hello, all! after 30+ hours of travel, i am alive & well in valencia, spain, where i will be spending the next two-and-a-half months for a research internship at the university of valencia.
below are a few highlights of my trip thus far:
1. meeting some new friends and being invited to a family's weekly paella get-together. the mother made authentic paella valenciana, which included beans, rice, chicken, rabbit, pea pods, and some other unidentifiable ingredients. the cast iron pan was HUGE and needed to cook for hours. below, a random photo stolen from google to show the size of paella pan she used. disclaimer: i don't know these nerds.
2. my apartment, which is brand new & gorgeous, is situated in the older, more "antique", part of the city. in fact, my apartment is just one block away from these gorgeous towers, "torres de quart", that were previously part of the city wall. here, these towers can be distinguished from neighboring towers because "los torres de quart" have many cannonball holes left from Napoleon's invasion. again, below you will find another stolen photo.
3. the humidity here is outrageous, but i'm loving the heat. :) if you know me, this is not a surprise.
4. i have met many new friends that have kindly shown me the ropes here in valencia, my roommate is a sweetheart, i am enjoying the fresh markets and old cathedrals just steps from my apartment, i have already tried many different foods and horchata (i only like it frozen), and i have started my internship, which has already proven to be intense and will likely be a great learning experience!
i do not have internet at my apartment yet, but i have wi-fi access at work, from about 9:00 am to 6:00 pm [Spain time]. it is expensive to text the USA, but i will have skype at my apartment soon!
my mobile number is: 693-233-688 [country code: 034]
my mailing address is:
hannah raines
calle salvador giner 13 puerta 12
valencia, españa 46003
skype name: hannahraines
i will update soon, once i have taken some pictures of the city and my apartment!
XOXO
