What would be your definition of a thoroughly enjoyed international experience?  Does it involve visiting a certain amount of countries?  Learning a new language?  Savoring the delicacies from as vast an array of culinary delight as possible?  I suppose these are the questions that have run through my mind as my theoretical (and literal) departure flight from my Europeanly delightful stint is quickly drawing near.  I find that experiences like mine are substantially difficult to quantify with numbers or charts (I need no further motivation to avoid these painful methods of documentation) and instead can best be realized through a sort of nostalgic kaleidoscope of all my overseas experiences, both good and bad, throughout the past five months.
For starters, I can confidently say that my Spanish language think tank has steadily risen at a satisfying rate and has either met or exceeded my pre-conceived expectations before the beginning of my journey (the level mark on the tank was slightly blurry and, hence, difficult to gauge).  As a matter of fact I have found parts of this blog to be more easily communicated in Spanish than my own native tongue, a very positive sign indeed for how much I have grown in the language.  Looking back now I can say that my means and methods for stretching and growing my bilinguistic abilities were sufficiently challenging and effective.  For all those who also desire to take hold of a new language, allow me to share my humble suggestions for you:  (1) switch your cell phone, computer, facebook and e-mail account to the language you are trying to learn.  Doing so will force you to constantly use your new language, regardless of your country of residence, and it will introduce you to very practical and useful terminology in the world of technology.  (2) Don’t be lazy.  In other words, put yourself outside of your comfort zone by seeking social groups, study partners, or clubs which will allow you to use your language in common settings outside of the classroom.  (3) Read a book.  Quit worrying about whether you’re good enough yet, just get the freakin book and read it!  Have a dictionary on hand with a personal notebook for new vocabulary.  Learning a language requires a healthy balance of listening, speaking, reading and writing, so make sure you keep a happy medium.
Enough with the self-help column.
As I was saying earlier, I have chosen to think of my overall experience here in Spain as a kaleidoscope.  Lots of colors, your view is in constant motion, and it’s almost as hypnotizing as watching a bonfire or a waterfall when you’re already about ready to fall asleep (if anyone knows how that last part relates to my analogy, please tell me).  Food was great.  I made an effort to savor at least one morsel from every land in which I visited.  The list includes paella, sangria, Serrano ham, and Spanish tortilla in Spain, potato soup and fresh Guinness in Ireland, haggis in Scotland, bratwurst in Germany, and Norwegian chocolate in…..you guessed it, Norway!  Unfortunately, due to a massive kick to my bank account’s face I was forced to pinch and scrape to make it to Rome, sadly leaving me without the taste of fresh, hot Italian pizza or cold, creamy gelato on my tongue.  But fear not!  My days of adventure are far from over as I am but little more than a mere fifth of the way through my journey toward 100 years of life.
Countries.  Unfortunately the silly European Union has inhibited my dream of a stamp-filled passport with their laxness of passport control (yes, I just looked it up and laxness is a word).  Nevertheless, my little blue adventure booklet is slightly tighter around the waist than when its feet left American soil last year.  To date my travel log includes the following countries:  the beautiful US of A, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, and Norway.  Perhaps a bit weak in comparison to the long list of exemplary world travelers out there, but still a good start for this newbie.
I shall save you the long list of details of the amazing friendships, funny experiences, flat tires, language barriers, and everyday happenings I have encountered.  Needless to say, I can say that it is nothing less than pure joy when I put my kaleidoscope up to my eye and slowly spin the sphere, watching the moments go by that turned into experiences, all cumulating into a beautiful roaring sea of memories and emotions.  To a certain degree I am happy (okay, ecstatic!) to return home to my friends, family, and familiar surroundings.  But I will surely miss the life of mine that has so quickly developed and, now, is so quickly nearing an end.  It’s amazing what can happen in five months, how your views and opinions of the world around you can change, how your appreciation for things outside of your own culture can increase so dramatically, and how your interest in football (that’s soccer to us Americans) can so insanely explode especially when your team (Valencia) makes it to the finals and Barcelona and Real Madrid tie in an unbelievably tight matched game and you know that miracles do happen and that Valencia could potentially find itself in front of thousands of fans face to face with Barcelona, the best football (soccer) team known to man, in the finals of the King’s Cup…!!!!!  I suppose lots of things can change in five months.  And as I hear my departure flight approaching the gate (literally speaking this time), I can’t help but think about how much and in what ways my life will be different from here on out because of my decision to study abroad in Valencia, Spain.  There’s no going back, but the future looks bright.  Especially here in the Mediterranean sun.  So before I conclude this farewell blog post, let me leave you with one final humorous discovery I made of the Spanish language while attempting to translate the typical ending to a fairy tale (you know, the ones that goes “and they all lived happily ever after”):
And they all lived happily,…and ate partridges.

