WE MADE IT: Our New Adventure in Valencia, Spain

Hello friends and family,

Better late than never! This is our first official update from Spain, and it's going to be a long one. Grab a cup of café con leche and settle in!

The Journey Here

After all the trials and tribulations we experienced over the summer - setbacks with immigration, details around housing, and just juggling all the moving parts that come with relocation - we finally made it. The path wasn't always smooth. Usually, it was filled with Seinfeldian antics - like a cyberattack at SeaTac that required the airline employees to handwrite our boarding passes. But we overcame each challenge and made it safe and sound to our new home.

Our New Home

We kicked things off with a week in a short-term place, shaking off jet lag and getting our first taste of Valencia. It was a soft landing that let us explore at our own pace before diving into real life here.

Now we're settled into our third-floor apartment in the Ruzafa neighborhood, and we're digging it. Our place is nothing fancy, but it's home. We're still getting used to the lack of an elevator (hello, unexpected workout) and the quirks of the Spanish postal system. Pro tip: if you miss a delivery, brace yourself for an adventure to the post office and its labyrinthian bureaucracy - including guessing the contents of the package you were sent and paying a tax before they hand it over!

Ruzafa itself is a gem. We're two blocks from the famous Ruzafa Market, where Eleanor can try all the fruits she can imagine. The light rail is one block away for when we want to quickly venture further.

Speaking of the Ruzafa Market, here's a little video tour from Joseph:

Getting around is a breeze. We regularly use an amazing shared bike system called Valenbisí, which is super handy and easily one of the fastest ways to get around the city. Get this: you pay €30 a year and can take free 30-minute rides. No need to worry about going over time. You only pay €0.50 more if you take longer, and it's a struggle to bike that long. Most trips are 10-15 minutes. You just toss the bike into a bike station. They're peppered throughout the city every couple of blocks.

Speaking of 15 minutes, practically everything is a 10-to-20-minute walk: school, the famous winding park that snakes through the city called the Turia, the historic city center, whatever! Walking reigns supreme here. We get 15,000 steps a day at a minimum, sometimes even reaching as high as 25,000. Most things are even closer than a 15-minute walk, including the grocery stores (there are scattered every few blocks,) the gym - which is downstairs on the ground floor of our block, cafés, restaurants (there are 2 Michelin places across the street,) home goods stores, etc. We end up walking about 20 minutes to Eleanor's school in the morning, which is nestled in the heart of the historic city center.

We've been eating our way through the local cafes and restaurants, and adapting to the "sobremesa" way of life here. That word, which is new to us as well, literally means "about the table." It encapsulates this beautiful thing about Spanish culture: you take your time enjoying a meal while you savor the people you're dining with, often for hours on end. Even after you finish eating, your table is yours until you're ready go to. Like so many things here, food is geared towards building relationships. It's lovely.

What's really struck us is the sense of community here. Despite being in a busy city, Ruzafa feels like a village. People chat on street corners, and there's always some lively discussion happening at the local cafe.

Every day brings something new, whether it's figuring out which shop has the best lemon pie gelato or learning the rhythms of Spanish city life. We're still pinching ourselves that this is our new reality. It's not always easy, but it's always an adventure.

Winning at Bureaucracy

Before we dive into our new life in Spain, we have to share an incredible milestone that set the stage for our big move. Some pretty amazing dreams came true early on in our misadventures in Spain. After 8 years of working, 2 trips to Spain, hours and hours on the phone, and countless emails with lawyers, Joseph Finbar Peha Shea received his very own Spanish Passport! (And a new Spanish moniker. Now he has two last names!)

This achievement not only symbolizes Joseph's heritage but has also been the key to unlocking our Spanish dream. It's a testament to his perseverance, patience, and the power of pursuing one's goals, no matter how long it takes. We couldn't be prouder of this accomplishment, and it's made our transition to life in Spain all the more meaningful. Eleanor's up next! We already submitted her citizenship paperwork. The Spanish bureaucrats said they would call us in two months - minimum - to make an appointment. Par for the course! But it's worth the wait.

Now, let it be known that when Cassie retells the story of finally picking up this passport, it includes all the hysterical details of Spanish bureaucracy. Picture this: The Spanish version of the Department of Licensing, a place where dreams go to wait... and wait... and wait some more. Saying the office was spartan would be generous: there were no toilet seats or toilet paper, and the place was roasting in the summer heat. Despite all that, the employees and customers alike were kind, patient, and even funny. The humor came in handy when Joseph was on the cusp of receiving his Spanish passport - and the Spanish police's national intranet system went down - twice - nearly scuttling the process. In spite of all that, people were joking and patient throughout. Most people were smiling as they left. Incredible.

We were smiling as well. Because at the end of that long, sweaty, toilet-seat-less day, we walked out with that precious passport in hand, ready to embark on our Spanish adventure.

So here's to dancing with the Spanish bureaucracy. May we always have a sense of humor about it!

Eleanor's New Adventure

One of our biggest concerns was how Eleanor would adapt to this massive change. We're thrilled to report that she's thriving and we are so very proud of her! School, like many aspects of our relocation adventure, didn't go exactly as planned, but it has worked out for the best.

Eleanor is now attending a brand-new bilingual American Montessori school called Second Body. This was a last-minute change in plans, but it has turned out to be a perfect fit. Yes, she is still in her PJs nearly every day. She's learning more Spanish and making new friends from all over the world. It's amazing to see her mind expanding with new languages, cultures, and experiences.

Here's a small example: the other day Joseph and Eleanor were walking ahead of Cassie. In Spanish, Joseph said, "Let's wait here for your mom." Without missing a beat, Eleanor looked up at him and replied in English, "I know, Dad. I was going to wait for her." Amazing!

One of the most delightful surprises has been how quickly Eleanor has taken to city life. She has become a pro at navigating the urban landscape on her purple light-up scooter. We walk everywhere; she scoots. Apparently kids scooting everywhere is quite common here. Kismet! Our daily commute has turned into an adventure, zipping through the streets of Valencia, discovering new corners of our neighborhood, and feeling the pulse of the city. She even hailed a cab on her own last week!!

Adjusting to Spanish Life

Of course, moving to a new country comes with its challenges. We're still getting used to the Spanish schedule: late lunches, later dinners, and the sacred siesta - which Cassandra has been FULLY embracing. Joseph's Spanish is proving to be invaluable, Eleanor's is improving every day, and Cassandra keeps speaking French to people, which continues to result in some very humorous misunderstandings.

The food here is incredible. The tomatoes are so delicious you can eat them like apples. Eleanor has become much more culinarily adventurous. She's constantly trying new foods - fruits, fish, stews, vegetables, whatever. It makes us giggle that her most-requested meal is about as Spanish as it gets: a ham and cheese sandwich with green olives.

Looking Ahead

As we settle into our new life, we're excited about what the future holds. We plan to explore more of Valencia and the surrounding areas, improve our Spanish, and immerse ourselves fully in the culture.

We miss our friends and family back home (cough cough - that's you!) but we're so grateful for this opportunity to embark on this adventure together. We can't wait to share more of our experiences with you all.

Stay tuned for more updates. And don't hesitate to reach out if you're planning a visit to Valencia. We'd love to see you and show you around our new home!