Querida Valencia, Dear Valencia,
Please apologise for writing in English. Although my Spanish skills have risen to a rather high level (or so people say), I want as many people as possible to understand what I write. I am sure you appreciate this.
When I left Dubai more than 6 months ago, which actually feels much longer, I wrote in my farewell letter that something was drawing me to Spain, something I did not know what it was. Secretly, I was hoping to meet that Spanish guy I had been talking about for so long. Or someone who would help me settling in and introducing me to the right people so that I could actually work and earn some money here. Or a Spaniard who would deliver both....
Well, I now know that this was not the reason to come here. In addition, I have learnt that life cannot be planned with brainstorming sheets and to-do lists. Some things we just need to face and then decide what to do. And we need to have faith!
When I arrived in grey and cold January, I only knew that I will do a 4-weeks Spanish class while I was staying with a Spanish lady who cooked for me and did the cleaning and the laundry. I had in mind to travel around the country afterwards, to stay in monasteries or hostels and to work on my business plan somehow. Also, I would have loved to do some voluntary work to put meaning to my life, or what I felt that was by then.
After two weeks in Valencia, however, I decided to stay here and to look for a room. There were plenty of rooms available, most of them in students flats which did not really attract me. With the help of the universe, I found a room in a flat that met my requirements. And only a couple of weeks later, I realised how many people have gone through the same: they had left their jobs and came to Valencia to learn Spanish and to find a simple work to pay the rent for their room in a shared flat. Only few have managed to do the "work" bit, by the way. "Estamos en crisis!“
And by now, half a year and many challenges later, I think I understand what it was that kept me here, in this beautiful city at the Mediterranean Sea.
It definitely was not the famous Spanish weather which, to be honest, has been close to a disaster this year with a cold and wet winter and a so far very rainy spring. The beach, of which there is a lot here, wasn‘t the reason either, since for the just mentioned reason, the occasions to enjoy it were rare.
Instead, I have lived in a place which still can be considered as a travellers‘ secret. Despite of being Spain‘s 3rd largest city, of being situated at the coast, of spending an awesome amount of money for culture, arts and celebrations (especially the latter), outside of Spain Valencia is only known for the Formula 1, the football and possibly the America‘s Cup.
Unlike Dubai, Valencia, hardly does any global marketing. In German book shops for instance, only two or three travel guides are available for this city. Books on Madrid or Barcelona (and the Spanish islands of course), however, fill entire shelves. People who come here, and I include myself, are hence surprised and overwhelmed by the things to see, do and experience and realise very quickly that a weekend is too short to do it all.
To me Valencia will always be the place where they combine
zest for life with organisation, culture with nature, commerce with celebrations,
crisis with free internet access, history with design, tradition with social media,
football with Catholicism, market with lady*, gin with Champaign**,
rice with rabbit meat***, work with pleasure, and success with connections.
Despite all those distractions, I have managed to work a lot and to create my own company that is ready to be opened soon. And I finally learned what it was that had drawn me here:
It was the inspiration that I needed to create something new, something different, something original. I got inspired by countless museums, galleries, exhibitions, churches, palaces, theatres, gardens, concerts, design shops, festivals, people and cool cafes like the Booktique Libreria where I spent hours browsing through design books, while listening to relaxing music and sitting on furniture made of carton. It felt great to be part of a designers gang, actually.
From this inspiration came creativity and came ideas. I gained a lot of self-confidence and was able to get over the robbery of my bag that contained literally everything I needed for life but my laptop. And I survived a 3-weeks involuntary break due to a bronchitis that in the end turned out to be a much needed rest for body and mind.
All this, by the way, I mostly did in jeans and t-shirt and very often without make-up. How I just loved this!
And, yes, I was able to loose the "Dubai stone“ - this useless weight I gained while I lived there. It actually was very easy: going almost everywhere by foot, skipping lifts and escalators, regular exercise, fresh air and the Mediterranean diet (well, my personal version of it).
There is a lot I am grateful for and I thank all the people I met along the way. All of you played a role in this story and I am glad you played it well.
Now I am leaving you, Valencia, to go back to Germany (after a short trip to Barcelona which I just could not resist) where a new life begins. Thanks a lot and I will be back - for sure!
Truly, there is one very important insight I gained in the last six months:
It does not matter where you live. It matters how you live!
Muchas gracias y hasta muy pronto.
Besos y un abrazo fuerte,
Gaby
Balance is everything
PS: I hope you do not mind that I have shared more photos and information about you!
*A well-known supermarket chain in Spain is based in Valencia and is called: Mercadonna
** Agua de Valencia: The most famous drink made from a base of Cava (Spanish Champaign), Gin and orange juice.
*** The famous Paella Valenciana comes with chicken and rabbit meat, and many other fantastic ingredients. Sometimes with escargots.
Hi Gaby, your reports are always so lively and full of interesting as well as valuable and inspiring details. At first I thought you had maybe decided to remain in Valencia in order to work on improving the tourist/publicity-activities of the town, but was relieved to read that this was not your plan ;-))) I hope that your beingin Germany means the occasional coffee @ Nespresso - or wherever else ? Where are you heading for? Look forward to more blogs from you.
ReplyDeleteAll the very best! Naomi
Dear Naomi,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your comments. I am happy that you like my writing style. And, yes, there would be a lot to do here in Valencia to attract more international tourists.
Gaby