Un ultimo abrazo,
Jake

Greetings friends from the soakingly wonderful green land of Ireland!  I have been looking forward to writing this post and sharing with you the first half of my two week European extravaganza extrordinare!  With the semester just about finished (with the exception of my final French exam) I’ve been able to take some time to stretch out my hands and snag a brief and fleeting touch with more of Europe than just Spain.  So here’s my best effort to give you a brief snapshot of my journey so far…

I must say that I experienced the most unique and culturally mixed holiday season this Christmas.  My friend Rachael, who is currently studying missions in Northern Norway, was able to join me and several other friends on Christmas eve for a delicious cultural smorgasborg.  Dishes ranged from spanish tortilla to almond cheesecake to a delicious Lithuanian fish and vegetable dish.  The sangria was sweet, the conversation hilarious, but most of all the company was warm and hospitable.  I have to admit that I never imagined I would spend Christmas Eve in a mixed group of Americans and Lithuanians in a tiny flat in Valencia, Spain.  But I suppose not much of my life as of lately has been what I would consider “normal”.  The next day consisted of feasting on sweet potato pancakes, opening the amazing gifts from my amazing family, and then frantically dashing through the streets of Valencia in order to just barely make our afternoon bus to Barcelona (Christmas morning.  The drive was relatively uninteresting, with the occasional moderate mountain interrupting the mellow dry, cracked hills of the Spanish landscape.  The Mediterannean remained a close companion to the East as it dipped in and out of sight all the way to the capital city of Catalunia.  We arrived in Barcelona and met up with my friend Michael Raveling and his brother at our hostel.  The next two days were a frantic dash of rapid touristic activity as we did our best to visit and experience the highlights of the city with such tight time and money restrictions.  We calculated the total distance we walked to be approximately ten miles in just the first day.  My feet been bitterly resentful towards me since that day (we’re in the process of working things out).  Highlights of the city include seeing Gaudi’s most noteworthy works, most notable being the Sagrada Familia, visiting the towering Castle Montjuic in it’s precarious position overhanging the sea, checking out the Olympic Stadium from the 1992 summer games, and having my mind blown from the breathtaking views from the foresty area on the northern end of the city.  I also rode a lion and a dragon… that may or may not have been made of iron and clay tile.  On the 28th Michael, Rachael and I rudely interrupted our sleep at a quite ungodly hour to make our flight to Dublin, Ireland.  There was no mistaking this awe-inspiring country as we flew over the green covered mass of land and all of it’s majestic fauna and flora.  Thankfully, we found the city to be much smaller than Barcelona, allowing us to adequately explore many of the main attractions and sites on the first day.  It was so refreshing to see the starkly different motifs of the Irish culture, such as the gray, stone building material in all of the towering churches, the cozy brick houses that lined the Temple Bar part of downtown Dublin, and the lush and flowering gardens.  Most importantly, I believe I have discovered that Ireland is the true name of the long lost place known as “the other side”.  We have always known that the grass is always greener in this mystical place called “the other side”, and now I know where that place really is.  If you can conjure up every preconceived image you have of Ireland, all the pictures of gray, drizzly skies, sheep filled pastures intersected by short, stone walls, and warm, cheerful pubs overflowing with pints of Guinness, you’re pretty close to the reality.  The scenery (when you can see it through the haze) is breathtakingly beautiful, the food is warm, “potatoey”, and delicious, and you’re never short a smile from the locals.  After our first day in Dublin we took a bus and traveled across the country to the West Coast, where we are currently staying in a little town known as Galway.  The West Coast is famous for it’s jagged cliffs and inspirational costal beauty (many an author have found inspiration in this rolling landscape).  Yesterday we toured down the coastline where we beheld ancient medieval castles, countless sheep, and beautiful cliffs, the most majestic of which, unfortunately, being covered by a thick blanket of gray, wet fog.

