Last September I moved to Barcelona after getting a Scholarship to do a Master in Advanced Immunology in the University of Barcelona. I don’t recall being more excited about something: for me it was the first time going out of my country (Dominican Republic) and it was because academical reasons. Need to admit the first months were tough, but needed to keep going.
Studying and exploring Spain have been a whole new experience in all aspects: the culture here is pretty different and you can also find a little bit of everything here if you know where to look at.
That’s where the Local Guides program comes in handy. Sometimes when you move from a country to another for the first time you go through a process of cultural shock, but at least in my case I think it had a lower effect due to the fact of thinking (or reading opinions through google maps) in advance about where to go next.
Besides the Local Guides program itself, I should give props to the Google maps app. First because that’s the way I discovered the program after launching in 2015 and second, for the uncountable times I have used it as a reference to find out what route I should take to get somewhere, which mean of transportation I could take to do so while letting me know about the specific schedule and transit time it will take me to get there according to the option I opt for.
As a foreign citizen that just moved to a new the city I can’t think of a way to save more time and money and it has been reflected many times when a tourist approaches to me to ask for help and I only show them how practical the app is.
Since I received the application for the connect live 2020 I have been thinking a lot of all the places from Spain I could show through pictures. Just discovered an app on the Google Store named “BCN Trips” that arranges trips around the country departing from Barcelona and was even considering record the video I had to upload of those… But then the COVID-19 happened.
Up until march I have been in many cities. I first landed in Madrid and made some friends,
Discovered together.
I also visited Logroño and Pamplona
Went to Murcia, where I met with my sister and cached some sunsets
Back in barcelona, said goodbye to the autumn
Had another perspective of the city,
And enjoyed the carnival of Gracia
As a Local Guide I thank you for taking your time to read this, and as a Medical Doctor, I ask you to stay home and safe until the situation with the actual pandemic cleats.
It’s time for us to help others as we have been doing through the Local Guides Program and keep in mind that every single opinion can influence in someone’s day or even life.
Hugs will be back after all of this.
