One Month

(Ally) I can't believe that in just one short month, my parents and I will be out and about in London-town.  It seems like ages since we bought our plane tickets, but now only 30-some days stand between me and my international home away from home.

However, I would be lying if I said I was most looking forward to my return to London.  Anyone who knows me (and even people who don't know me particularly well) knows that I am obsessed with all things Spain and all things Barcelona.  Unlike my parents, I've been to Barcelona before.  It was in November of 2008, while I was studying abroad in London.  I spent a pretty awesome two and a half days in Barca, gallivanting around with my friends Alex and Natalie.  But we didn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the great things Barcelona has to offer.

Ever since that three-day weekend in '08, I started compiling a list in my head of all the things I wanted to do if I ever got back to Barcelona.  Easily topping that list was to see FC Barcelona play at their home stadium, The Camp Nou.  What can be better for any soccer fan than to see the world's best soccer team play in one of the largest, most storied soccer stadia on the planet?  Answer: nothing.

Well, come September 23rd, I'll get to cross that off my list.  In all honesty, I can say that I have never been more excited about anything than I am about seeing FCB play in the Camp Nou.  This game will most likely top my college graduation, my high school graduation, even the day I found out I got a job in my field of study as my greatest life moment.  That's how amped I am for this game.  I might even cry upon arrival to the stadium's gates.

Obviously, Barcelona can't have all the soccer fun.  In the next few weeks, my parents and I need to figure out which soccer game we want to attend while in England.  Our easiest options would be to go see one of the bigger London clubs (ie Arsenal, Chelsea).  We figured it would be easier to find tickets at a 60,000 seat Stamford Bridge or Emirates than to find one at a 18,000 seat Craven Cottage (for those not versed in EPL stadia, that's where Clint Dempsey's team Fulham plays).

Old Trafford

Now while it would be awesome to see Chelsea at the Bridge again (I've seen them twice, my dad once) or to go see Arsenal get their ass pummeled at the Emirates, there's only one place to go to see soccer in England - Manchester United's Old Trafford.

Again, anyone who knows me knows that I have an illogical hatred of Man U.  But if this European vacation is doubling as a familial soccer pilgrimage, there's no way we can miss out at a chance to see a game at one of the most iconic sports venues in the entire world.  You just can't!  Hopefully we can get our hands on some tickets. 

But until that time, I just need to get through one month -- 21 work days, 9 weekend days.  Let's just hope I can hold out that long.