Today is our rest day, as we are slightly exhausted from all of the excitement and adventure we have experienced over the past week.  Tonight we will return to Dublin where we welcome in the New Year with a firm handshake in one hand and a pint in the other.  But regardless of where you are for the festivities, may they find you already fulfilling your life’s dreams and goals, with little need for a commercialized holiday to commit to fulfilling some unattainable objective.  God Bless my fellow lads and lassies!

Jake

My break has officially begun.  Yes, no more classes, no more assignments or projects to turn in, no more tests (well, just one more French test in January), and no more dealing with the disfunctionalism of the Spanish educational system!!!  Life continues to delight me in so many ways, a wonderful surprise which I hope to continue as long as possible.  One of the highlights of my time, surprisingly, has been the compliments I have received from several friends on how my spanish has improved, which reminded me of the subtle yet fluid aspects of this life.  Though we may feel as if our life is stagnant, boring, or simply uneventful (although I can assure you this statement is not a reflection of my view upon my life as of lately), so many things in our own worlds are always changing and fluctuating, subtly flowing with the tides of time.  I certainly can’t point out to you a precise moment over the past four months in which I can say “that’s the moment when my Spanish improved” or “that’s definitely the minute I finally understood European culture”.  Enough said.

My life lately.  Wonderful.  Travel.  I managed to sneak a three day trip into the beautiful city of Munich (München), where my good friend Carter and I plunged into the heart of Bavarian culture and all of it’s history, tradition and atmosphere.  Everything from breakfast at the hostel to climbing the church bell tower that overlooked the city was fascinating, confirming everything I had ever imagined about Germany.  The people there are so friendly and hospitable, and nearly all of them speak close to perfect English.  This is representative of the high degree of excellence they expect from just about every part of life.  Our time at the Haufbrau House was delightful.  It was as if someone had filled a giant cauldron full of German laughter, lederhosens, and brass music and then invited us to plunge into the fun.  Except it was a pitcher instead of a caludron.  And it was full of beer.  The Haufbrau House is the most famous beer haus in Munich and now I can see why.  The place was teeming with life and you couldn’t help but leave with a smile and a new friend.  It was so refreshing to see such a joyful environment with a beer mug in everyone’s hand WITHOUT the obnoxiously sad traces of the chronic colle kid love affair with drunkedness and everything associated with this particular scene.  I felt at home in such a warm environment, and could picture the many differences I would experience in my life if I were to live in such a place.  On the final day of our trip we took a sombering tour to the Dachau concentration camp, a emotionally thick and turbulent graveyard with thousands upon thousands of reasons why we must never turn an ignorant eye to the past atrocities of mankind.  The empty bunks, open courtyards and ominous showers were far less entertaining than the mugs of beer we had held in our hand just the other night, yet their power and tenacity were far more moving than the latter.  I left that place feeling just a trace of the life that was gouged from the face of the earth, but only what was emotionally possible for someone who had never lived through such a ghastly period in the world’s history.

On a lighter note, I am eagerly looking forward to my upcoming plans for the holiday.  In just four days my friend Rachael and I will venture North to the Catalunian capital of Barcelona to celebrate Christmas day with my good friend Michael Raveling.  After three days in Barcelona, we will traverse across the Atlantic to partake in the New Year’s festivities in the green paradise of Ireland.  Following Dublin, I will skip across to Scotland for a quick two days, leap over to Norway for a quick jaunt, before bounding back to my current home of Valencia.  Blessings abounding, and I again find myself behind the wheel of this machine I call my life.  My helmet is on, goggles are up, and my oxygen tank is securely fastened nearby in case of excitement overload.  Friends, this is a wonderful life.

