Life and Love in Valencia

Hi friends and family,

We're sending you a little preemptive Valentine's Day love and care!

It feels like a lifetime since we last wrote to you in November. So much has happened. Thankfully most of the updates in our little corner of the world have been positive.

Let's get into the details!

🛂 Passports, check!

After eight long years of arm-wrestling a capricious and intractable bureaucracy, Joseph finally got his Spanish citizenship. Olé! And when he finally laid his hands on that little red passport and national ID, a giant wave of amazement and relief washed over him. It marked the end of a very long, hard-fought journey. And it opened the door for so many other possibilities. (You need a national ID card to do just about everything else, like signing up for a cell phone plan, getting a zoo membership, or even accepting packages from delivery drivers.)

The biggest door that swung open was for Eleanor. It allowed us to gift her dual citizenship.

Shortly after Joseph received his passport, we submitted Eleanor's citizenship paperwork, which was a moment of peak Spanish bureaucracy. For example, two civil servants were yelling at each other across from the room, both saying that we were the other person's responsibility - and then it was like playing paperwork whack-a-mole. They asked for one form after another, and Joseph slapped each one down on the counter after every request. It was a comedy of errors - and lots of stamps. Oh, the stamps. But it was worth it.

Now Eleanor and Joseph have the extraordinary privilege of being dual citizens. That means we can live and work anywhere in Europe - and have constitutional rights to healthcare, education, and much more. It's wild. Subsequently, Cassie got the equivalent of a green card, which means she can do everything but vote in Spain. Or, as she says, she's now the legal, illiterate wife. (But c'mon - that's not giving her enough credit. Her Spanish is doing great! More on that later.)

👧 And then there's Eleanor

Eleanor is a joy. She allows us to see the magic in the world, and she adds a magic all her own.

Of the three of us, she's adapted the most seamlessly to Spain - the newness, walking everywhere, reinventing everything in our lives from top to bottom.

She loves school, a Montessori that's 50/50 English and Spanish. During the extended winter break from school, she was begging to go back. It's astounding how much she's learning. There's Spanish, of course, but she's encouraged to wonder and investigate the world, from huge philosophical ideas to practical everyday things. Eleanor is often teaching us about math (she can use an abacus!), geology, biology, history, breathing techniques to calm your mind, and so much more. She has made new friends, many of whom are from all over the world - Spaniards included. The school is also replete with a vibrant community that we absolutely love. More on that later.

We can't believe how much Spanish Eleanor can understand now. When we're walking around town, usually to and from school, she'll listen to the conversations surrounding us. When she recognizes exchanges in Spanish, she'll translate them for us. It's incredible.

Overall, Eleanor loves it here. From time to time, we'll ask how happy she is on a scale from one to ten. She gleefully shouts, "Ten!" When we ask her what she likes about living in Spain, her answers often surprise us. She has reported that she likes how she can walk everywhere, how close everything is to one another, and that she feels safe walking/scooting around because the cars here look out for her. Profound. And sometimes the answer to that same question is "gelato" or "Tedi" (a craft store.) So, you know, we get the full gamut of replies.

Eleanor turns seven in February, is losing teeth left and right, and is quickly becoming a big kid. It feels like we were giving her baths in the sink only yesterday. The tropes about time flying are true.

But some things never change. She still wears PJs every day. And she is the same tender-hearted, loving, and thoughtful person she's always been.

🥳 Culture and community

Warm weather, chill culture

The cultural vibe in Valencia is otherworldly coming from the U.S. There is a pervasive sense of calm, even in hectic situations. People are relaxed and seemingly unflappable the vast majority of the time. Lines? Nothing to worry about. Long waits? That's fine.

Here's a classic example: Joseph still has a holdover habit at the grocery store of frantically trying to unload the grocery cart and repack everything into bags as quickly as possible. Apparently, he's the only one who does this. Even when there's a sizeable queue behind him, and he's sweating bullets doing the grocery shuffle, the cashier will say, "Tranquilo. (Relax.) You're the only one who's worried about rushing." It's like that everywhere.

