It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I think this is probably the longest I’ve ever gone without updating my little blog! Good intentions and planned posts just haven’t been happening over the past few weeks, and that’s for lots of different reasons.
So before getting back into the swing of things, I thought I’d share a bit about what’s been going on in my life. It’s been a busy past couple of months!
Being sick
This is the not so fun one. A few weeks ago I was so sick I was in bed for five days straight. In total, I felt unwell for over an entire month. And, as it turns out, you don’t get sick days when you’re a freelancer. Cue stress.
Travel!
This might not be much of a surprise, as I always try to be on the move somewhere. From a quick trip to Poznan, Poland to a visit from my parents here in Barcelona to a 10-day trip to Rio and beyond in Brazil, I’ve gotten to enjoy some fantastic sights over the past couple months. I wouldn’t say no to being on the beach with a caipirinha right now!
Work woes
As an accidental freelancer, I’m pleasantly surprised that after over a year at it, I’m still going strong. But not having a plan or strategy has turned out to be very stressful at times, and with all these other factors, it definitely came to a head this fall. I had too much to do in too little time, and I didn’t do a very good job of managing either my time or my stress levels.
I’m taking some time to regroup and figure out how exactly I want to focus and make it work. Right now, I’m not doing badly by any means, but it is overwhelming. A bit of focus will definitely help.
That apartment thing again
Remember a few months ago when I was having a tough time with my apartment contract? It seemed like I’d gotten it resolved successfully, but there was one big thing I’d overlooked – I had signed a contract with somebody totally unpredictable and off-the-rails. Whoops.
After a slew of truly awful messages and Whatsapps and a bit of light extortion (all from said person), the situation is finally resolved – but not without many a tear.
Writing lots!
Just not here. 🙂 Here are a few things that I’ve written recently you might be interested in.
Barcelona pieces:
- The Best Places to Eat Brunch in Barcelona (Barcelona Life)
- Where to Stay in Barcelona: Barcelona’s Best Areas to Stay (Wandertooth)
- The Best Coffee Shops in Barcelona (TravelMag)
- The Momondo Barcelona guidebook app (Momondo; it’s free and I’d love if you downloaded it!)
Other travel(ish) writing:
- Glasgow: Architecturally Speaking: A (fictional) t-Shirt line (Printsome)
- As well as t-shirt lines inspired by Edinburgh, Cardiff, Swindon (yes, really), and Oxford.
I’ve also been translating the Opodo Travel Magazine.
And…I’ve started writing in Spanish!
- Éxito en el espacio (La Vanguardia) – an interview with an actual rocket scientist. That is not a joke, as crazy as it seems!
- No hay verano sin chiringuitos (Gastronosfera) – beach bars in Barcelona
Now, things are settling down a bit and I’m looking forward to being able to write here more. I love writing for my blog and I have some great articles I’m really excited to share for you!
What’s been going on in your life lately? Has it been as crazy busy as mine? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Besos!
-Jess
i haven’t been back to Barcelona since last November, but i just booked a trip for January to the Riviera Maya in Mexico looking forward to it. I will go back to Europe for a trip in about a year and a half, want to go to Italy, and this time maybe southern Spain, do you recommend anywhere to go in Southern Spain?
Hi Ann! Southern Spain is so pretty, there are lots of great places and it’s definitely cheaper than Barcelona. Sevilla and Granada are both gorgeous, and if you’re going in the summertime the coast and beaches along Cádiz is wonderful.
Check out Cat’s blog Sunshine & Siestas for some great stuff about southern Spain: sunshineandsiestas.com
Hope you have a wonderful time in the Riviera Maya!
Thanks for the mention, love! I’ve been off my blogging game a bit recently due to loads of life changes: moving cities, a new job and getting ready to become a mamá in a few weeks! The second half of the year FLEW.
Happy 2017!
Anytime! 🙂 Wow, you’ve had tons going on, what an exciting time! Huge congrats on becoming a mom so soon, that’s awesome. Happy 2017 to you as well!
Good luck with the sick thing. There is a nasty case of the flu going around maine right now and its taken out about 1/4 of the staff at my job, and we were already really short handed! A warm beach would be lovely but we just got our first real snow of the year yesterday. I think life almost always seems hectic for one reason or another. Ive3been trying to find a way back to barcelona since i was there 2 summers ago. Now its the debate of “can i afford it to be a permanent change? Can i afford it not to be?” rent where i live is horrific. The minimum wage is still under $7.80 too.
Im sure you have a lot to write already but might i suguest an updated “so you want to move to spain?” several of the links in your older articles are dead now.
Glad to hear from you again and glad to hear you had fun in Brasil!
Thanks Jenni-li! All better now, but wow it was a tough bug. Stay warm in the snow!
Thanks so much for the tip, I didn’t realize the links were dead haha. Looks like I’ve got plenty to keep me busy! 🙂
Hola Jessica, aunque es fácil encontrar tu artículo “No hay verano sin chiringuitos (Gastronosfera)” en internet , el enlace que has colocado está equivocado y nos lleva de nuevo a la entrevista de La Vanguardia.
Saludos
Uyy gracias por avisar! Ya he arreglado el enlace. 🙂
Jessica,
Do you know a shop or market that sells second-hand outdoor equipment in Barcelona or in south of spain? Thanks! Neal
Hi Nealio, I’m afraid I don’t!:/ Maybe Cat at Sunshine and Siestas does.