Un abrazo,

Jake

For those of you who do not speak Spanish, let me say that the title of this blog has come to be one of my favorite parts of the entire Spanish culture.  If I were to sum up Spain in three words…well, I guess I just did.  “No pasa nada” is more than just a phrase here in Spain, it is a way of life.  The simple translation is “no worries”.  What a way to live life, free from the self-imposed worry and stress that our hustle-and-bustle lives have created!  I think we can all agree that life moves fast enough on it’s own.  That

said, I don’t believe there is any need for us to continually inject it with the steroids of faster living and increased activities, nor stuff it’s mouth with the over-caffeinated energy pills of more obligations and “bigger and better plans for our lives”.  It’s an id

eology that I truly believe could save thousands of hairs from being pulled out of the heads of those stuck in a never ending limbo of hustle and bustle, noise and racket.

Now let me tell you how much I HAVEN’T applied this to my life lately.

Life has been crazy the past couple of weeks, and it doesn’t show any sign of slowing down any time soon.  Due dates, cultural excursions, and classes have completely saturated my schedule.  It’s as if I spilled a liter of insanity on my planner and now everything in my life is completely soaked!  Ay, I think I need some time to air out a bit (don’t worry, I ce

rtainly have not forgotten about Christmas break).  To save you the pain of wading through the mess of my scholastic life as of lately, allow me to leap over that part and skip to the fun parts:  Andalucia.  As you discovered in my last blog, I have fallen hopelessy and madly in love with Southern Spain.  My time in Sevilla was amazing, as I already told you, and my excursion with the study abroad group was equally if not more awesome!  We took a group of 150 people (the first and most likely the LAST time I will EVER travel in a grou

p that big) on a four day extravaganza down to the Souther province of Spain, Andalucia.  There we visited five amazing cities, in rapid succession.  Our first day took us to the city of Granada, home of the amazing architectural and historical landmark known as Alhambra.  Alhambra is an ancient Arabic medieval palace, the only one of its kind to have survived to this day.  It was once one of the richest cities in all of medieval Europe and was the parchment on which was written one of Spain’s deciding historical chapters.  I coul

d go on an on about the magic of this place, but I suppose the pictures will have to suffice.  After Granada, we went to Cordoba, home of one of the most beautiful pieces of Arabic architecture in all of Spain, Mezquita.  This ancient muslim mosque is filled with beautiful golden mosaics and countless rows of stone columns crowned with red and white horseshoe arches.  As my travel guide to Spain put it, it’s hard to exaggerate the beauty of this place.  After Cordoba, we made a quick day trip to the British province of Gibralt

ar.  Gibraltar is a fascinating place for so many reasons, the primary one being the monkeys.  Yes, monkeys.  380 to be exact, last time they counted.  The province is right at the tip of Africa and the only entrance to the Mediterannean from the Atlantic Ocean.  When we arrived, it was raining quite hard (I suppose it felt a bit like Britain), but t

hat didn’t stop us from enjoying the amazing bus tour around the city.  Except for the unpleasant exchange rate (they use the British pound), everything about Gibraltar was amazing.  Now I can say I’ve had a  monkey on my shoulder and that I could “just about touch Africa” (see picture below).  After Gibraltar, our caravan of foreigners traveled to the city of Cordoba, home of the Muslim mosque known as Mezquite.  After Cordoba, we went to Malaga and then Jael, arriving safely back in Valencia that Sunday night.  And

that’s the short version.

As I’m righting this blog I can hear the quiet dripping of the infrequent visitor to Val

encia known as “rain”.  The weather has been fairly good lately, with a few days of

rain but mostly sunny and cool, what one would expect from the Fall season in a Mediterranean climate.  In just two days I will be heading to Munich for a few days with a friend, where (prepare to be jealous) we’ll get to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in c

oncert.  Yep, you read correctly.  I’m so looking forward to seeing a bit of German culture, checking out the open air markets in the city (which I’ve heard are amazi

ng, especially in Christmas time), and of course enjoying an ice cold German beer in Germany.  I’m not sure how yet, but I know that somehow I’ll manage to finish all of my work in spite of my galavanting around the world.

Well, I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for this edition.  You’ve been a wonderful audience!

And remember:  No pasa nada.

