By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Today was the day of the mystical La Tomatina in Bunol, Espana. Leading up to the event I was excited about the thought of getting in the middle of a giant food fight with 30,000 other people. The idea seemed pretty interesting to me and I couldn't help my curiosity. As the day came closer, I felt a little fear deep inside, haha. It seemed the idea of being in the middle of a giant food fight was starting to get to me.
About 75 students from my school boarded to charter buses and we headed for the pueblo of Buñol west of Valencia. The town has a population of 9,000, but on the day of the La Tomatina the population swells to 30,000 plus. When we arrived, the highway was already starting to back up from all of the people arriving for the fest. It seemed that many of the people coming were in Valencia or the area specifically for La Tomatina. The fight was to begin with a gunshot at 11:00AM and last for approximately an hour.
We made our way through the town to the city center with the several thousand other travelers in town for the fest. We heard the gunshot go off and the anticipation built even more. By the time we made it close to where the fight was taking place, we saw numerous folks covered in what was tomato paste by this time.
Although we missed the start we quickly received our welcome with the flying tomatoes. Approximately every 10 minutes a large truck loaded with tomatoes would make its way down the street dumping tomatoes. A few brave soles were on back throwing tomatoes out, but they made easy target practice for those in the crowd.
The neighbors of the fight join in as well, but from a more logical standpoint. Many watch from their terrazas of their apartments and houses above. When the time is right or they feel like it is a good time, they would dump water on the rowdy crowd below. At times, this was a blessing because the tomato paste and did a number on the eyes, haha. I am not sure who enjoyed the dumping of the water more – the neighbors above or the crowd below. The whole fight ended with the sound of the second and final gunshot.
I enjoyed the festival greatly and am glad I made the trip to Bunol. It will be a memory that I doubt I will forget anytime soon.
Statistics: 30,000 plus tomato loving travelers; 100,000 Kilos of Tomatoes and 1 much wiser traveler of Spain.

By Ana – Guest blogger studying in Heredia, Costa Rica
I am a fourth year medical student specializing in Family Medicine with Intermediate Spanish speaking ability. I was given the unforgettable opportunity to observe the socialized medical system in Costa Rica for two weeks and two days. This was made possible through the coordination and hard work of the school in .Heredia
I was given an introduction of the three parts of the Costa Rican public medical system "Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social" (CCSS) which is referred to as "La Caja" for short by Dra. Quiros. The system is like a ladder which treats patients and transfers them to the facility best able to beat their ailment The first rung of the ladder is the Ebais, the second is the Clinica, the third and top of the ladder is Hospital. Hospitals are separated into classes A through C based on their resources and equipment available to treat different ailments. Most class A hospitals are in San Jose, Costa Rica and are the most well equipped. In my short amount of time I was able to observe/assist all three rungs of the CCSS and two different classes of Hospitals.
For two days I shadowed Dra. Quiros, a Neonatologist and Pediatrician in San Jose Costa Rica. One day was spent in the Hospital Dr. R A Calderon Guardia, the other day was an overnight stay in San Juan de Dios. I was able to view the facilities and departments through a personal tour of the hospital and observed first hand the management of patients in the Neonatology unit while improving my Spanish and expanding my medical Spanish vocabulary with the patients of Dra. Quiros. I was able to observe a birth in the labor and delivery unit of Calderon Guardia and the immediate neonatal care of the baby. This was a rewarding and familiar experience and was a great introduction for the weeks to follow.
I spent the mornings of five days of first full week in the Bernardo Benavides Ebais with Dra. Cespedes and Dra. Santamaria. This was an opportunity to see the entry point of the CCSS in action. There were a steady flow of patients with many of the basic medical ailments and some with more grave states which were transferred to the Hospital for evaluation. I was able to listen to the patient/doctor dialogue closely and experience the similarities and differences in primary care between this sampling of the Hispanic population and those patients in the United States. I brought basic medical supplies and over-the-counter medications from the United States as donations to the Ebais which has the fewest resources of the three parts of the CCSS.
In the beginning of the first full week I also spent afternoons and evenings (until 6pm or 8pm) in 'San Vincent De Paul" Hospital in Heredia with Dr. Quiros (brother of Dra. Quiros) and Dra. Alfaro. I was given a personal tour of the facilities and was explained the differences in resources and equipment in comparison to a Class A hospital such as those in San Jose I visited the week before. Dr. Quiros is an Emergency Physician who was stationed in "La Capilla" during my week there. La Capilla is the chapel in the hospital where patients admitted to the Hospital through the Emergency Department are kept until they are found room in their corresponding unit in the hospital. I was able to follow the management of patients in a non-acute setting and perform an Ingreso (patient interview) in Spanish. I was able to observe/participate in the San Vincent De Paul Triage room with Dra. Alfaro, Emergency Department Director, for two nights at the end of the week. I was able to experience first-hand how patients are evaluated and channeled as either requiring medical care in the Hospital or the Clinica depending on the severity of their ailment With the assistance and the observation of Dra. Alfaro and Dr. Quriros I further improved my Medical Spanish vocabulary, and given the opportunity to witness the management of Dengue.
My second week was spent in the Heredia Clinica where I observed, examined, and interacted with patients with Dra. Mendez, an Internist at the Clinica, as my Medical Spanish has much improved at this point. I attended regularly scheduled Medical Forums with the internists and discovered that the grievances of patient noncompliance, and the hurdle of trying to encourage lifestyle changes are consistent with the grievances and obstacles of those physicians in the United States as well. I was able to grasp more of the nuances of patient/physician relationship with this second half of the experience as well as expand my understanding of the CCSS system and practice my Medical Spanish.
This experience has changed my perspective of the medical system in America. I can now clearly see the differences and begin to understand how a socialized medical system serves a community, This new understanding will help me serve my patients in the future and I hope to return to Costa Rica again as a physician to learn and serve some more. Thank you for this excellent opportunity!

