This past week, Barcelona has become very hostile. On October 14th, the Spanish Supreme Court verdict against Catalan separatist leaders came out, sentencing 9 pro-independence leaders to at least 9 years in prison. In the past, independence protests have been peaceful. This time, it’s different. Protests are turning violent. People are being hospitalized, arrested, and a couple of deaths have even been reported. Transportation routes are being blocked off and traveling in and around Barcelona is becoming difficult. Luckily, my program had a trip to Valencia planned for this weekend. I’m happy we were all allowed to get out of Barcelona for a little bit and avoid what we’re all hoping is the worst of the protests and strikes.
To keep this blog cheery, I am going to speak about my weekend in Valencia instead of the 'violencia' going on in Barcelona. I think it is very important to visit around your host country since you are there for a whole semester, instead of just visiting countries around your host country.
Coming to Valencia helped me realize I like the vibe in Valencia a bit more than in Barcelona. It’s a big city but not as big as Barcelona. It feels less cramped, more open, and the architecture is more my style down in Valencia. Overall, I felt much safer (without the ongoing protests in mind). In Barcelona, everyone warns you of pickpockets and thieves and the cab drivers skimping you because you’re a tourist. In Valencia, I felt like I could ask a stranger to hold a wad of cash while I fixed my hair and they would be like “okay no problem” then hand it all back to me once I was done. I loved it!
On Saturday, we took a walking tour around the city center and took a bus down to the Barraca de Toni Montoliu to make paella, a traditional Valencian dish whose popularity has spread across Spain. We also got to pet some donkeys and horses, which I was really excited about. When we got back to Valencia, me and my roommate walked around the science museum then took a cab to a restaurant. It felt so awesome talking to the cab driver in Spanish the whole ride over to dinner. Back in Barcelona, the cab drivers usually stay quiet or speak only in Catalan (which I do not know how to speak).
Sunday morning, before returning back to the newly hostile environment of Barcelona, we stopped in the lovely Peñíscola. Peñíscola is a small town on a peninsula somewhere between Barcelona and Valencia where some filming for Game of Thrones had taken place. It was rainy and quiet, which I loved. There was not a lot of tourists which was perfect because we were allowed to take unobstructed photos of the pretty sea-side town. It is a good place for a day trip from either Barcelona or Valencia if you are interested in a beach day. In town, there is not too much to do other then tour the castle, grab a meal, and pick up some souvenirs - which our group did all within 2 hours. However, the water at the beach was warm (despite it raining, and it being the end of October) and is a perfectly quaint spot for a relaxing beach day.
Overall, I had a lovely time in Valencia and Peñíscola. Being able to compare different parts of Spain was a goal of mine upon arriving here. As important as it is to explore your city and get to feeling like a local, it is important to get to see life in different parts of the country so when people ask you “hey how was Spain?” you don’t just box the entirety of this gigantic country into the small confines of what life is like in Barcelona. Like in America, you cannot just visit the middle of Iowa where there’s only corn and soybean fields and say “ehh there’s nothing to see in America, it’s all agricultural,” because that is not true. Branching out and traveling your host country is just as important as cracking open a book and learning about Spanish history. Cultural immersion is an important part of studying abroad as well as vital in expanding your knowledge through informal education.