By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
I just finished my eight week of classes and things seem to be going relatively well. I am officially over a third of the way done with my program and stay in Spain. I feel that I am making relatively good progress with the language however at times it is still a struggle to speak with native speakers when they are in a full blown conversation! However, I believe this is what the next few weeks are for. Little by little, I am progressing and learning what is happening.
We went out with Nicolas last night in Valencia. Nicolas is from Italy, is a good guy who loves to go out, and has a strong sense of humor. We went out with his German, Austrian and Italian friends. We went to a few bars and it was a relatively tranquil night, although not early by any means, haha. However, that seems to be the way in Valencia and the rest of Spain.
One of the things about this trip that I enjoy more and more is the people that you meet from all over the world and the more you learn about different peoples. Last night I hung out with people from three different countries. From where I am from this is a rarity at best. Through this, I have been given a greater appreciation for different cultures and different ways of thinking. Yes, I am here to learn Spanish and learn more about the Spanish way of life, but that does not mean I cannot learn about other countries if the opportunity presents itself.
The majority of the people I meet are kind and open to speaking about their countries and cultures. They are here for the same reason that I am and are happy to share about their countries. I have found my experience up to this point to be informative and interesting. It is a grand change from what I have known in the past. Tonight, myself and a few others are going to head to the Valencia CF game in hopes of cheering the team on to a season opening victory. I will let you all know how it turns out.

By Bradley Rehak – Guest Blogger studying in Quito, Ecuador
In preparing to leave a place where one has lived for two months, I believe it's good to contemplate a bit on one's successes and failures–in travel and entertainment as well as in language learning. Here, then, are the most prominent points for me.
Failures: As previously mentioned, a family with kids my own age would have been better–there would just be more to talk about, and there of course would not have been hearing problems to deal with. Given the situation, though, I think I found quite a bit to talk about with my family. I completely failed in climbing a volcano, Cotopaxi, due to altitude sickness. As I have learned, it takes many weeks to adjust to altitudes like that of Quito when you have lived close to sea level your entire life. I similarly failed to find a close group of Ecuadorian friends to spend most of my time with. Although I did meet many people, my base group of friends for travel, going out, etc were all European or North American descent. Although I can hardly be blamed for the Ecuadorians going to work during the week and having less money.
Successes: I learned quite a bit of Spanish. My speech has improved significantly (and significantly more after a beer or two) and I have learned a ton of vocabulary. This was exactly what I set out to do. I also met a lot of people–even if I didn't form strong or lasting friendships, I still had many lengthy conversations in Spanish on a wide variety of subjects. I ate a lot of good food, which compliment can be paid directly to my host mom, who almost never repeated meals and kept me well-fed. I managed to avoid being robbed (up until now), having only lost a stocking cap while in Quito. And I took a ton of good pictures, with which to bore my friends and family for years to come. In sum, I believe I can say Mission Accomplished.

By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Today we began to study the past tenses of the Spanish. I am excited about this because this will give me the opportunity to no longer sound so one-dimensional when I talk. In my class, I now have students from Germany, Poland, US and China. I appreciate the diversity and it seems to make things more interesting because of this. I do not believe the school would be as fun if it were not for the diversity.
As time progresses I see and meet more new people because the enrollment of the school is always changing and adjusting. This is good and bad at the same time which I figure you can guess the reasons. However, I appreciate the change and look forward to meeting new people. I have spoke with a friend about traveling and visiting other locations in Spain. From what I have seen of Spain and what I have heard I think it is a must to visit other locations.
My teachers have told us that each part of community of Spain holds something different from one and other. I would like to experience each part of Spain at one point but I know that this is a little bit on a stretch to do. Therefore, I plan on focusing on some parts of Spain. The north and central part of Spain possesses much beauty in the way of castles and cascading mountain ranges; the coasts and the south posses beaches and a lively night scene.
I am amazed at the diversity that Spain possesses in regards to the landscape, the culture and the people. The country is made up of different communities and each community is very proud of its heritage and culture. Therefore, each one of these communities makes an effort to hold on to its heritage and differentiate itself from the others. This makes for a dynamic travel experience for anyone; especially considering that, each one of the communities is not that far logistically from each other. In conclusion – I believe that Spain is a wonderful country to visit for travelers – you will just want to make sure you bring your Spanish dictionary with you

By Bradley Rehak – Guest blogger, studying in Quito, Ecuador

I finally got my chance to go to the beach. It's something I've been awaiting a long time, so let me just get to the juicy details.

