SarahBeth Wheeler: Core Curriculum Program in Barcelona, Spain- Summer 2019

It was a hot day in Barcelona the day I arrived with 40+ Auburn students and staff. The airport was hot, the bus ride was hot, and standing in line to get assigned our rooms was, well, hot. We were all incredibly jet-lagged and trying to make small-talk with one another, but it was clear we all just needed a nap. After a long day of walking around the city, we were all relatively delirious from exhaustion and extremely hungry. After looking at a few places online, we decided we’d walk around and pick the first place we thought looked good, We happened to stumble upon a tiny Italian restaurant by the name BelleBuòn. Fifteen of us piled inside and we were met by an overly-eccentric and delightfully sarcastic waiter by the name of Dan. We all fell in love with the atmosphere immediately, and the food was divine.  Dan the waiter cracked jokes all evening and gave us all free extras and treats, making us all feel like family. Because we loved our experience there the first night, we frequented BelleBuòn the entire time we were there, sometimes going three to four times a week. We joked about how our favorite Spanish restaurant was, in fact, and Italian one. Every night we were met with a sarcastic joke and playful banter from Dan, who always made room for us no matter how busy the restaurant was. To some, it was just a place to go eat, but the group of us made some of our fondest memories at that tiny little Italian restaurant, and even invited Dan out with us on our last night there. Every time Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” plays, we’re all taken back to the rich-smelling, tightly-packed, dimly-lit restaurant with where we felt like family. The food was just as good as the company, but nothing will beat the memories we made there. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.

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