For days, I have promised myself that I would blog about what’s happening here. Thing is, I never got to put it into reality. So before I continue doing other work/study/school stuff, I will blog about the past week of my stay here. 

April 11-Went to class and to the mall to buy AWESOME Aviator sunglasses. 

April 12-Applied for Nationality, went to Correos to send an email to Navarra, and got complaints of how slow Filipinos move in companies. (I am so tempted to put the name of the company but if I do, someone might see it and we don’t want bad images here now do we? So, COMPANY, reply already. We sent you two emails three weeks ago. Pfff.)

April 13- Office for the whole day. Courageous enough to try an ice cream sandwich (Maxibon). It was awesome! The ice cream store is right beside the Consulate’s. HIHI. New meriendaaaaaaa! Hope the cold goes away though

April 14-Went to two train stations (20-minute walk between the two) to check out Renfe tickets. Did NOT buy tickets because it’s cheaper to buy tickets online and with Carnet Joven. Had French crepes for dinner and Mojitos with Justine afterwards. Did you know that adding sugar to an alcoholic drinks makes it more alcoholic? It may do such, but it makes the drink sweeter and yummier.

April 15-Went to the Consulate to pick up an invitation for the Opera, commuted to Palau de Reina Sofia (walked the whole stretch) only to go back to where I started, attended a Marketing talk with the Coca Cola Marketing Director of Spain in La Escuela de Negocios de CEU. STUPID ME for not reading directions properly.:| Understood 80% of the 30-minute talk. Yes, it was in Spanish and YES, I had to think fast to understand the translation. Learning Spanish is difficult and I have to work twice as hard compare to the people here because of the language barrier. Time to break it, eh?

Today, I went to Mercado Central with Belen, the niece of the Consul. Mercado Central was amazing, it’s practically a palengke but cleaner and more organized. No kidding. Had lunch in a little restaurant with Belen. Mini-bocadillos con patatas fritas y una conversacion sobre Opus Dei y Dios. HIHI. Walked to the Opus Dei Center after. It was really big. There was an elevator in the Center and there were around 6 floors. Met so many nice people. They were really accommodating…and they reminded me of the numeraries back home. (Reasons are between me and Sabel) Can’t wait to go back on Thursday!:D Went back to the apartment and prepared pinchos. MEEEEEN. Sin. Sin. Sin. Pan con jamon serrano o chorizo o pastrami con queso. DIOS MIO.:(

So, that’s all for now. Till the next blog entry! (With pictures, promise!)

Special mention to the boyfriend: Happy happy 21st birthday Jeromeo! Feliz cumpleanos, mi amor!<3 Miss you!!:D

Hasta luego,

Ana

P.S. Why the title? I won’t be surprised if I return home FATTER.:| The food here is crazy and the servings are big. Is it my fault it’s good? HAHA.

Ever since I got to Valencia, there has been a couple that would call me every single day but I never get to answer for two reasons:

1. Dealing with jetlag was difficult. NO dinner and EARLY sleep (I’m talking 7:00PM for one whole week!)

2. My phone would be on silent mode.

How I wish I did answer their calls earlier because tonight I finally met them and I had a wonderful time.

They live along Carrer de Jesus in a beautiful apartment. With three rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, nice floorboards (cannot get over them!) and a living/dining room, the place is perfect for three. Well, that’s Gerard and Rocio Dacudao with their cute 1 1/2 year old son TJ. We had a light Spanish dinner care of Rocio: jamon, quezo, pan (tapas!), strawberries with yogurt, and apple tart. Add long and meaningful conversations about different topics.

Now, Filipino boy met Spanish girl in New York. He was working at an IT company and she was working in the Valencia Institute of New York. What a perfect city to fall in love! After much talking, they came up with a compromise to get married and live in Valencia (especially since it was to Rocio’s home court advantage; He was an immigrant in the United States anyway). Filipino boy came to Spain without knowing any single word of Spanish. But after years of studying and immersion, he can finally call himself a fluent Spanish speaker. Valencia has everything they need: jobs, schools, markets, and an apartment all for themselves.

