking the cool refreshing waters of the Mediterranean and the relief of the ocean breezes. Also, there are many happy to bake in the afternoon sun with minimal sunscreen and little regard for high UV warnings. I have wondered if the Spaniards check for ozone warnings because many of them (including tourists) have enough oil on their bodies to fill a large sized pan and fry several pieces of chicken. I am always amazed at their ability to lie on their back and 'sleep' for hours without moving a muscle in unbearable heat for the sake of browner skin. Ah, yes you have noticed that I spend a lot of time at the beach! You are clever, there is no fooling you! I happen to love the beach and to be in walking distance of it is a dream come true.

The Barcelona English congregation is located in Barcelona Sud and I live in in Barcelona Nord, so I must travel to the other side of the city to attend meetings. In the near future I will support the english group in the south but, for the summer months the group meets with the congregation. Ironically, the 'south' side of the city has the highest African population whereas the south due to pricey accommodations has a high number of British and American expats. Ummmmm....so, it appears I will lose out on gaining a many African bible students. (Sigh!) It will be no easy task trying to cultivate interest in my fellow American expats and British neighbors. Another ironic twist is the congregation is losing five pioneers and one ministerial servant in less than 2 weeks! Yep, four are returning to the homeland, the U.K. and the other two are moving on to other assignments...Taipei (Taiwan) and Bolivia. The English congregation has over 15 pioneers, the group has seven regular pioneers, but with the departure of five in less than one month, you can imagine the elder’s nervousness. Ok, stop laughing! It seems hard to believe the elders would worry over the departure of five regular pioneers while well over fifteen remain, but remember we are talking about coverage of the entire city of Barcelona including surrounding areas! There is much work needed to be done!

As mentioned I live in Barcelona Nord, in a beautiful section of the city named Diagonal Mar, or Santi Marti. The area is under much development at the moment, matter of fact the city administrators have OK'd another beach addition (yippppeee!) and the area is attracting many people, tourists and locals alike to move to this beautiful part of the city. I have been blessed with a wonderful view of a lovely park and beach from my terrace and the city of Barcelona Nord and the mountains from my bedroom and kitchen windows. It is a delight to enjoy a spectacular view of the sea while I enjoy my dinner in the evenings.

Do I miss Rome??? Ummmm....the answer...not really. As creatures of habit, we miss routines-schedules-agendas, to leave these structures behind can and will leave us disoriented. Admittedly, I have fallen under a lethargic spell of sun and sand with free time that I have not seen since last August. My mind grows dim when I think that barely weeks ago the only free time I had rested on Sundays and even then my energy was exhausted my mid-afternoon and a nap was desperately needed to see me through the rest of my day. I shudder to think of 'my ROMAN schedule' in the Rossi household. Although, I keep a copy close at hand to remind me of the exhaustive hours I grew accustomed to and what I no longer have to contend with on a daily basis. Without any doubt I will not ever miss the frustrating chaos they call 'public transportation' in that city nor will I ever wistfully call to mind the on-the-verge-of-road-rage, idiotic drivers in that snarled mess of traffic in Rome. Just in case you are wondering, I would like to reclaim the 10 years of my life I lost driving in Rome. This maybe another reason I am drawn to the beach in Barcelona, the sun, sand, and surf relax me so much I am lulled to sleep. I feel my tense muscles relax, a smile forms on my face, as I float along the waves. Ok, with that said, I will say I miss the fine brothers and sisters I have met in that ancient city. They have supported me in many ways and for that I am eternally grateful (get it...Eternal City...eternally grateful...ok, forget it). The fine deeds demonstrated by those in the congregation are too many to recount. I am truly thankful for the love and support shown by the Roma Ovest Inglese.

So, what next....I will keep u posted....I suppose : ))

Hasta luego!