We arrived in Canoa, on the western coast of Ecuador, early in the morning, and so had to wait around until checkout in order to secure rooms. But then we went immediately to a very lightly populated beach to lay around for the afternoon. There were many tent-shelters set up so we rented one for the day for a couple of dollars, then commenced sleeping. Which as anyone who has ever been to the beach will tell you, is a bad idea. We relaxed for a few hours, intermittently entertaining ourselves with swimming in the surprisingly warm water, attempting to body surf (at which we all failed), and inventing games (me) such as Throw the Little Sandstone Rocks at the Big Sandstone Rock from a Large Distance and Try to Break Them. Then we napped some more before our Big Date:

Happy Hour! The bar at our hostel had two for one drinks, so we got right down to it. This was followed by an invigorating game of beer pong, and the not surprising trip later to a local disco. Over that time we met many Ecuadorians who were eager to join our group, and practiced quite a bit of Spanish. However, the day led to quite predictable results:

Sunburn! You may remember that I noted my first week in Quito how powerful the sun was. It was even more so at the beach. We all paid dearly for our naps in the sun, as the four of us awoke to matching burns on our stomachs and backs. And a bit of pain. Our stay was not to be wasted, so we once again sought shelter beneath a tent on the beach, and spent the second (and last) day at Canoa watching over people do and enjoy what we wished we were doing. And napping in the shade. The entire ordeal turned out to be quite pleasant, however, and we avoided the concomitant pain of surfing and other such activities while merely enjoying the idea of them. Then it was back to Quito for more school.

By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
This past weekend was a really good weekend. Friday night I went out with Anna and Nicola to the Barrio de Carmen. It is a district towards the center of town with many bars, restaurants and so forth. We went to a bar called Johnny Maraccas. It was a bonito bar decorated in the style of a Jungle. It had an aquarium in the wall and in the bar, I was pretty happy with this. They played salsa music and so forth. It was Anna's last night in town before she returned to Canada and school.
I met a couple at Johnny Maraccas from London, England. They were pretty young and excited to find other people who spoke English. Some other cities are different such as Barcelona and Madrid with English speaking people. However, in Valencia you don't find many people who speak English, actually not many at all. I can't imagine that it would be difficult for them to get around because they did not speak any Spanish therefore I doubt they will forget this trip. We spoke of the differences between America and England. I enjoyed their company and hope they enjoy their stay in Valencia.
The next night: Nicola, myself and three other friends headed for a small pueblo named El Puig north of Valencia about twenty minutes for their annual summer festival of the running of the bulls. The town is small and pretty but kind of dirty in some parts. I like the older buildings and the small streets. When we arrived there by tren, the city was very quiet. I think most people were either resting or eating when we arrived at 10:00PM. I loved it; many families set up dinner tables out in the street outside of their homes and ate dinner outside before the running of the bulls began.
This was my first experience of the running of the bulls having not made Pamplona in July. The first bull was released at Midnight with about 200 people fleeing for their lives, haha. I watched it from the top of a large barrier with a senor of the town named Miguel. He was a very friendly guy and we talked about family, friends, work, the running of the bulls and so on. I would say he was in his 70s and I asked him if he was going to run with the bulls and he told me "No, it was for the young." haha – I appreciated his conversation and learned a little more about the culture of Spain.
They would place two holsters on the bull's horns with flammable balls. They would light the balls on fire and then release the bull to run through the streets. Once the flames burnt out, they would get the next bull ready and repeat the process. They ran three bulls and it lasted until 4:00 AM. None of the bulls got hurt, maybe just a little tired. It was pretty wild to see in the dark streets to flames running down the street because the bulls were black. I liked it a lot and was able to take a moment to soak it in and realize just how different this is from my home. It was a good night and a great weekend.