By Hannah Gieseket – Guest blogger studying in Heredia, Costa Rica
It is now my second week in Heredia. I think that the biggest surprise so far of this week has been the cold wind that blows through town most everyday. Before I came to Costa Rica images of beaches and intense sunshine pervaded my mind. However, I can't even begin to say how glad I am that I brought a small jacket with me. It has been used everyday. Some days there seems to be clouds with rain in the distance and even though the sun is shining here you can feel small drops of water touching you as you walk. Lately, I have been spending a good deal of time in the center of town at the park that is in front of town's large church. The park has a gazebo, many benches, and some trees to provide shade. This seems to be a major meeting point for locals and also a place to sit and pass time. After classes and other extracurricular activities I tend to go to this central location to people watch. It is interesting to watch the old and the young as they go on their daily routines. There are vendors selling drinks or desserts. There is usually a clown there that is selling balloons and children kicking around a soccer ball. It is a wonderful place to pass some time and write in a travel journal.
Yesterday a friend from school and I went in search of a supermarket and found another market where fresh fruit and meat is sold. We wandered through the many different, brightly colored stalls where you can see many fruits that are familiar and others that are not. She had been recommended a “manzana de agua” or a water apple. This fruit has a bright pink skin and a white interior similar to that of a pear. She described the taste as “something like a lemon”. The fruit also has a large pit in the center. I have yet to try this fruit as I am enjoying all of the fresh bananas that as so flavorful here. Many of the stalls selling fresh meat contained the whole animal or sausages made from different meat. There were also many places that were selling tofu and other soy products. It appears that this is a popular cooking ingredient here. In the market there were also small restaurants with stools around them that many people were eating at. There were these large pancakes that appeared to be made from corn that many were eating for lunch along with some salad. I plan to return to this market for lunch someday soon to try some of the different foods that are typical of Costa Rica.

By Bradey Rehak – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Hola,
Today was a pretty laid back day. In the morning, I decided to make my way down to the Carefour store to buy some cheap pants for the tomatina tomorrow. I underestimated the distance to it and spent the better part of the morning walking to and from. However, I had the chance to see some new sights in Valencia so all was not lost. I picked up some sweats for 6 Euros. I figured this would be good enough to get splattered with tomatoes.
The fest is pretty big bringing in 30,000 people to the little pueblo of Bruñol. They will have 20,000 kilograms of tomatoes and one hour of madness. I am pretty excited about this hope chuck a few tomatoes while I am there. The festival has been going on since the 1950s and is doing pretty good I'd say from just stemming from a food fight.
My next ambition is to find volunteer work in the area. I know this is something that I will enjoy because I have enjoyed volunteering in the past. Also, it will do wonders for my ability to progress with the language which I need to do. However, not just with the language but volunteering gives you the opportunity to help out others while at the same time meeting new and interesting people. I love to volunteer in short.
I have failed to access this as of yet, but I plan to get in contact with the local Red Cross chapter and see what they have to offer. The weather lately has been pleasant. Many believe that the stifling heat of summer might be gone for the year. The weather in Valencia is supposed to be beautiful in September and October. I am hoping that this is the case because I am tired of the heat in the past. I must go now and get mentally prepared for the Tomatina tomorrow!

