This week, I fell in love. With Valencia, with my host family, with mis amigos nuevos, with Peñíscola and with Spain… todos son magnificos.
El viaje:
Our first flight from Raleigh to Atlanta went smoothly, but right after we landed, it started pouring rain. The storm only delayed us about 20 minutes, but the flight from Atlanta to Paris must have been longer than expected because the second we landed in Charles de Gaulle, we had to rush through customs to make our connecting flight (which was conveniently on the other side of the airport) within 40 minutes. By some miracle, we had all made it onto the flight from Paris to Valencia. But then we got to the baggage claim, and that’s where our luck ran out. Not a single one of us received our luggage that day. Fortunately, the airport was kind enough to deliver our bags to our houses the next day. We heard that past groups had to wait more than a week to receive their lost baggage, so even our bad luck wasn’t so bad.
Comida y casa:
Three flights and 22 hours later, we arrived in Valencia on June 25 around 1:30 p.m.—just in time for comida, which is the biggest meal of the day in Spanish culture and is usually consumed between 2 – 3 p.m. Our first comida was a dish of bowtie pasta with olive oil, ham, eggs and tuna. I’m not a very picky eater, so I haven’t had a problem with any of the food here—although some dishes are much better than others. However, I know some people in my group are having a hard time because they are picky or they have a lot of allergies. At mi casa, mi madre makes a lot of meals with ham, pasta and bread. We haven’t had very many vegetables. Fruit is usually offered as a dessert, but by that point I usually can’t eat another bite. Spaniards sure do love their ham and carbs, so it’s a good thing I’ve been walking about 10 miles per day.
After comida, it’s typical to take a siesta. On that first day, after all that traveling, I think I “siesta’d” for three hours. I noticed some stores list separate hours por la manana and por la tarde because they are closed for comida y siesta from about 2 – 4 p.m.
I have a housemate here, which helps me feel a bit less like a fish out of water. Our house mom and her 22-year-old daughter have been very patient with our very broken Spanish. My Spanish is improving with every meal we eat together, and I think I have perfected the art of Spanish circumlocution. They also go to the trouble of making our beds every day, doing our laundry and washing our dishes, despite our offers to help. I don’t have any complaints about mi famillia. They have been so gracious.
Our first excursion:
We took a bus to Peñíscola on Saturday, just a day and a half after we arrived in Valencia. I had seen pictures of Peñíscola before our excursion there, but pictures can’t do it justice. I’ve visited plenty of beautiful beaches, but none with a castle on the water or with a view like this one. I only wish we had a guide to walk us through el Castillo del Papa Luna so we could learn more about its history. The community located right next to the castle was straight from my dreams. That is to say, it looked like a crossover between scenes from “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
Escuela:
School started June 29. I am taking two classes worth three credit hours each. The classes are two hours long, lasting from 8:30 a.m. until 12:40 p.m. The first is an upper level Spanish language class in which we study grammar and vocabulary. The second is Spanish Culture and Civilization. Both are interesting and the professors (who are both from Spain) are great. The classes are taught entirely in Spanish, and it is forbidden to speak English in the institute. This has already helped me improve my listening and speaking skills. Learning the history of Spain in Spanish is more difficult than I thought it would be—but I think the struggle to understand is part of the learning experience.
Overall:
As a relatively shy person, the idea of going to a different country with a bunch of strangers was pretty scary. But so far I’ve gotten along with everyone on this trip. Something about being in a different country and struggling to understand and speak the language really brings people together.
I have yet to try paella, nor have I had very many tapas or eaten a Valencia orange. I’m still learning to live like a Spaniard. With every day I spend in this beautiful country, I continue to learn more, and I am so grateful for this experience.
Megan Ellisor is a rising senior at NC State University in Raleigh, North carolina. She studies communication, works at both the school newspaper and Pack for a Purpose, loves chocolate, and thoroughly enjoys siestas.
El Camino de Felicidad 