Reflections

By Kent Truckor – Guest Blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Today I completed my 6th week of classes. Next week we have our examen for level A1. I am pretty happy with what I have learned in A1 and what I have learned so far. I realize I still have a long way to go, but I am excited with the progress so far and what I will learn in the weeks to come. I think the major push of students is about over as next week will be the third week of August and many colleges are beginning to start classes in the United States. This means less chaos in the school, which is a good thing.
This weekend there is a festival in the small pueblo of Puich, which is just outside of Valencia. Many of the small pueblos around the city of Valencia have festivals this time of year in August and I would like to catch a few of them. I figure there will be good food, music, and bulls somewhere – there are bulls everywhere in Spain.
The weekend looks to be rather tranquil I believe. Come next Tuesday there is some sort of holiday in Spain and therefore the city of Valencia will just about shut down. They take there holidays very serious around here
With the recent turn of events in London, it has led me to think more about traveling and my return home. It wasn't to long ago when I made the flight across the Atlantic and it is something very sobering to think that there are people trying to destroy life in the same route that I have taken in the past. However, I realize that there is not much I can do about things I don't know or don't understand. Therefore, I have to keep living my life just as I would have the day before. I am incredibly grateful to the people who worked to bust those trying to commit such an atrocity.
In the weeks gone by, I have learned that there is a great amount that I do not know about the world. This makes me want to learn more and more. This trip was not the first time I have felt this way, but it has definitely reinforced the feeling. Language is one of the assets that I seek to gain, but I also hope to gain a greater ability to accept things that are different from my past and what I know. One can go through life with blinders on, but there is a whole world they are missing in doing so. I aim to be different.