What a Weekend

This weekend, my host family decided to go to their beach apartment in Oliva, which is about 45 minutes from Valencia. Why you need a beach apartment when you already live 10 minutes from the beach is a mystery to me, but hey, I’m not complaining ☺ We left Saturday morning, and got there around 11, after a quick stop for bocadillos at a little café on the way. The apartment is literally on the beach, and there are views of the sea from every window. It is gorgeous. Who needs tv when you watch the Mediterranean perfectly framed in your living room window? We spent the day walking along the beach, and I have to admit, it was better than the beach in Valencia in the fact that it was completely private. We walked along the beach for a couple of hours (Paula and I hunted for the best seashells), and then we went back to the apartment for la comida.



The view from our apartment in Oliva


I have to admit, I had an alternative motive for being so excited to come to the apartment this week: my friend Mika, who I met on Facebook last spring and in person at the Madrid orientation, lives in Dénia, and we had made plans to meet up that afternoon. Dénia is about 10 kilometers from our apartment in Oliva, so my host parents said it was no problem to drop me off to hang out with Mika. Her host parents even said I could sleep over, and I had been looking forward to it all week. We drove into Dénia at six, and met Mika at the bus stop. I can’t tell you how good it was to see her. We gave each other a huge hug, which was much needed because no one hugs in Spain. You give everyone a kiss on each cheek to greet and say goodbye to someone, but sometimes you just need a hug, you know?







Mika and I walked around Dénia that night and shopped, drank café con leche, and had Chinese for dinner. Around midnight her host dad came to pick us up and take us to her house. We stayed up until at least 4 am talking and laughing and taking pictures. Mika and I are so similar in a lot of ways. I suppose I should be thankful she doesn’t live in Valencia because I probably wouldn’t hang out with anyone else, but I still really wish Mika and I were in the same city. I have plenty of wonderful friends in school, but it’s definitely not the same, at least at this point when the language still isn’t quite there yet. I feel bad saying it, but it was probably my favorite weekend here so far. However, we will be back to Oliva for Christmas break, and my host parents have also invited Mika to spend a weekend with me in Valencia sometime in November.



My host sister Paula and I


My host parents picked me up in the morning from Mika’s house, and then we went on a drive through the mountains near Dénia. It was incredible. There were all these little scenic outlooks to stop and look at the sea, and it was even more beautiful from the top of the mountains. We drove back down to sea level for la comida, and ate incredibly fresh seafood at a restaurant on the beach. By the time we got back to the apartment in Oliva, no one wanted to leave. We all were wishing we could just stay there forever and not go back to school or work. But all good things have to end sometime, so around 6 we packed up the car and drove back to Valencia. It feels like a much longer weekend than it was, although we really only spent one night there. Tomorrow (Monday) it’s back to life as usual. Well, as usual as life can be for an exchange student anyway.








Besitos,

Paige