Year One ... Check

We are proud to report that we finished our first year of teaching/counseling in Kuwait.  The end of the year was a whirlwind of activity with every day being packed with marking final exams, transitioning grade 5 students into middle school, attending graduations/moving up ceremonies, and going to too many "goodbye" dinners to count.  As the last day of school rolled around, we gave each other a huge high-5 and felt proud with all the work we had done the past 10 months.  Then, we quickly packed up a suitcase and got the hell out of Kuwait!!

We chose to take the "Freedom Flight" out of the great land of heat and dust but instead of head straight back to Seattle, we chose to take a few days exploring the magical city of Barcelona.  Barcelona was magnificent.  We rented a small apartment in the heart of the city and then spent the next 5 days walking, eating, running, exploring, and drinking legally in this cool European hub.  We saw some old sites (cathedrals and markets) and some newer ones, as well (art galleries and yachts).  We ate some delicious Spanish food (muscles, tomatoes, and anchovies) and some not so Spanish food (pizza, croissants, and yogurt).  We drank wine, wine, and more wine.  All in all, we left feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to put a big check mark by our first year living in the "great" State of Kuwait.

Our amazing little apartment in the heart of Barce.  It was a steep set of steps but it was worth it.

Gorgeous Spanish cathedral.

Checking out the Barcelona waterfront.  Wishing we were on a boat.

Just another Spanish sangria tasting.  Wine + soda + additional flavors = delight on ice.

One of the best parts of this city was all the green space where you could purchase a little sandwich and a beer and eat with the old men playing chess and petting dogs.

We spent HOURS just walking through green parks trying to negate our Nature Deficit Disorder.  Thanks, Kuwait.

Checking out the Olympic Stadium and dreaming Olympic dreams.

The only proof that the Olympics were actually held in Barcelona was found on the storm drains.  Odd.

Checking out La Sagrada Familia.  Us and 300,000 other tourists.

First gin and tonic in a LONG time.  Thank goodness they were as big as our heads.

Imagine ... another city park!!

Adam checking out Gaudi's work.

A view back over the city of Barcelona from the park.  We could have viewed it all day.

Adam says "two thumbs up to Barcelona."  Now let me drink my beer in peace.