Something I’ve learned during my time in Spain is that my speech is full of idioms. When Jamie called me out on this, I thought, well maybe I use these …
Before the sun: A photo project
It was early Sunday morning, the 29th day of December 2019. Lizzie, the best dog ever, and I were walking through the park. It was dark. Valencia had just begun …
Why not a self-organized family yoga retreat?
(Cats, dogs and a hippo, included) We decided to do something a little different with this post. We each independently wrote up the experiences and reactions we had to our …
Six Jam Packed Days at VaughanTown, Gredos
It’s early on a cold Sunday morning in Madrid. We join a group assembling on the street, half Spaniards, half Anglos. We’ll soon board a bus to an isolated hotel …
Spanish – English Conversation Exchanges: the struggles, the joys, and the beauty
When we planned our Spain move people repeatedly made two comments, “You’re so lucky to be immersed in the language every day,” or, “You’ll pick up Spanish so fast living …
An Independent, Family Owned Insurance Agency That’s Expat Friendly
Julija Roslova, English speaking associate, and Ángel Giron Descalzo, Technical Director. We just had our annual insurance review. I can’t describe how freeing it is to have nothing but health …
Private Language Study with Elisa Valero, a Remarkable Teacher
We haven’t mastered Spanish yet, but 90 percent of the progress we have made has been with the consistent and friendly assistance of Elisa Valero Peris, our delightful Spanish teacher. …
A Quick Note on Renewing Your Padron de Habitantes in Valencia
After being in Spain for about two years, you’re going to get a letter from the Ayuntamiento that you probably ought not ignore. Basically, it contains words to the effect, …
Gone Vegan: The How, Why, and When of Our Gentle Diet
Going vegan is our idea of promoting a life of gentle living. It took us 20 years to get here but about three years ago we finally, fully adapted to …
Volunteering at Vaughan Day Town
Jamie and I just volunteered for the first time in Spain. Woohoo! We’ve been waiting for our Spanish to reach that “good enough” level and guess what? It hasn’t. So, …
A Friendly English/Spanish Conversation Group with Maria Hidalgo
One of the reasons we decided to live in Spain was to meet new people and learn the language. One way to do that, we thought, was to participate in …
How to Get a Senior Bus Pass in Valencia
We live car-free here in Valencia. The city is so compact we tend to walk almost everywhere we go. But in the hot weather or when heading to the airport, …
How I Spent My First Ever Yoga Retreat at Yoga Sutra Shala
I’ve wanted to go on a yoga retreat for years but never got around to it. Recently I started to have the feeling that a rigorous week-long retreat just might …
Using Our Tarjetas Doradas on Cercanias Trains
Shortly after we arrived in Spain we discovered the Tarjeta Dorada, or Gold Card, that provides reduced fares on Spanish trains for those over 60 or the disabled. We purchased …
Flipo en Verde – A Zero Waste Shop in Valencia
During our first months in Spain, we struggled just to find certain products. Our language skills weren’t very good, so some days even the grocery store seemed mysterious. Our primary …