Entry 05

Hello hello!

I've been eager to share a post about my apartment with you all. I finally put the finishing touches on it in the last couple of weeks, but the return of students to school has kept me busy with my teaching duties. Teacher tired is REAL folks!

My apartment, while small, is honestly the perfect size for me. I’m located on a semi pedestrian street, where walking is king. Even if there's a car behind you, drivers patiently wait for you to move aside or simply follow until they can make their turn. Directly below me, there’s a dog groomer and a fish market so you might say that the smells are divine. In all actuality it isn’t that bad - though occasionally, the scents can be quite unique, shall we say?

All of the furniture you see came with the apartment, but I’ve made a few changes to add my personal touch. The couch was a god-awful off-white color that resembled a white tank top after a jog in 90-degree weather with no deodorant. I found a cover on Amazon to hide its flaws, stashed the original pillows away in a cabinet I can barely reach, and replaced them with vibrant ones I discovered at a store on The Diagonal. What makes these pillows special is that their fabric is recycled from old sarees in India, adding a delightful burst of color to my space.

The white cabinet by my front door was also plagued by an ugly off-white fabric taped to the inside of the glass door. I decided to remove it and replace it with a fun fabric I picked up at Els Encants market, which I previously wrote about when my mom was visiting. My dad joined me on my next trip to the market, primarily for fabric, but we couldn't resist purchasing the large palm tree watercolor piece you now see hanging on the wall. He was a lifesaver, helping me transport it back to my apartment on the metro and hanging it up when we returned.

My kitchen, though small, has everything I need. I am now the owner of a microwave oven (though I’m not entirely sure how to use it). My mom crafted the curtains from fabric found at Els Encants, and I added a ribbon trim at the bottom. On my kitchen table, you'll spot a small tapestry or Tenugui I bought in Japan that portrays pandas acting as tourists in a sushi restaurant. It never fails to make me smile. My fridge is adorned with love notes from my “cousin” and a postcard from my favorite Boise Bar. I have been filling the fridge with bottles of cava and of course, Aperol. (I’m already on my second bottle since moving in). The freezer is stuffed to the gills with my most treasured possession - ICE. I feel like one of those ice influencers on TikTok. I have tubie ice for my water bottle, hemisphere ice, big cube ice, and orange and lime ice for my post-work bevvies.

Technically my apartment was advertised as a one bedroom, but there isn’t a door to my bedroom, so really, it’s more like a studio. From my kitchen table you can see one of my two mostly empty nightstands and my bed. Most of my bedding is from back in the States, but I think it has a fun Barcelona flair. The two large blue pillows came from a store just a couple of blocks up the street. Actually, the best part of living in my neighborhood is that I can buy everything I could possibly need in stores just a block or two away from my apartment. You can also spot my other Tenugui depicting geishas riding the bullet train.

Moving on to my bathroom, it boasts ample storage space and houses my washer-dryer machine. I keep all my cleaning supplies in there, and I've also invested in a colossal candle from the same store where I found my couch pillows. Since there's no fan in the bathroom, it's absolutely necessary – trust me! I have noticed that the linoleum floor doesn't hide the hair that falls off my head when I'm getting ready in there, so I end up sweeping almost every day.

I must say, I feel like I hit the landlord lottery once again. I had the pleasure of meeting her two weeks ago when she dropped off an extra set of keys and the key to my mailbox. The week before, I had managed to lock myself out of the apartment, costing me a whopping 120 euros and ruining my Saturday night plans. She turned out to be an absolute sweetheart. We're planning to meet up for an hour once a week to practice our Spanish and English. She shared that this was the first apartment she ever lived in on her own, and she's delighted to have another young lady residing here. She believes it's a happy place full of light, and I couldn't agree more.