Community

In addition to the calm, people are incredibly kind and welcoming here. Because of that, we've been very fortunate to find more than one remarkable community. Not only has Eleanor made friends at school, but Cassandra and Joseph have been woven into a wonderful community of parents. There is a surprisingly large Seattle contingent in Valencia. By our count, roughly 16 people we know. (And Joseph organized a little confab in the park for all of us. It was lovely.) Then there are the various other communities from daily life: Joseph has friends from his painting class, we all know people from the neighborhood, there are folks from the gym, etc. On the whole, the people are delightful.

🚑 World-class healthcare

We have been flabbergasted by high-quality, speed, and cost of the Spanish healthcare system. Here's an example: when Eleanor had a persistent cold and was unable to sleep because of excess boogers, Joseph scheduled a video call with a pediatrician - which was available 15 minutes from the time he made the appointment. Get this: his phone rang 5 minutes later. It was the doctor. They had some extra time, so they thought they'd call. Joseph described the symptoms, she prescribed the medicine, and he was able to pick up the medications from a pharmacy a couple blocks away. The whole thing lasted less than half an hour, the consultation was free, and the medications were less than $15.

Joseph also needed to go to urgent care because he took a spill down a marble staircase. Don't worry. He's fine now. What endures is the astounding care, attentiveness, and speed of the healthcare professionals. It was also an alien experience being able to walk out of the hospital without having to pay a bill, buttressed by the assurance that someone wasn't coming to shake us down after the fact.

💼 Workin' nine to five

After dedicating nearly 15 years to healthcare in the Pacific Northwest, Cassandra made an exciting leap into global tech, joining SEMRUSH as a Senior HR Business Analyst. The transition brought plenty of "what have I gotten myself into?" moments – from fumbling with her new Mac after years of PC use, to decoding tech speak where "sprints" have nothing to do with running, all while navigating life in a new country. Those first months were a masterclass in feeling like an imposter, both at work and in the Spanish world around her. But with each passing week (and many late nights of googling tech terminology), she found her footing.

Now she collaborates with teams across multiple continents, and the monthly trips to Barcelona for team meetings have become a highlight, blending strategic planning with tapas and new friendships. Looking back at those hundreds of applications and countless interviews, what seemed like a daunting career pivot has transformed into an unexpected but wonderful chapter in their Spanish adventure.

👋 Jet-setting visitors

A huge thank you to all our friends and family who've made the trek to Valencia! We love being with you, and we've been deeply fortunate to have a parade of visitors from September through early January. If you're interested in coming, please drop us a line!

💬 Learning Spanish

We're all learning oodles of Spanish. Because Eleanor is a sponge, she's learning the fastest. It helps that half her coursework is in Spanish! She has two teachers in her class: one speaks English, the other Spanish. They split the lessons 50/50, so half her day is Spanish only. Oh, and Eleanor's accent is gorgeous. We swoon every time we hear it.

Cassie has learned so much Spanish that she can get around just fine on her own, but sometimes she’s handed a red cookie instead of the green juice she ordered. We're all learning!

Joseph is tickled every time someone randomly stops him for directions, which happens from time to time. It makes him feel native.

🚄 Only a train ride away

The Spanish train system is sensational. Valencia has not one - but two - stations, and both are a 15-20 minute walk from our house. Not only that, but train travel is unbelievably affordable and accessible. A cornucopia of nearby towns is only a short train ride away - about 30-60 minutes. That, and a three-month train pass is about $10.

Cullera

Our first weekend adventure to a nearby town was Cullera, a gorgeous place nestled between an ancient castle and a sweeping Mediterranean beach. The castle is over 1,000 years old and features nearby archaeological treasures from Roman and Neolithic times. After poking around the castle, we hiked to the beach, grabbed a bite, and rode the train home. Oh - and those blue skies and PJ-worthy weather are from early January. It was magical.

Barcelona

Cassie ventures to Barcelona once a month for work. In January, Joseph and Eleanor tagged along for the weekend by hopping on a train. The high-speed trains go over 300 KPH or 186 MPH! We got a whirlwind tour of some of Gaudi's masterpieces, like the Casa Batllo - an architectural wonder that's 120 years old yet avant-grade - and the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's cathedral that's been under construction for over a century. Plus we got to see a marvelous family friend. (Hey, Joyce!)

