The Best Things In Life Happen When You Least Expect It

So...Valencia, Spain.

It's probably one of my top 3 places on this little Eurotrip of mine.

I say the best things happen when you least expect it because I was never planning to go to Valencia at all.

But, Valencia was awesome and I'm glad I randomly decided to go there. Why was Valencia awesome? Well, it was amazingly clean, for one thing. I wasn't really expecting much when I got to Valencia...my only true reason for coming here at first was just to chill out on the beach and do absolutely nothing for 3 days, and let me tell you for the record that I accomplished that goal with complete grace. But, when I got on the Metro after leaving the airport, I was FLOORED by how well kept the subway is there. I mean, there was not a single piece of garbage anywhere...it was truly amazing. I am pretty ashamed of the NYC subway after my time in Valencia.

Ok, so I got to my hostel with a fair amount of ease and was pretty happy with my choice....this place was fabulous. Clean, colorful, and CHEAP. Yes. Finally. After Switzerland, my wallet desperately needed a break. (oh, by cheap I also mean for Europe, but that's not saying much since the American dollar is worthless right now.) I'm not really sure what it was about this place...maybe it was the bar or the close living quarters, but I think it had something to do with travelers who go off the beaten path a little bit.

My days were spent in complete relaxation at the beach, and I am now rocking an impressive caramel-colored tan. The first night in Valencia, all 7 of us slowly met and winded up talking the whole night, which was an absolute blast. It is always great to hear people's travel and life stories, and each of these wonderful girls had a unique and beautiful perspective on things. The second night, two more boys joined us and they were both very cool kids, so they added to the fun. After way too much Sangria, we all went out to some club by the beach which had no ceiling, so the entire thing was pretty much outdoors and it was ENORMOUS. We had a great time, danced the night away, and didn't go to bed until 6 a.m. (which is actually early for a night out in Valencia, but in my defense, it was a Monday).

On my last night there, my friend Pablo who is from Valencia (I met him back in Basel, Switzerland) gave me a driving tour of the entire city. It felt amaaaaazing to be driving in a car instead of walking or taking public transport, so that made it fun all on its own! But, the other cool thing was getting a local's perspective on everything. Pablo took me to see the oldest bridge in Valencia, the major shopping areas, the old forts from when Valencia was attacked a long time ago, a church that is said to be part of the Holy Grail (how cool!), and...the "City of Arts & Sciences". Interestingly, the architect of this amazing complex (comprised of a museum, aquarium, and the largest IMAX theater in Europe), Santiago Calatrava, is also designing the World Trade Center Transportation Hub at Ground Zero, which I thought was so cool. Google him, this guy's work is incredible.

After a very cool tour of Valenica, Pablo and I went out for delicious tapas and had great conversations about our cultures and impressions of the U.S. (turns out he studied abroad at the University of Oklahoma! haha). We also talked about fashion and as I explained how sad I was not to have stilletos with me on this trip, he said, "Com on girl! Joo know every gal has sun room in da suitcase por anoder pair of chooz!" hahahha..... oh how true it is. I asked Pablo where he learned to speak English so well, and he said, "Eleven seasons of Friends, girl! Come on!" hahaha....I couldn't stop laughing. This guy was hilarious, and I was so glad that I met him and that he was kind enough to take me out on a tour in his hometown. Those are the kinds of people that make the world go 'round!

What I loved about Valencia was that it perfectly balanced old and new. The metro was so clean, and even the escalators were environmentally friendly! They were motion sensitive, so they only started when you were about to get on them. The City of Arts and Sciences displayed some of the best architecture in the world. The shopping there is amazing, with stores that are cleaner and much more impressive than the ones I've seen back in many other places I visited. But at the same time, Valencia has successfully retained its culture by leaving old architecture, important historical buildings, churches, etc. intact. I loved this balance....it feels like a city that is so cool, but isn't pretentious or trying hard to be "cutting edge."