Throughout the night, Kuya Gerard would call to his wife: Amor, Mi Amor (Love, My Love) without any hint of embarrassment. It was so normal to address her as such and he would just stare at her in awe. You could tell that he didn’t regret any decision he made. Now I have seen married couples in my lifetime but I have never seen a couple so IN LOVE as I did tonight. It’s amazing how by name calling, compliment giving (Mi Amor, this tortilla is the best you’ve made so far!), and loving stares give me hope that there is more love in this word than what I expected. How rare to find couples like this! They were so nice and accommodating. They made me feel so at home, it was great. I know for sure that they won’t have a hard time raising cute little TJ as they think. Maybe I too will have this kind of story to tell a 20-year old intern who’s dreaming of her shining knight in armor who will sweep her off her feet someday and call her his as well? Who knows, right?:)

From the RH bill to “putok” to being a Filipino to school to the food, talking, laughing, and sharing memories took hours but time flew by quickly. This is actually the first time I enjoyed myself with a really young married couple. Till the next Spanish diner, I wish them more happiness and goodluck. May you have many more kids (as Kuya Gerard wants 5 more cute TJ’s in his life!) and love to share with each other!

Killer line of the night from Kuya Gerard: “I didn’t care about my citizenship. What was important was that we could be together.” 

Oh love.:)

I promised myself that as soon as I get settled here, I would write about the adventures Im having in Valencia.

First things first, bienvenido a Valencia, Spain! That means: Welcome to Valencia, Spain! I am currently in the Consulado General de Filipinas working (and blogging!). We Filipinos will never stop multi-tasking. HAHA. I am writing from a Spanish keyboard so all the apostrophes and other “normal” keys that were (we are) supposed to have are missing. If words dont make sense, try to understand why.

Its (It is) my fifth day here and my jetlag is gone, Im still freezing from the fluctuating weather (15-21ºC), and I know how to commute to/from work and school. Let me do a run down on the days that have passed and go through each day into detail in separate entries.

Day 1 (March 27): Arrived at 12:15PM in Valencia, Spain. Picked up by Carmen (the Consul General) and Justine (A Filipina volunteer and friend). Brought to the apartment of Teresa Mendez and met her daughter Michaela, Celia (another roommate), and her dos gatos y un perro. Went to mass at 6PM in the Center of Valencia, had horchata and tonnet in Daniel, and slept without having dinner. Talk about jetlag.

Day 2 (March 28): Learned how to commute to work with Justines help. Passed by Centro´lidiomes de Universidad de Valencia to inquire on testing. Learned how to register Filipinos. Lunch in Cafe de los Martinis with Clara and Justine (3 plates, first official Spanish meal!). Took the test at 5:00PM to determine my Spanish level.

Day 3 (March 29): Learned how to do the NBI Clearance of a Filipina. First cocktail event in Hotel Las Arenas. Inauguration of the New Consul General of the Consulate General of Norway. Returned to school to check results: Level B1. Enrolled in class and had Papa and Mama send the exact same orange Prisma books that I use in Ateneo.

Day 4 (March 30): First day of school. Photocopied books. Went to work late and finalized registration forms.

Day 5 (March 31): Sent email to NFEx Chairperson. Lunch in Justines house. Feria de Vinos y Caja with Emilio (volunteer). Valencia Square at night.

Day 6 (April 1, TODAY!): Happy April Fools, everyone! I just spent the whole morning and afternoon in the Consulate, waiting for a certain email to come in. Of course I arrived late because Emilio brought me back to the apartment at 12:30AM. More details about the Consulate and the feria later. For now, I will return to the apartment and studyworkandplay there. (Hahah!) Wish me luck, it takes an hour to commute and walk as well.

Adios y hasta luego,

Ana