He llegado a Valencia!
I’ve arrived in Valencia!
“Mom, I’m scared,” I said to my mother as we sat quietly at dinner in my last days in Oaxaca. “Why,” she asked, a little worried, or maybe surprised since those are words I never use, especially at home where my family thinks I have everything figured out. “España,” I said. She answered with “you don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” which I automatically replied with “of course I’ll go, fear has never stopped me.” Our conversation ended. The following day I said goodbye to my mom, siblings, and grandma and left for Valencia.
Arriving in Valencia was smooth yet tiring after making a total of four stops in Tijuana, LAX, Paris and finally Valencia. Adjusting to the jet lag was not easy, however, and after five days I finally slept for five hours. Still, I won’t complain because I am absolutely fascinated by the number of daylight hours in the city. It works perfectly for me as a photographer because it gives me enough time to roam the city, which I find surprisingly very similar to my birthplace Oaxaca. High buildings that make you tilt your neck way back making you feel like you’re going to trip, amazing architecture dating back to the 15th century, cute little shops everywhere, literally everywhere and historical landmarks very close and accessible.
Valencia this far has been great. What felt huge, chaotic and like a maze (literally) at first now seems very familiar and that makes me feel good. Having a better knowledge of where I am going gives me confidence and comfort as someone who has never been to Europe. I laugh every time I imagine the face of confusion I had every time I went out and walked through the tiny streets that crisscross and wind unexpectedly trying to not get run over by a car, or even worse a bike.
Knowing that everything is at walking distance is a huge advantage and a great thing to have as well. I can walk to school, central market, coffee/horchata shops and basically everywhere.
This comforts me. I have always wanted to find a place where I felt at home away from home and Valencia has given me that feeling in less than a week of being here. Valencia is a busy city, but it has its own unique chill vibe which is visible in the faces of its people. Seeing people laugh and whole families walking around makes me happy. It reminds me of the stress-less life I had before migrating to the United States. People drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes and laughing with their companions reminds me that life should be lived to the fullest and not in constant rush and stress I’ve experienced in the United States. These little things I have noticed with the Valencianos I makes me wish I could stay here longer.
Lunch and dinner at home, however, are my favorite. Not only because my house mom, Amparo, is an amazing cook, but because she always has something interesting to say and I always learn something new with her. Even new Spanish words. Words that I say differently and that she laughs at after seeing my face of confusion when I don’t understand something she says although I am fluent in Spanish. I am learning new synonyms for words that I already know. Amparo, overall, is a good representation of all the Valencianos I’ve met thus far: kind, happy and willing to help. Especially in ice-cream shops! Overall, I am very enthusiastic and eager to know what the next few weeks are going to bring and contribute to not only my professional life but to my personal growth and worldview.
However, more than ever I remind myself the words that I said to my mother “I have to go because fear has never stopped me”. Why do I remind myself this? Four days after arriving at Valencia, my beloved grandma passed away. I wanted to return and “I need to go home now” was the only thought in my mind. Sadly, I didn’t make it back. A stream of tears ran down my face for hours. My grandma knew where I was going, I had seen her a couple of days before. She would have wanted me to stay for she’ll watch over me as long as the sun was out and once the moon began to lighten the small dark alleys in Valencia. Short but constant phone calls from my family comforted me. Was this the fear I had before coming to Spain? If so, I faced it. I am facing it. I am strong.
