After Madrid, I traveled to Salamanca and Valencia to continue studying Spanish and experience parts of Spain I’d never visited before. In both cities, I took intensive Spanish courses at the Enforex language school. For accommodation, I stayed with local families through homestays arranged by the school. I paid a bit more for a private bedroom and bathroom, and it was definitely worth every penny.

My home stay in Salamanca was with a woman named Ana. She has 3 grown kids, all in their 40’s. Her kids & grandkids come to visit often. I got to meet most of them. One of the grandkids she watches at her home every afternoon. Ana is actively involved in her local church and is a volunteer through a program that helps immigrants. She has been hosting students in her home for almost 15 years. Wow! She doesn’t speak English, which worked out well as I was forced to communicate only in Spanish with her. No better way to learn than full immersion. She was a wonderful host. 

Of the three schools I studied at in Spain, Salamanca was definitely my favorite. There were quite a few older students—some even older than me—which was such a nice surprise after a week at the Madrid school, where I was the oldest in my classes by over 20 years. Like the other schools, there were students from all over the world, which made it fun and interesting. And the teachers were fantastic. I just really liked the vibe at the Salamanca school. The days flew by.

I really enjoyed the town as well—it’s charming and beautiful, and it felt less touristy than many other places I’ve visited in Spain. It’s also very walkable, with lots of pedestrian-only streets, which made exploring easy and enjoyable. Most of all, I found the people of Salamanca to be incredibly warm and welcoming. I’m thankful for the week I had here. It was a place I’d never even heard of until December. I was talking to a friend’s parents about my upcoming plans to study Spanish in Spain and that I hadn’t decided exactly where yet. They spoke highly of Salamanca and I decided I must go. So glad I did!

After a week in Salamanca, I took a train to my final destination… Valencia!

In Valencia, I stayed with a woman named Fanny who lives just a couple of blocks from the beach with her two cats. Between the furry companions and Fanny’s warm hospitality, I felt at home right away. Fanny’s an amazing cook and I ate incredibly well all week. For 31 years, she ran a restaurant with her sister. Now, she tutors Spanish students privately. Hosting students is new for her (she just started last month) and she’s an absolute natural at it.

I was in Valencia during Holy Week (Semana Santa) and wow—what an experience. My first morning there was Palm Sunday, and the streets were filled with processions. People were marching through the neighborhood waving palm branches, singing, and accompanied by marching bands. I stood there with goosebumps, just taking it all in.

On Good Friday, in the morning, a procession carrying a statue of Christ on the cross to the sea. For fishermen, the sea means life, and also death. This procession includes a tribute to those who have lost their lives at sea.

I really enjoyed all the marching bands. This one was playing “Anchor’s Away”, my high school’s fight song!

I was thrilled to discover that Valencia has a Hillsong Church, and that’s where I went to worship on Easter Sunday. 

All in all, it was a Holy Week like I have never experienced before. 

In Valencia, I wrapped up my final week of intensive Spanish. Overall, I feel like I made good progress in relearning the language. However, it was also a wake-up call about how much further I still have to go to reach my goal of fluency. Learning a new language requires a lot of time and effort. I have a renewed respect for people who speak multiple languages. 

I spent a total of 11 days in Valencia, so I had plenty of time to explore. Here are some of the highlights.

From Valencia, I did a couple side trips to nearby towns. The first to Manises, a major center of ceramic production since the Middle Ages. One of my teachers had recommended visiting this small town to understand the history of ceramics. This town was especially renowned during the 14th to 16th centuries when its ceramics were exported all across Europe. Today, ceramic art can be found all over Valencia—in shop signs, benches, walls, fountains, and museums.

I also did a day trip to Xàtiva (pronounced SHA-tee-va), a historic city about one hour south of Valencia by train.

In Xàtiva, I hiked up to the Xàtiva Castle, a sprawling twin fortress that sits dramatically on a mountain ridge overlooking the town.

After two unforgettable months of traveling, I made it home just in time to reunite with Jay for our 16th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with a special dinner at the Flagstaff House in Boulder — the same place where we marked our very first anniversary. So much has happened in the 15 years since then!