By Hannah Gieseket – Guest blogger studying in Heredia, Costa Rica
It's hard to believe that I have already completed one week of classes at the school. Each Friday classes attend a graduation ceremony for those students that have completed their studies whether it be for one week or longer. Each class also takes an exam to see if those that will continue studying will move to the next level. This week was definitely one of getting to know the routine of the school and how the classes would progress. Since I began in the first level it was a lot of learning vocabulary including conjugation of regular verbs. The school not only does classes but offers many other exciting opportunities as well. On Wednesday evening I attended a cooking class that is presented by the mother of the director of Intercultura. Each week she will show us how to cook typical Costa Rican food. This week she showed us how to make "arroz con leche" which is a typical dessert found at birthdays and other celebrations. The class was also another way for us to become accustomed to hearing the language spoken and practice speaking as well. She had us discuss what we had done for the New Year holiday. This is an elective program so there were people there that spoke in many different levels. It was really neat to learn about the food of the culture, as it is another important aspect of life here. I have also been attending the dance classes offered Monday through Thursday. The instructor has been teaching us salsa and merengue. These are partner dances so on Thursday we were able to practice with some of his friends that he brought in. Each Thursday night a group from the school attends a club in San Jose, where we are able to practice dancing and have more exposure to locals. I was not able to attend this week but hopefully I will be able to go next week. My hope is that my dancing will have improved by then as well. I had to attend a meeting for those enrolled in a volunteer program. Joaquin, who is in charge of the volunteer program, wanted us to have a session to discuss culture shock and safety surrounding not only living here but also during our volunteer experiences. It is nice to meet all the other volunteers as well and he has also developed a type of support meeting for those that will have placements.
Last night it was my mama tica's birthday and she a large celebration with many family members. It was really fun to attend her party though everyone spoke so quickly that I could not always follow the conversation. It was mostly ladies in the afternoon and they were really having a great time. I brought her some flowers from a local market for her birthday and her daughter baked her a delicious cake. This weekend many of the students that were in my class are leaving to go to other places to travel or study in other areas. Some of us may try to go out on Saturday evening to see some of the nightspots. It will be interesting to meet new people that will be continuing their studies.

By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
This past weekend was a busy one but a good one. Friday night I went out with Nicolas for his last night in Valencia. He returned to Italy on Saturday. It is funny how things work out because it seemed like we bonded the last few days that he was around and then it was time for him to go. However, that is how life goes sometimes and I was thankful to have the opportunity to get to know him.
Saturday I studied for the better part of the afternoon and then we headed out to the Valencia football game against Sevilla. It was kind of slow at times but the game ended up pretty good with Valencia wining 2 to 1. It was my first time at a European football match and I was happy with the experience. I had friends from other parts of Europe with me to help explain something if I didn't understand it.
Sunday, a few friends and I from school went to the Oceano Grafico. It is a large aquarium recently built in Valencia. It contains eight different aquariums depicting the different seas and oceans of the world. I am pretty impressed with the aquarium and it contains many different things to look at. We also caught the dolphin show which is an always a good time.
Today, I had to scramble to the Museo de la Ciencias before class. My ticket was only good for today so I made my way there at 10. I think that this was my favorite of all the attractions. The City of Artes and Sciences in Valencia is absolutely beautiful and the Science Museum is no exception. It contains three floors of exhibits and is an interactive museum. I loved it and the whole thing was designed by my favorite architect Santiago Calatrava, one of the reasons I came to Valencia. I spent three hours there but could have easily spent the day with all the different exhibits and things to see. I next made my way to the IMAX movie about Captain Shakletons Expedition to cross the Antarctic in 1919, it was pretty cool and the scenery was amazing. I then headed to school. Now I am going to go rest because I am exhausted!

