We are getting close to 50 days here and this daily journaling is certainly not getting any easier. However, I know looking back I will be glad I did it for so many reasons.
Over these 4 days, I had a personal turning point and in one day ended up signing up for two major conferences that align with my 2050 vision. I did three 10K distance runs and the twins went on a two day retreat with their school.
We visited a town called Tarragona and Jonah had his 6th birthday party with two other boys in his class.
Day 44 – Jonah’s Playdate in Full View
Started my day off with a Spanish class in the morning, walked to the gym afterwards, and then headed home to prepare for my full day video strategy session with my executive team on my terrace. It went from 2:30 to 10:30pm… Feels much different from when it was 8:30am to 4:30pm. We covered a lot, but much of it cannot be disclosed at this time.
However, unbeknownst to me at the time, the team did get a full viewing of Jonah’s playdate in the background, including Kelli standing on a chair trying to get a sticky alien off the ceiling which Jonah had thrown in the air.
Josh and Leila headed up to a three day, two night retreat with their classes up north near Girona for some middle school team building. Love that their school does this.
Day 45 – My 2050 Vision Coming to Life in Barcelona
Thursday, I started my day with my second 10k run of the week. After I dropped Jonah off at school, I ran straight up 800 feet of elevation to Carretera de les Aigües. I went a different route from last time, which led me up a road with one of the steepest inclines I have ever done. From there I took a right and ran about 3.5 kilometers down the trail (next time I will go left as I saw that is an even longer route).
At the end of the trail, unlike last time when I ran down the tram steps, this time I took a little more risk and went down the curvy road on the side of the mountain while cars moved out of my way. By the time I finished the downhill trek back to my apartment it was 6.5 miles. Maybe I should sign up for the marathon here in March.
I had lunch with a forum mate on my terrace as we talked about our businesses and growth opportunities. It was his first time at my apartment and it felt great to see how amazed he was by the space, the light, and the views.
After lunch, I ended up having two important calls that supported my 2050 vision. The first was with the CEO of a Thought Leadership conference on education that is being held in two weeks in Barcelona with some of the brightest minds from all around the world. The conference was sold out, but I knew I had to get in there somehow.
I proceeded to share with him and his partner my 2050 vision, my book, and my experience in this area. I was lucky enough that they graciously opened up a spot for me. He also runs an innovative school right here in Barcelona with the goal to bring a new type of learning throughout the world. Wow. This is exactly something I want to be a part of!
Then as part of my networking with local entrepreneurs, I met an amazing young entrepreneur. He shared with me the people and organizations I should connect with, as well as potential speaking opportunities.
As we were talking, he told me about this conference he is attending in Venice in two weeks that is focused on 1) disrupting education, and 2) sustainability. It is like they were reading my 2050 vision directly from my book. After looking at my schedule and reviewing it, I made the decision to attend. Hey, opportunities like this is a major reason I am living here in the first place.
That night, we attended a party of new friends. The irony is that we went to a party at the house of these same friends back in June when we came for a week to look for an apartment. I remember thinking that week that everyone seemed so nice and friendly and it was so easy to talk to the group. I was not sure if that was just because we were visitors or that was the vibe in Barcelona. I am happy to say it was just as easy the second time around. The people were great, the weather was perfect, and the food hit the spot.
Day 46 – Friday Was Low Key
Went to the gym in the morning. Met Kel for lunch at an outdoor restaurant. She picked up the kids who were coming back from their three day retreat. The kids came home and we laid low. We ordered pizza for the family. I had a three hour conference call with my office that went late into the night. I did it on the deck as the internet was not working in my room and kids were in the living room.
Day 47 – Tarragona is a Must See
I started my day off with my third 10K run of the week. This time I went around and up the backside of Park Gueill. I will tell you one thing, they love their steep inclines in Barcelona. Learning from my mistakes several weeks ago when we had no plans and I did not rent a car, I made sure to rent a car for Saturday morning since we were going to need it for Jonah’s bday party on Sunday.
We decided to go to Tarragona, as a friend of ours recently went there and highly recommended it. It is about 100 kilometers south of Barcelona. We arrived and walked towards the edge of Las Ramblas, and we were rewarded with spectacular views of the ocean. The edge of the city is on a cliff that gives height and depth to the ocean view. That was unexpected!
We then ate at an amazing Italian restaurant, La Tagliatella, and then headed to see their ancient amplethather that was right off the ocean. I was just trying to imagine what life was like when they were using it. The kids played in the area for a while and we then headed to get gelato and check out one other area before driving back home. Because of the expansive ocean view from the cliff, we got to talking about the movie Titanic and the boys and I decided to watch it in bed when we got home.
Day 48 – Jonah’s Birthday Party
Sunday was Jonah’s Bday party which we organized with two other boys in his grade. In the morning, I went to the gym and then did a 3.5 mile run. We spent the rest of the morning getting ready for the party. It started at 4pm and was at a trampoline park about 8 miles away. There were about 40 kids there, including siblings. It is amazing how quickly you can be in a new community within less than two months of leaving your home.
I spoke to several parents there who were from different countries and they said that one downside to that is that they did not feel they had a home base to go back to. One mother said she is here for one more year; when I asked where she is going next, she said she was not sure. She said on the one hand that is exciting, but on the other hand she misses not having a home base. I understand what she means. Just knowing that we are going back to a loving community in Brooklyn, after our experience here, is such a great feeling.
After the party we came back home, had a sushi dinner and then I fell asleep by 10pm out of exhaustion from a full day.