Well kids, the time has come. The University of Dreams program in Barcelona, not to mention one of the best summers of my life, came to a poignant but perfect close yesterday with a dressy farewell dinner of fideua y ensalada in Eixample, followed by drinks and dancing at various bars around the Plaça Urquinaona. We laughed, we cried, we told embarrassing stories from the summer. We laughed some more. The staff told us how proud they were of us and surprised us with a hilarious slideshow of photos from the summer, certificates, and University of Dreams t-shirts, which I am wearing as I type this. The idea of a reunion is already in talks. Vegas, anyone? I think we deserve it.

The End of My BCN Week Journey

I should also mention that last weekend, my office threw a big release party at the fabulous 7 Sins bar for the newest BCN Week, which was just as well, because it had been my last day of work there the previous Thursday, and I had only just finished all my listings write-ups, photo editing, and, most notably, the full page investigative report that I’d taken on all by my big girl self – complete with layout, photos, captions, and thoroughly-researched essay. I was floored when I saw it at the party, and even a little incredulous, because it was only days before that I’d busted my butt to get done on time and get it to Lena to send along to the publishers!

I was so impressed with the whole issue, really, and if it is nerdy to read a paper from cover to cover while at a dance party, then call me nerdy. That is one paper I am proud to be a part of, and I will continue reading it for as long as it is in publication! Actually, I’ve already agreed to keep contributing to BCN Week from a distance, and ¿quien sabe? Maybe my family there will be able to help me find a permanent job in Barcelona in the near future… I am foaming at the mouth thinking about that possibility.

Ugh, this city and this internship have spoiled me!

From now on, I don’t think I’ll be able to be separated from Barcelona, or my friends or “family” here, for long periods of time. Anyway. I’ll have you know that I eventually did put down the paper to cut the rug with everyone for a while. A while turned into several hours, and when we emerged from 7 Sins, the sun was up. You know, just another night in BCN, y’all. Keepin’ it real. Some folks in this town are always “keepin’ it real” in such a way, with or without the successful release of a new issue of their magazine, and they still do okay for themselves!

Last night was the farewell dinner of course, but since a few of the participants and I were still around this evening, we decided to go to the weekend fountain show at the Plaça Espanya in front of Montjuïc, which I’d somehow never been to in all my two months in Barcelona. I am not going to attempt to sully this dazzling experience with too many words, but I will say that it was the only way to end our summer here. Now, just enjoy the photos.

As for me, this is the end of a chapter, and right now I’m going to go dream about it in   anticipation of the one I’ll be starting tomorrow.

Adéu, Barcelona. Hasta muy pronto.

Kelly Doyle-Mace was a runner-up for the 2009 World Traveler Internship and chronicled her prize for the STA Travel Blog – a spot as a University of Dreams Intern at BCN Week in Barcelona, Spain.