By Bradley Rehak – Guest blogger studying in Quito, Eucador
Having studied abroad four different times now, in three different languages (even if one was English), I considered myself quite exercised in the selection of such programs. In order that others can more easily find success than I did—and avoid some of my failures—I now offer my perspective on the process of choosing a program. The basic assumption behind my advice is that one genuinely wants to learn another language. For those interested only in travel and drink, this advice won't be entirely helpful.
First of all, let me dispel the importance of choosing the right country. Most people make their decisions solely on where they want to be, usually in close proximity to beaches or mountains. I cannot stress enough: it doesn't really matter. Once you've decided what language to learn, there are much more important considerations. I spent two of my experiences, in Mexico and Ecuador, in countries that I had never really thought about visiting. Trust me, as long as you make a sincere effort to learn your language and meet locals, you will enjoy whatever country you end up in.
That said, what does matter is your school: the quality of the teachers, the levels of instruction offered, and the diversity of students. Teacher quality is obvious: teachers with degrees and advanced degrees in the language of instruction are far superior to those that lack it, especially when it comes to difficult explanations. You also must ensure that your level of ability is taught at a prospective school, especially for advanced students, as most schools emphasize beginner levels. You don't want to get stuck in a group that is studying only aspects of the language that you already know. Finally, diversity of students is the single most important consideration for a school: by this I mean the school should also teach languages (usually English) to locals. This, and language interchange programs after school (intercambios in Spanish) are the most crucial keys to meeting locals, making friends, and PRACTICING, outside of school, your language of instruction. Having been to schools with and without local students, I can say now that I wouldn't even consider a program in the future that lacked local instruction.
Finally, choosing a host family is also crucial to language learning. Don't even think about living in a residence, because—especially as an English speaker—you will learn very little. Living with a host family is absolutely essential in order to practice and think about your language on a daily and hourly basis, and learn words that you would never come across otherwise. And if you are really serious about your language, choose a family with kids—whether they're your own age or younger. Even though they can be annoying at times, they are usually the most interested people in talking to you, or showing you off to their friends, and therefore are an excellent means of meeting locals and practicing the all-important slang of your home country. Best of luck!

By Kent Truckor – Guest Blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
Hola,
Seven weeks down – so far so good! This weekend it looks like we might be making it to a festival in one of the small pueblo outside of Valencia. This time of year and into September there are many festivals in the small pueblos throughout Spain. I am excited about this because back home in the summers – the small towns that are arround where I live have festivals as well. It seems like there is a point in summer where weekend after weekend there is a festival happening somewhere and I am excited to partake in it here because I missed all of mine back home.
The festival is in El Puig, which is about 20 minutes north of Valencia by car on the coast. I have heard that they are good times with plenty of food, drink and music. Also, each little pueblo has the running of the bulls which I have never seen before but I figure could be good to check out. It is unclear if they have a hostel or any such sleeping arrangements so we might just sleep on the beach, we'll figure it out!
Next week is my eighth week here and as always the faces change at the school and people come and go. I feel that it is important that I branch out into other forms of experience here; whether it is in volunteering or maybe taking a class or two at the local university. I feel that I have gotten a pretty good handle on what the area of Valencia has to offer and I am willing to change things up some now. I imagine my classes will still keep me busy at the language school – however a change never hurt anybody.
Today one of my roommates leaves to return back home and start university. It is weird, interesting to see the changes of roommates and people as they come and go. You get to know them it seems in a rather short time, but in just that short of time, it is time for a change again. This is very much as how life goes I figure and it doesn't bother me as much, it is just interesting to see. It seems the people of Spain are accustomed to this and take life as it comes, which I figure is a pretty good method from what I have seen.

By Bradley Rehak – Guest blogger studying in Quito, Ecuador
Having given a brief description of the cloud forest reserve, I'll now describe some of the interesting details of the location, that is, the interesting inhabitants that make up the forest and that draw people to the refuge.
A tree that largely dominates the secondary growth areas in the cloud forests of Ecuador is known in English as the dragon's blood tree, or merely drago in Spanish. Why? When one jabs something sharp into the bark (such as the small knife that the guides use so the tree will heal quickly) it quickly begins to ooze sap, a sap that happens to look and flow almost exactly like blood—almost as if it were the backdrop of a horror film. The sap can then be rubbed on one's skin, causing it to turn white and foam. This is done because it is an effective antibiotic; the many old scars in these trees attest to its capacity in this from machete wielding locals who sold the sap to Western pharmaceutical companies.
Another tree has bright green leaves with red tips that make it appear to be dying; in fact the color is a signal for hummingbirds to feed, as the flowers of the tree hang hidden below the leaves. Hummingbirds happen to be one of the most populous inhabitants of the area, and there are dozens of species of them here as well. It's impossible to walk around the trails without one of these birds buzzing, literally, past your head every once in a while. The sound is that of a giant mosquito, and therefore takes a while to become accustomed to.
The secropia is the easiest tree to pick out (at least when it's full-grown). In adulthood the leaves acquire the ability to reflect light, and therefore appear as bright white spots in the forest when viewed from far away. As young trees, however, they look completely different, as the leaves grow from being the size of a hand to the size of a large piece of poster board.
My favorite species of wildlife was the tapaculos, which means show-ass. These birds apparently have the habit of sticking their butts up in the air and then back down quite rapidly and continuously—a fact which I was unable to verify because they are difficult to spot. More heinously, they have a cry that sounds almost exactly like that of a member of a Mexican mariachi band, the guy that yells "rrrrrrrRRRRRRRR AH HAAAAA!" The birds lack the "AH HAA" part, but their trill lasts for ten seconds or more, rising in pitch the entire time. Needless to say, it gives the impression that while walking through the forest one is really entering a raucous party.

