I’ve always been a sort of Hispanophile. Ever since I was growing up in south Texas, I’ve always envied those who could speak two languages and move effortlessly between cultures. But I was on a different path and passion, so I left that behind years ago.
When I got to the point of retiring, I renewed the idea of learning (or trying to) a new language. And Spanish was the perfect choice for me. Not that it’s easy, but I can see a reason for doing so. I’m very goal orientated in that regard.
So where to go? Obviously, Mexico would have been the easiest logistically speaking, but there were other considerations. I was no longer a solo traveler and had a wife and family to think about. And unfortunately, Mexico, Latin and South America have their concerns. While I certainly could have found enclaves of expatriates that certainly wouldn’t have addressed what I wanted to do. That is be surrounded by the culture and language.
Ultimately, Spain and specifically Valencia ticked all the boxes. It’s big enough, but not too big. There are many people from around the world including displaced Ukrainians living here. This is a Europe that’s more diverse than the last time I lived abroad in Italy some twenty years ago. It’s not without it’s friction. There is some casual racism among the Spaniards that is at times jarring to my American sensibilities.
Ultimately, I know I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to live here and have the experiences that I do. This website is an extension of that adventure. One of the small parts of my last job was working online, which is something I missed. And this is my way continuing to learn and explore the medium.
Leave a Reply