I cannot believe that we have been in Valencia, Spain for over a week now. This past week and a half has been surreal in the sights, foods, and experiences. The sheer amount of things we have accomplished in such a short time is amazing. From the moment we stepped off of the bus into Valencia, I knew my life would never be the same. I would meet new people, eat new foods, and learn to love a whole new way of life. Our host mom (we call her mami or mama) was there to greet us as soon as we arrived. She has been like a mother to us in this new and unknown place.She feeds us meals filled with new flavors and different spices. She always greets us with a smile, and is proud of her artwork all over our cozy home.
We have spent a lot of time seeing the beautiful city of Valencia and trying all sorts of new things. We took a walking tour of old Valencia, and a bike tour straight through the heart of the city. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. We have also had a wonderful opportunity to travel outside of the city to a Paella cooking class. What we thought was going to be just a lesson on what ingredients to include or what temperature to cook it at, instead what we got was a whole different experience! We had to go into the fields and pick our vegetables for the meal, (with help from the wonderful Tony) and learn what really goes into the Paella. Tony was very proud of his farm and establishment, and it was an eye opening experience to see that part of Spain.
Along with all of the amazing fun stuff, we have also been working hard volunteering. We helped at Feria de Primavera, which is a festival that they have every year to raise awareness and support for different mental disabilities. We worked in groups at different stations Saturday and Sunday. When working at the bouncy houses collecting tickets, I talked to all different kinds of people trying to practice my Spanish. In speaking to new people I learned all about Spain and its cultures. On Sunday when I worked at the zip line station, I got to work with little kids and practice a whole different set of skills. The weekend was exhausting but I think my Spanish has improved a little bit, and I know that my cultural skills have improved immensely.
From volunteering, to class time, and other fun and exciting new things, I am filled to the brim with new information and am excited to see what more there is to experience!