By Kent Truckor – Guest blogger studying in Valencia, Spain
I just completed my first exam for level one at the school. I think it went fairly well. It wasn't the slam dunk that I was hoping for but none the less I am happy with the performance. What I was most happy with was the conversation section. This makes me happy because this is why I have come here – top be able to converse with people who speak Spanish. Granted it was not on the level of how conversations go outside of school – a little slower speaking and more topics that are general. However, I understood everything that she was saying to me and was able to converse with her for 10 minutes or so fluidly. I am very happy with this.
The other parts of the test included: reading, listening, grammar, and writing. I am pretty happy with how these parts went as well however, grammar through me a couple curve balls that I wasn't expecting.
Either way, one hurdle down and on to the next. If all goes to plan I should have the ability to complete four levels of classes while I am here. That would put me at the conclusion of B2, a very good place to be. The levels that proceed from what I have heard are for mastery of the language and I figure I have the rest of my life to do that – of which I am pretty confident it will take
It is interesting for me now to think about where I am now and where I was when I first came here. My first day here I did not understand much at all and now I feel like I have made great leaps forward. There are times when I am listening to Pepe that I don't feel as if he is speaking a foreign language anymore which is a cool feeling. Then there are times when I don't know what the heck he is saying, haha. I am happy with the progress made so far and look forward to learning more tools to use with the language so that I am able to converse more effectively with others.
This weekend, which is almost here – the weeks are cruising at this point we might try to hit a festival in a small pueblo near Valencia. Many pueblos this time of year are holding festivals and I hope to make a few before the summer is over. One festival that I don't want to miss is the tomato fight held at the end of august. I have yet to figure out where it is, but I want to partake in this event with a passion. I figure it is something I can tell my grandkids

By Bradley Rehak – Guest blogger studying in Quito, Ecuador.
Seeking some natural beauty and a bit of a break from the big city, I spent last week in the cloud forest, in a refuge called Bellavista. Originally a small farm, the land was bought by a conservationist couple (the man English, the woman Colombian) after winning a competition for it against a logging company. While finishing up other projects in oversees locations such as Madagascar, the land was inhabited purely by cows and chickens, which made the area appear inhabited by farmers while the owners were away. They returned after a couple of years and began constructing lodging for ecotourism, building trails and protecting and learning about the wilderness.
The refuge is about a two and a half hour trip from Quito, that final half hour by SUV through rudimentary mountain roads switch backing up a mountainside. One finally arrives at a set of buildings built out of bamboo poles and thatch roofs. The buildings are interconnected with thatch-covered walkways as well. The walkway leads out along a spur to a geodesic dome that is the center of life in the refuge. The main area of the dome serves as a restaurant/dining room for the guests, while a large portion of the lodging, perhaps for thirty people, is located above the dining area and accessed by a set of stairs and then ladders to the top two floors, which are hostel-style dorms. The top floor is completely surrounded by windows, which offer an excellent view of the neighboring mountains and valleys.
There are six other buildings located on the reserve, which serve to house some of the workers, guests that overflow the main lodging, and researchers who require a more isolated sector of forest.
Running through the entire area is a system of trails, most of which were built strictly for tourism and therefore offer breathtaking views, access to important indigenous plant and animal populations, and a range of difficulty levels for all levels of fitness and ability. There are four waterfalls in the area as well, which serve as endpoints for some of the trails. Everything in between and among these man-made features is forest, most of which is secondary growth but also some primary growth. In all, the reserve encompasses 700 hectares (about 1700 acres) of beautiful, cloud-encircled wilderness.