Jake

Deadlines.  Cathedrals.  Gasoline.  Chicken Spinach Alfredo Pasta.  Christmas.  Being Sick.  Madre mia, there’s been a lot going on the past couple of weeks, and  I must admit it’s made me feel a bit like Charlie Sheen:  “I have one speed, I have one gear: Go!”  Somehow I’ve got to figure out how to gather up all of my scattered experiences and shove them all (in a creative and orderly fashion of course) into one post.  Why am I not getting paid for this….?

To begin with, last week I was privileged to travel to Seville, Spain with my friend Carter.  Thanks to RyanAir’s Mercedes quality and Wal-Mart price, we were able to go for next to nothing.  Seville is in the province of Andalucia, the southern most part of the country, and just a mere 40 minute flight from my lovely home base of Valencia.  The morning we left our prospects were not looking too good.  The drizzling rain seemed to foreshadow a cold and gloomy excursion down South, yet we surprisingly found ourselves in beaming rays of sun by the time we started out on our morning tour of the city.  The hostel we stayed at was amazing and gave two free daily walking tours of the city, both of which we attended on Thursday.  By the end of the second tour I felt like my knowledge and appreciation of Spanish history and culture had doubled in mass and I found myself breathless at the depth of what lay all around me.  The Catedral de Seville would have been worth the price of the entire trip alone.

The poor structure has been tossed and turned, twisted and flipped around so many times I’m sure it doesn’t even know what it is anymore.  It was originally built as a Christian cathedral on top of ancient Roman ruins (remember this fact), before the Moorish invasion.  After the Muslims took over the city, they decided that instead of tearing it down they would simply turn it into a mosque.  Hence the Arabic inscriptions and other architectural motifs.  However, what’s worth noting is the structural genius of the enormous tower (at the time of construction the tallest in the world).  When an earthquake shook the city after the Christians were again in power, most of the cathedral was destroyed, save the tower.  The reason?  Just as all modern day skyscraper foundations are built with absorptive capabilities (aka:  they jiggle and jive when the ground shakes), so the Roman ruins below acted as a shock absorber for the tower.  So thanks to Rome I was able to climb 150 ft. to the highest point in Seville to receive a miracle of a view of the city.  Breathtaking.  Some other quick interesting facts I digested:  Columbus left Spain from Seville, much of the Spanish Inquisition took place in Seville, Columbus might have been Jewish, and Napoleon wasn’t as short as people say he was.  There you have it.
Upon returning to Valencia in slightly less than perfect health, I threw myself back into my design project, working furiously from Sunday till Wednesday night, seemingly without stopping.  With other deadlines and test dates looming on the horizon, my academic activities have been rather full and fast-paced.  But fear not, for Christmas is near!  At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself to try to make it through my workload.  I know it’s really not that close but I just made my plans for the break and now my mind is unable to focus on anything but vacation!  (As if studying abroad isn’t a vacation in and of itself).  But as we are on the topic of Christmas (did I mention how excited I am about Christmas?), I am happy to share with you that I will be joining two friends on the most amazing journey of epic porportions to DUBLIN!!!  Oh green, celtic, sheep covered land, how I long to see you.  But before that we will meet up in Barcelona on Christmas day to celebrate for a few days, before commencing our post-Christmas plans.  And after that who knows?  Rome?  Paris?  Munich?  The world is at my fingertips (well, at least all of the world with a RyanAir connection).

Scaling it down a bit, I’ve had some great joys in many of the smaller things going on in my life as well.  This week I learned how to make chicken spinach alfredo pasta, of course with garlic mashed potatoes on the side.  Unfortunately it seems that no one here has even tased alfredo pasta, not even my Italian classmate.  Not even my friend ALFREDO!  But even if I am the only person in Spain to have ever tasted this dish, I will delight in every bite until the pot is bone dry.  Another major win for me has been finding clients for English lessons.  At this point I have two people, one whom I sit and listen to for a half hour, occasionally correcting and at times discussing work-related dialogue.  10 euros.  Bam.  Starting this Saturday I will begin to be paid for playing with two little niños for an hour and a half, speaking in English of course.  15 euros.  Shazam!  See, it’s easy to earn money while studying abroad in a foreign country!
I’m the type of person that needs a lot of alone time to reflect upon and process all of the information that I face.  Often times it’s while riding my bike next to the onion fields and irrigation channels on my way back to my flat, or as I am walking along the tiled sidewalks in the gleaming sunshine on my way back to my hostel.  Me, myself and I have many a good talk, and I often come away with a new perspective on some aspect of life.  This past week, as I was walking throughout Seville, admiring it for all it’s beauty, I walked past a group of construction workers at a job site.  As the sight of the dirty, sweaty men hit my eyes and the smell of diesel smoke from their machines entered my nostrils, it was as if I was briefly jolted back to some sense of reality which I have been living apart from for so long.  And I remembered then that the experiences I have been blessed to have lately, the travelling, exploring, sight-seeing, and sun-soaking, are incredibly precious and rare, so much so that I began to feel the guilt from having taken them for granted.  So while I am enjoying my stay on cloud nine, admiring the view from above of all the hardships and toils of the lives of the majority of the people below, I will work diligently to hold on to the threads of reality and not lose sight of how incredibly blessed I am.  I will remember of what real life smells, of onions and diesel smoke.