Even though I loved Valencia for the friendly locals, the beautiful architecture, and the cleanliness, I guess what I loved most about my trip here was how it opened me up to a lot of new thoughts and life lessons. For instance, when I was in the cab with Eric, one of the other guys we were sharing a cab with commented, " I reckon you only make about five true friends in your entire life." At first, I thought, " Well, doesn't that totally depend on the person? Some people get lucky and make a lot more than that. Others wind up feeling completely alone their whole lives." But then I remembered a conversation I had gotten into earlier that night with one of my new friends who was grieving over the recent death of her 25-year-old brother. I remembered the warmth of her tears as I wiped them off her face just a few hours before, and how she said to me, "Bereavement is something we all have to go through in life, no matter who we are. We each have to deal with the death of a loved one at some point in our lives." I realized that as many friends, family members, and significant others as we may have, we are still ultimately traveling alone on the journey of life. There are times when we are completely by ourselves- both physically and emotionally- in the world. At other points, we might be surrounded by friends and family but for whatever reason, we feel completely alone. We never know when the ones we choose to love will leave, intentionally or unintentionally.

While this seems like a sad reality, there is some sort of bittersweet comfort involved in knowing that we are all together in being alone. It is yet another reference point over which to bond with others...to make casual conversation, build a lasting love, bond with our families, or develop business relationships.

This isn't to say I think we always FEEL alone. For sure, I've realized that as much as it hurts my heart to imagine a life lived in complete solitude, it makes me smile to think about feeling complete affection towards another person when gazing into his or her eyes; the pure joy of looking into the eyes of a child you brought into the world; the satisfaction you get when you sit back after a great Sunday dinner with your entire family. These are, after all, the things in life we live for.

But the only thing more frightening than living without these comforts or blessings is the notion of going through life without self love. I guess as travelers, we are always in the act of searching- for answers, knowledge, adventure, new friends, or simply peace of mind. One of the greatest gifts I've received on this trip has been knowing from the observation of others that "The Journey Is The Reward". What makes it difficult to live a fulfilled life is that sometimes, we are so focused on the destination that we don't really enjoy the trip. To live like this is to live for a future that isn't guaranteed to us. The time to experience the best that life has to offer is right now. In this moment. Are you living your best life? If you aren't, what's stopping you? If you are sweet enough to actually be reading these emails thoroughly enough to have gotten this far in, then:

A.) I want you to know how much I appreciate you, and I do know who you are because you comment on my wall, you write back, you let me know how life is going. Thank you, because it really matters to me and hearing from you makes me sublimely happy.

and B.) Take a minute to soak life in right this second. Savor your breaths, the noises you hear, the people that surround you, the world that you can literally feel with your bare hands. Do this, because surely if you do...if you are unafraid to experience it with such intensity....you will see just how real and beautiful the journey itself is.


Another point of note from my time in Valencia was when I went into the water at the beach on my first day here. I was trying to stand perfectly still, but it was damn near impossible. As I watched myself getting pushed around by the waves that were rolling in and out, I realized that life is kind of like the ocean. Sometimes it's shallow, sometimes it's deep, and sometimes people walk in and out of it without permission. But the one constant is that it's always moving, and the only thing you can do is let it take you where it will. To resist life because you are trying to stay put is more likely to make you topple over than if you just roll with the tides that come your way.


Remember that life is too short to wait for something better to come along. It is too short not to love with all you have and all you are right now. And it is certainly too short not to do what you want, say how you feel, and live your very best life. So whatever your heart desires- travel, friendship, knowledge, a college degree, an internship, your own business, or just a new pair of heels...whatever. Go out and find a way to make it happen right now. If you are reading this e-mail, make no mistake about it- you have whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Go. Do it with love. =)

Love life,

Melissa


Additional Valencia Observations:

1.) I am still honestly in shock at how pretty and clean it was.

2.) So many people here speak English, which was COMPLETELY unexpected considering Valencia is not really on every Europe traveler's "hit list".

3.) You can't get to the nice beaches by metro, only by car. Shocker.

4.) Renting a lounge chair at the beach makes a world of difference!



Trip Stats:

Days: 46

Roommates: 79

P & J Sandwiches: 32

Life Lesson: "You don't find love, love finds you." - Pablo

Jukebox: Mr. Brightside, The Killers

"Coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all"


Random Thought:
Me: "Woah. I think I just had a conversation with a local in Spanish. How the..."


Quotable:
" What you did Valencia, but next go where you"

...I should explain. I met some Italian gut at my hostel who didn't really speak English (but I was fascinated by him because he ate 3 entire bowls of pasta and a jug of Sangria on his own!), and he made me go to a computer with him so he could use an online translator to talk to me. Above was one of the English translations. Needless to say, the conversation didn't last too long, haha.


Overheard:

I am too intoxicated from the sun during this portion of my trip to remember any of what I overheard.