"Que tal?" This phrase is Spanish for our equivalent Texas greeting of "How´s it going?" This is the first expression I came across in Valencia, España that I was not entirely sure how to respond to. My first language as a child was Spanish. I know what you must be thinking... How is it that you were unsure of a response to something as simple as a greeting?! I know because that is EXACTLY what I was thinking to myself when I found the expression so puzzling. You see, I come from a Mexican American household where my mother required my siblings and I to speak Spanish to her because she knew that being bilingual is an asset. I thank her for doing so because after living in an English speaking country for so long it would have been easy to forget Spanish.
Language & Communication.
The Spanish of Mexico is different in pronunciation, tone, tempo, sometimes even in definition! Therefore, being in Spain has been a culture shock even to the way I speak Spanish. The first order of business of our stay in Valencia is a perfect example. Upon arrival, Dr. Yazdani (our program coordinator) wanted to pre-purchase public transportation tickets so that we would not have to pay out of pocket during our stay. We walked to the nearest metro station, found the station attendant behind a glass window counter and I asked "Puedo comprar boletos para el Tram aqui?" Key word being "boletos" which in Mexico is "tickets". The attendant looked at me puzzled and asked "Quieres decir billetes?". Asking me if I meant to say "billetes". (See Below for a visual of the "famosisimos billetes!").
False friend ALERT. Billetes in Mexico means "money bills", so I was just as confused as they were. After some perseverance, I was able to get my point across. My confidence was a little shot because of the first attempt, but with some help from my roommates and coordinator, they reminded me I was still a step ahead and should keep trying.
Sights.
On the very first day of our arrival, Ana Barella, a very friendly AIDICO staff member, drove us to our flats. It was a drive across the city of Valencia and to our flat in Benimaclet. My eyes were in awe of the city. My heart was ready to beat out of my heart and I could not stop smiling. Simply driving through the breath-taking streets, catching fast glimpses of so many types of architecture was a dream come true. Valencia is rich in natural scenery. The country side is vibrant with green life, romantic homes, and sprouting agriculture all layed out on gentle hills of green. Below is a photo of the sight looking out from Ana's family's country home on a Sunday evening:
People & Way of Life.
For the first week of my stay in Valencia, my favorite thing to do was people watch. Observing them made me realize that the pace of life here is no faster and no slower than back home, it is simply a different rhythm. The rhythm of their words and mannerisms is certainly different.
The first week, trying to fall asleep after some jetlag, the excitement, and a new bed was simply not happening. Add to that, the hustle and bustle of Benimaclet that lasts from 11 pm to anywhere between 3 am and 5 am. Maybe it is due to their late dinner hours, but the night life is an essential part of the city.... Everyday. There are no such thing as weekends! Something I've noticed about the people of Valencia is the fluidity in their conversation. Conversation is a culture here. Strangers don't seem like strangers since everyone says "Hola!". People don't go to dinner for the eating, they go for the talking. The restaurants, called "Bars", here are not at all like the bars in Dallas, Texas. The customers order drinks and then engage in conversation for hours. One time last week, Kavitha and I walked to a cute little cafe called "La Villa es Bella" and ordered some dessert. There were 5 large families already eating and talking when we got there. We sat and talked for over an hour since we had some down time. Between our arrival and until the time we left the same people had not finished their dinner and were engaged in even deeper conversation. It was interesting to continue to see that it is a norm here in Valencia! The families seem to be closer in distance and that gives the city a familiar environment wherever you walk. Picture below shows the afternoon walk Kavitha and I loved, filled with cute neighborhoods and a beautiful church:
My favorite part of the culture here in Valencia is how connected people are to each other. It is a beautiful sight to see that local shops are essential to daily life. Getting from one place to another, even when simply walking, consists of several interactions along the way. And although customer service has the lower rating, it is at least more personal (even when they are snapping at you for being a silly foreigner, haha!). And the favorite of favorites: there is not a need to drive at all to live! The beach is only a walk away. Grocery shopping is around the corner. And public transportation reaches all corners of the city. That is the such a big difference from living in the city of Dallas, Texas! The picture below I also took last week, a perfect visual of the house to vehicle ratio! :)
Language & Communication.
The Spanish of Mexico is different in pronunciation, tone, tempo, sometimes even in definition! Therefore, being in Spain has been a culture shock even to the way I speak Spanish. The first order of business of our stay in Valencia is a perfect example. Upon arrival, Dr. Yazdani (our program coordinator) wanted to pre-purchase public transportation tickets so that we would not have to pay out of pocket during our stay. We walked to the nearest metro station, found the station attendant behind a glass window counter and I asked "Puedo comprar boletos para el Tram aqui?" Key word being "boletos" which in Mexico is "tickets". The attendant looked at me puzzled and asked "Quieres decir billetes?". Asking me if I meant to say "billetes". (See Below for a visual of the "famosisimos billetes!").
Sights.
On the very first day of our arrival, Ana Barella, a very friendly AIDICO staff member, drove us to our flats. It was a drive across the city of Valencia and to our flat in Benimaclet. My eyes were in awe of the city. My heart was ready to beat out of my heart and I could not stop smiling. Simply driving through the breath-taking streets, catching fast glimpses of so many types of architecture was a dream come true. Valencia is rich in natural scenery. The country side is vibrant with green life, romantic homes, and sprouting agriculture all layed out on gentle hills of green. Below is a photo of the sight looking out from Ana's family's country home on a Sunday evening:
People & Way of Life.
For the first week of my stay in Valencia, my favorite thing to do was people watch. Observing them made me realize that the pace of life here is no faster and no slower than back home, it is simply a different rhythm. The rhythm of their words and mannerisms is certainly different.
The first week, trying to fall asleep after some jetlag, the excitement, and a new bed was simply not happening. Add to that, the hustle and bustle of Benimaclet that lasts from 11 pm to anywhere between 3 am and 5 am. Maybe it is due to their late dinner hours, but the night life is an essential part of the city.... Everyday. There are no such thing as weekends! Something I've noticed about the people of Valencia is the fluidity in their conversation. Conversation is a culture here. Strangers don't seem like strangers since everyone says "Hola!". People don't go to dinner for the eating, they go for the talking. The restaurants, called "Bars", here are not at all like the bars in Dallas, Texas. The customers order drinks and then engage in conversation for hours. One time last week, Kavitha and I walked to a cute little cafe called "La Villa es Bella" and ordered some dessert. There were 5 large families already eating and talking when we got there. We sat and talked for over an hour since we had some down time. Between our arrival and until the time we left the same people had not finished their dinner and were engaged in even deeper conversation. It was interesting to continue to see that it is a norm here in Valencia! The families seem to be closer in distance and that gives the city a familiar environment wherever you walk. Picture below shows the afternoon walk Kavitha and I loved, filled with cute neighborhoods and a beautiful church:
My favorite part of the culture here in Valencia is how connected people are to each other. It is a beautiful sight to see that local shops are essential to daily life. Getting from one place to another, even when simply walking, consists of several interactions along the way. And although customer service has the lower rating, it is at least more personal (even when they are snapping at you for being a silly foreigner, haha!). And the favorite of favorites: there is not a need to drive at all to live! The beach is only a walk away. Grocery shopping is around the corner. And public transportation reaches all corners of the city. That is the such a big difference from living in the city of Dallas, Texas! The picture below I also took last week, a perfect visual of the house to vehicle ratio! :)
Wonderful detail Arial!
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