I have a confession to make: my life has been very normal the past couple of weeks.  Well, as normal as it can be given the fact I’m studying architecture in a foreign country all while enjoying the beautiful, sunny Fall weather.  When I say Fall, I mean cool breezes that make you want to breathe in as much air as your lungs can possibly handle and brightly colored crispy leaves on the sidewalk that provide endless entertainment when you ride your bike over them and the sun shining on your shoulders (though it is now slightly later in the morning and always goes to bed early).  Yeah, fall.  Remember that word fellow Montanans?  It’s been a long time since I’ve been privileged to enjoy this blessed quarter of the year, as Montana seems to have missed the memo that the autumn season should typically last more than one week.  All of this enjoyment has become my life’s training ground, a perfect opportunity to continue in my quest in learning to appreciate each and every moment that God so graciously gives me.  Thankfully I have had many of these moments lately.

Accomplishments:  I am now convinced that I am improving my Spanish.  Yes, at  times I did despair that I would never be able to understand this Latin language, and I feared I would be doomed to stare dumbly and mutter a quiet “Si, si” throughout all of my conversation.  Though my acting skills would certainly have improved, I can’t say that has ever been a goal of mine for my time here in Spain.  Rather, I have begun to be more comfortable in my conversations with native Spaniards.  I still laugh with them as I am sometimes forced to ask them several times to repeat their statement or question, yet the frequency of these moments is notably diminishing.  Just today two Spaniards asked me for directions in the school and I, beaming with pride and delight, confidently told them that the next staircase would indeed take them outside.  I’m certain they were awestruck with my ability to understand such an intricate request and then respond in such a clear and intelligent manner.

Work in Progress:  Oh salsa dance moves, why do you elude me?  My intention is certainly not to flatter myself, but I truly believe that I have some form of dancing ability.  Unfortunately I have not done a good job of demonstrating that to anyone at The Tucan Bar on Tuesday nights.  I went again a couple of nights ago, sure that my breakthrough in salsa dancing was looming upon the horizon, and that I would no longer fear that I would look down and find that I truly do have two left feet.  The horizon is a little wider than I anticipated.  I fear I must resort to practicing with youtube videos if I am ever to attain any level of comfort and ease out on the dance floor here.  Thankfully my desire to conquer the dance known as salsa outweighs my desire to keep my dignity.  As I think upon Montana, I must draw upon the inspiration of our great state’s motto:  Git’ er done.

In terms of my studies, my workload has certainly increased (to my fellow archies out there, it’s still nothing compared to MSU’s work load).  I am really enjoying my projects, which range from a wine store/cave exhibit to a comparative analysis of the city of Valencia with two cities in Colombia.  I’ve found myself forced to pick up some degree of study habits and self-discipline once again, which I know is truly best.  In less than one week I will be in the city of Sevilla with a friend, gazing upon the Alcazar, the palacio de Don Pedro, and numerous other amazing sights.  Sorry homework, but you can plan on being ignored for those three days.  I am beginning to adjust to the fact that promptness should almost never be expected, that one must be able to flow with the tide in order to best take advantage of the opportunity to learn in each class.