By Hannah Gieseket – Guest Blogger Studying in Heredia, Costa Rica
It is hard to believe that is has already been two days since I first arrived in Costa Rica to begin my studies. The morning of classes we were asked to arrive early to the school so that we could complete paperwork and perform an informal interview in Spanish in order to determine our placement. That morning my house mother walked me to school to make sure that I knew where the school was in relation to her home. The walk is about twenty minutes but not difficult. It was a great time to see more of the neighborhood. All of the houses have wonderful colors and there are many small shops tucked into the rows of houses. The houses are all built in rows with no spaces and all have tall gates around the entrances. The closeness is very similar to the way houses are set up in American cities but quite different from rural and suburban areas where there are usually green spaces separating the homes. The weather here is beautiful but windier than I expected.
A school we received our placements and then gathered in a group for an orientation. After that we were split into smaller groups so that some people started classes and my group went out into the city for a tour. The city itself is quite busy with many taxis, buses, cars, and pedestrians. It was very exciting to see all of the new sites, smells, sounds, etc. Given that I have no sense of direction on a normal basis, I have been taking lots of time simply walking around the city on my own so that I can begin to get a sense of the layout. Even after only two days of classes I already feel much more confident with the language especially when speaking with my host family. There is much opportunity to practice speaking the language, which is so valuable to understanding and using Spanish. The school has many activities planned such as dance classes, cooking classes, and excursions so there is plenty of opportunity to also experience the local culture. I hope to attend many of these events to further my experience.

By Kent Truckor - Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
This past weekend was a busy one but a good one. Friday night I went out with Nicolas for his last night in Valencia. He returned to Italy on Saturday. It is funny how things work out because it seemed like we bonded the last few days that he was around and then it was time for him to go. However, that is how life goes sometimes and I was thankful to have the opportunity to get to know him.
Saturday I studied for the better part of the afternoon and then we headed out to the Valencia football game against Sevilla. It was kind of slow at times but the game ended up pretty good with Valencia wining 2 to 1. It was my first time at a European football match and I was happy with the experience. I had friends from other parts of Europe with me to help explain something if I didn't understand it.
Sunday, a few friends and I from school went to the Oceano Grafico. It is a large aquarium recently built in Valencia. It contains eight different aquariums depicting the different seas and oceans of the world. I am pretty impressed with the aquarium and it contains many different things to look at. We also caught the dolphin show which is an always a good time.
Today, I had to scramble to the Museo de la Ciencias before class. My ticket was only good for today so I made my way there at 10. I think that this was my favorite of all the attractions. The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia is absolutely beautiful and the Science Museum is no exception. It contains three floors of exhibits and is an interactive museum. I loved it and the whole thing was designed by my favorite architect Santiago Calatrava, one of the reasons I came to Valencia. I spent three hours there but could have easily spent the day with all the different exhibits and things to see. I next made my way to the IMAX movie about Captain Shakletons Expedition to cross the Antarctic in 1919, it was pretty cool and the scenery was amazing. I then headed to school. Now I am going to go rest because I am exhausted!

By Hannah Gieseket - Guest Blogger studying in Heredia, Costa Rica
The anticipation of leaving for the trip made it difficult to sleep the night before, but I woke up early on Sunday to make the trip to the airport to begin my journey to Costa Rica. I will be studying in Heredia, Costa Rica for 12 weeks and volunteering for 4 weeks. I did not anticipate the flight to be long since I was leaving from Atlanta but I was anxious about the arrival at the San Jose airport since I would be arriving in a foreign country all alone. AmeriSpan had prepared me that it would possibly take a while to locate the family after I arrived. When you get through customs at the San Jose airport you are awash with taxi drivers and many people with signs trying to locate their next fare or the person that will be staying with them. It did not take me that long to actually locate my host mother and as soon as I waved to her she greeted me with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. I immediately felt at home and more relaxed
Her daughter and her granddaughter were also with her so the drive home was full of conversation. Given that I am quite rusty on my Spanish, even the 3-year-old granddaughter was difficult to follow but they were so very patient with me and were willing to repeat things multiple times until I understood. The drive through the city was the first taste of the set up of my new home and I can't wait to see more. I start school tomorrow and I feel that I won't be able to sleep for fear that I will over sleep and be late to class. It has been a number of years since I have been in school so the anticipation is like a piece of childhood again. Feels like the first day of elementary school all over again where you wonder who will be in your class, will you be able to find everything okay, will you be able to keep up with your classmates. My host mother will walk me to school in the morning so I'd better get a good night's rest because we have to be there very early. I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.