🎨 Other fun things

Painting

Joseph has weekly studio time to paint with a cadre of very talented and kind Valencian artists. They're all Spanish and unbelievably warm and welcoming, usually inviting him out for a coffee and bite to break up the block of painting time. Because Cassie misses her Seattle crows and there's a dearth of them in Valencia, Joseph painted her one. When walking home with the painting, the café next to our house saw it and asked to feature it in their restaurant. A mini show!

Eleanor and Joseph also spent some time in another painting studio together, and she was able to produce a little masterpiece in just a couple of hours!

Gulliver park

Are you familiar with the story of Gulliver's Travels? There is a large park in the middle of the city based on it. The entire playground is Gulliver's body, and the children who play there are the mythical 6-inch people who tied him to the earth. There are slides everywhere, areas to climb, and oodles to explore. Eleanor loves to go there with her friends.

Beach

The beach is only a ~30-minute transit ride away. It was so warm that we went there once a week, usually every Sunday, all the way through most of November. It warmed up enough a couple of weekends ago in January that we're now able to resume our weekend beach hangs.

The Holidays (or getting pummeled with hard candy)

In Spain, Christmas is not the crown jewel of the holidays. It's January 6, the day of the Magical Kings, or Reyes Magos. There are fireworks, a giant, fantastical parade, and people hurling candy at you at high speed. It's great.

We showed up late to the parade, even by Spanish standards. But because we had a kid, people invited us to the front so she could see everything. That type of kindness is typical.

🌍 Two steps forward, three steps back

Recovery after the floods

Valencia is still reeling from the effects of the floods that occurred several months ago. To put things in perspective, the last time the area suffered from catastrophic flooding was 1957 when at least 81 people were killed. The repercussions were so deeply felt that Valencia rerouted the river and constructed massive infrastructure to control floodwaters in the city center.

The recent floods were much, much more deadly. Last October, 224 people died. Entire towns were subsumed. Communities were torn apart. When you go south of the city center, you can see the line on the sides of buildings - about 6 feet high - left by the muddy floodwaters. The physical infrastructure will take years to recover. But there's been an indelible mark left on the region's psyche, which has only been exacerbated by the inept response from the regional government, which refused help after the flood and didn't alert people during the crisis until many people were already underwater. People are irate.

And they're not waiting for the people who botched the response to save them. They've been coming to one another's aid. Or as you often see around here, "El poble salva al poble. / The people save each other."

Not only did people slap on their boots, grab mops, and march by the thousands to help their neighbors in need. Other organizations have come to lend aid. One of the most impressive is Chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, which prepares thousands of meals each day for the people in the affected areas as well as the volunteers who are helping to pick up the pieces from the disaster. Their operation is impressive: giant cauldrons of stew, the biggest paella pans you've seen in your life, and a small army of people doing what they can to pitch in.

Valencia will recover in time. But the wounds from the flood are still open, and they will leave an indelible scar.

We are immigrants

We exist in a duality of being both Spanish citizens and immigrants. We feel wildly fortunate to live in a place that is kind, gracious, and welcoming of immigrants like us. If only everyone else were so lucky. Our hearts are breaking for the millions of people living in fear - fearful of being targets of hate, persecution, and having their lives ripped apart.

The only reason we're allowed to be in Spain is because Joseph's ancestors were the targets of intolerance and hatred, all of whom were forced to leave Spain when the Inquisition started hundreds of years ago. About a decade ago, Spain tried to make amends for the historical harm by allowing descendants of people targeted by the Inquisition to apply for citizenship. That's what Joseph did. We can live here because Spain chose compassion in lieu of hatred, contrition instead of indifference, and mercy over vengeance.

May other people be extended the same grace one day.

❤️ We are deeply grateful

Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves when we're here. Valencia takes our breath away.

Life is beautiful. The city is a treasure, as are the people, relationship-centric culture, food, walkability, weather, and so much more. We have much to be grateful for.

More than anything, we are grateful for you - our beloved friends and family. Thank you for being the wonderful people you are. We think about you all the time and miss you with all our hearts.

We're sending you love and a gigantic hug from Spain!