In my free time (not as much as I’d like lately) I’ve been enjoying reading The Heavenly Man, a book about a Chinese man who radically spread the message of Jesus Christ all over his country during a time of intense religious persecution.  And it’s in Spanish.  I’ve also been working on a drawing of a beautiful old monastery nearby that was converted into a library.  One more session and I should be near completion.  And of course I’ve been enjoying the company of friends on the weekends by hanging out, watching movies, doing beach evangelism, etc.

In summary, folks, life is good.  May I encourage you once again to stop and be reminded of the beauty which each moment holds in life for each and every one of us.  So go and try new things, ask hard questions, smell the flowers, and never wait to dive into the riches of life God has blessed us with.

Un Salud,

Jacobo

Over the past month or so that I’ve been blogging, I’ve done my best to try to relate to you my experiences, my struggles, and my excitement while on my Journey of Spanish Awesomeness.  But sometimes, like this morning, I find myself in a place nearly too incredible for words.  As I was walking back to my flat from my French class this morning, basking in the glorious Mediterrannean sun while listening to Latino dance music, I felt so alive and free that I didn’t know if I could even begin to describe it in words.  However, I promise to you that I will do my very best to tune your senses to the highlights of my life lately here in Valencia.  Here goes…

On Sunday the province of Valencia celebrated el Dia de la Comunidad Valenciana, a festival that has something to do with the Moorish and Christian influence in Valencia as well as Valencia’s rich, unique heritage.  The streets were filled with men, women and children, all awaiting the fireworks to come.  Actually it was more like what you would expect to hear during World War III all packed into one city plaza and all in 5 minutes.  I think my eardrums are still resentful toward me because of what I put them through.  But it almost reminded me of the 4th of July (but not quite; we still win in the patriotic field).  Everywhere I looked the streets were filled with the red, yellow and blue colors of the Valencian flag, some new and crisp while others proudly showed the love and pride of many a year.  As in several other Spanish communities, the people of Valencia are fiercely protective of their individual heritage and culture that often goes unnoticed to many under the umbrella of the Spanish nation.

Tomorrow Spain celebrates el Dia de la Hispanitat, a celebration of Columbus’s discovery of the Americas (anyone looking for a reason to skip work or school, you need not look further).  So I plan to fill my class-free day tomorrow with a little extra sleep (which will be much needed after salsa dancing tonight), a visit to the incredible Biblioteca Valenciana, a cooking lesson in which I will learn how to make paella, and a friend’s birthday party to top it off.  If there’s one thing Spain knows how to do well, it’s celebrating.

My spanish language ability has steadily been improving, though not in the manner I had initially expected it to.  For some reason, I first had an image in my mind of what the process would be like.  It looked like a nice little container, like an oil tank, which would carry all of my “language liquid”.  The gauge in the front would accurately inform me of my current status, my progress, and when I could expect to be completely full to the brim.  The act of learning would be as simple as cracking open a quart of oil and steadily pouring it into the tank.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  There is no clear gauge to give me a hard measurement of the amount of language improvement I have ingested, and there is no set capacity in which I will be completely learned in the Spanish language.  Instead, I have found that it is more like training for a marathon.  Every time I run, I still struggle and find myself fighting to the very end.  Sometimes, it seems never ending, but then i look back at my initial time and compare it to my current and I realize I have a new Personal Best!  And so I continue on in my training, knowing that every time I accidentally turn a “let’s hang out” into a “wanna hook up?” brings me that much closer to mastering the language.

A friend and I are making a trip to Seville, Spain at the beginning of next month, which I’m really looking forward to!  Seville is in Andalucia, southern Spain, which is where all of the traditional spanish culture resides.  I’m sure I’ll have plenty to write about after that.

Last week my design studio class took a field trip to our project site, a town called Requena.  Our project for the semester is to design a winery in an existing building.  But the cool part is that there’s a FREAKING CAVE BELOW!!!!  I can’t say I’ve ever designed in a cave, so this an awesome opportunity to expand my architectural horizons.

Well, class is calling now.  Get to go learn about how three rivers in Valencia and Columbia helped form the city.  As I leave, let me throw some wisdom your way:  Don’t wait for a world-class, high cost trip or adventure to make your life memorable.  Enjoy each moment and you’ll have a lifetime full of world-class experiences.  Hasta luego amigos.

Jacobo