By Charis Gozzo Abroad writer
My phone’s alarm went off insistently next to me and I quickly moved to shut it off before I woke the other girls in the room.
Do I really need to go? I asked myself, my eyes shut tight. Someone else’s alarm went off softly to my right, followed by the shuffling of blankets. I grudgingly pulled myself out of bed and gingerly stepped down the ladder, my ankles cracking painfully and loudly.
Our beautiful balcony view of the Barcelona streets was obscured by darkness. Methodically, I brushed my teeth, pulled on clothes and made my way downstairs to meet up with the few other people who thought watching the sunrise was a brilliant idea last night.
Zombie-like, we shambled to a bus stop. When we got off, we made our way toward the beach, navigating our way through abandoned shadowy streets. We walked past signs that clearly said not to pass them and came to the end of a jetty overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Did we miss it? 7:39 a.m. Two more minutes. We looked doubtfully over the sea, where the cloudy sky meets the gray water, and wondered if it was too cloudy see anything.
Finally, we saw wisps of pink clouds and hints of yellow. Slowly and then all at once the sun was emerging above the horizon and out from behind the clouds. The waves rhythmically broke against the rocks beneath my feet, churning and foaming before they were sucked back out to sea.
It was cold, but I had a scarf wrapped snuggly around my neck. I’m 4,002 miles from home, but I have two of my best friends next to me. In a country dominated by Spanish, I’m learning more and more.
Stronger rays of orange and gold pierced through the clouds and were reflected by the flat, unchanging sea. Over and over and over the waves crashed against the bulkhead.
Why did God create something so beautiful at such an inconvenient time of day? I think we have to live intentionally.
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