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By Kent Truckor - Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
I just finished my eight week of classes and things seem to be going relatively well. I am officially over a third of the way done with my program and stay in Spain. I feel that I am making relatively good progress with the language however at times it is still a struggle to speak with native speakers when they are in a full blown conversation! However, I believe this is what the next few weeks are for. Little by little, I am progressing and learning what is happening.
We went out with Nicolas last night in Valencia. Nicolas is from Italy, is a good guy who loves to go out, and has a strong sense of humor. We went out with his German, Austrian and Italian friends. We went to a few bars and it was a relatively tranquil night, although not early by any means, haha. However, that seems to be the way in Valencia and the rest of Spain.
One of the things about this trip that I enjoy more and more is the people that you meet from all over the world and the more you learn about different peoples. Last night I hung out with people from three different countries. From where I am from this is a rarity at best. Through this, I have been given a greater appreciation for different cultures and different ways of thinking. Yes, I am here to learn Spanish and learn more about the Spanish way of life, but that does not mean I cannot learn about other countries if the opportunity presents itself.
The majority of the people I meet are kind and open to speaking about their countries and cultures. They are here for the same reason that I am and are happy to share about their countries. I have found my experience up to this point to be informative and interesting. It is a grand change from what I have known in the past. Tonight, myself and a few others are going to head to the Valencia CF game in hopes of cheering the team on to a season opening victory. I will let you all know how it turns out.
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