Enjoying the Moment

By Sofia Tascon

Arriving in Europe last week has definitely been a culture switch. First, I had to accustom to the later times for meals, sleeping, etc. In Spain, it is typical for lunch to not begin until 2PM–4PM. A nap is usually taken after lunch, with an optional snack around 5 or 6PM. Then, dinner is from 8PM–10PM, with lots of civilians even actively conversing and walking around the city until 2AM. This timing took a couple of days to get used to, however, because the sun does not set until 10PM most days, I feel entirely comfortable eating dinner later. 

Another change I have experienced in Spain is walking anywhere to go place to place, especially with apartments being so close to everywhere for food, pharmacy, class, etc. The other day, I found a cute cafe to study that was in our city. My roommate and I laughed about how we were expressing that we were excited that the walk was only 20 minutes for us, however, in the States we never would have walked 20 minutes to get anywhere. It is very nice to live in a place where everything is accessible, without the need to constantly rely on costly Uber rides. 

After adjusting to the new country, I do feel I have joined a new community of the FSU Valencia program. Many students here are very passionate about seeing the world, working to live, and enjoying the moment. It is nice to slow down every once in a while and remember that although important to study, it is important to take advantage of every opportunity. Meeting people in these 6 weeks can cause all to feel close even when it’s only been such a short time period. I hope to continue to find more in this community and discover more of what is to offer.