A month in Valencia

11. August 2017

As usual, my four week stay ended on a high - with a few days in Barcelona!

I'll also document my journey to Barcelona.

So the first month in Valencia is nearly over.

Here you can read all about my time here and there will be a few pictures at the end of the article.

The city

Time has flown by and I've had an amazing time up till now.

We have got to know the city quite well (transport timetables, opening hours, sights etc. ). Every day we saw or did something new. The city isn't as big as other cities, like Berlin for example, and is too beautiful to describe; it's so idyllic and clean despite the many tourists. You'll find a cafe, restaurant or bar on every corner. The architecture is breathtaking - churches, palaces, galleries, museums, water fountains and parks. The streets are wide and the avenues are lined with palm trees. The local food is delicious.

You'll find Valencian drinks like Horchata, wine, beer and Mediterranean fruit, dishes like paella and tapas, as well as homemade dishes and desserts. And as for the constant stream of sun and the beaches - just wow!

Somehow, it feels more like a holiday.

Work

Obviously there isn't as much to say about work as there is about free time. I went to bed earlier than I would have on holiday so that I could get up early for work. But it's not always such an effort to go to work, especially when you know that straight after work you can go for some delicious food and then have a fun evening.

I should probably mention something about the work I did - after all it was the reason I went to Valencia. This week, I learned something new. The task was /is to transfer customer data between servers and create a back-up. If required, I also had to disable access on the customer's side and make everything programmable in the terminal window. I enjoyed the job and learned something new - I spoke both Spanish and English. Two of my colleagues were always ready to help me whenever I needed it. I either took on my own tasks or worked with my "compañero" (colleagues) on tasks issued by the IT department. I didn't get as much on the job experience in Germany.

Culture

The Spanish people that I have met up till now have been open, cheerful, helpful and sociable. It seems like they have generally happy lives that they enjoy (obviously not everyone does). I compared the mentality of two different cultures. Every day, every evening, the locals sit in cafes and bars, drinking (not necessarily alcohol), eating and smiling - just having a good time. People of all ages. There are so many children in Valencia. They all play football, catch or something outside until the small hours! It reminds me a lot of my childhood when kids spent all day outside. We didn't have tablets, games consoles or smartphones. It's also really common to have pets here - it seems like every family in Valencia has 1 or 2 dogs.

When you see the city for yourself, you can tell that people have different values here. Children, pets and big families. The most important thing to them is spending a lot of time together and they seem very happy doing so! I really respect them for that.

Conclusion

Stop the clock - I don't want to leave!

Photo gallery