Blog of the month - May 2008
 Hola Valencia
Mike is an American, from the backwoods of rural Ohio, and Juergen comes from Darmstadt, Germany. We met each other in Boston 8 years ago, and moved together to Europe in 2001. After 5 great years in Berlin, we decided to take advantage of the EU's "Freedom of Movement" policy to explore Europe. We spent a cold, windy year in Western Ireland (http://www.irelandblog.net), after which we escaped to the much better climate of Valencia.
We've been in Valencia for about 4 months and are loving every second of it. It's an incredible city that flies under the radar of most tourists to Spain. People tend to go to Barcelona or Madrid for city-trips, and further south or to the islands for beach vacations. So, we love the fact that Valencia is still relatively unknown. Hopefully our blog will help change that! We plan on staying for at least a few years -- I can't imagine we'll soon tire of the relaxed Valencian lifestyle.
Have you ever lived abroad before?
We're serial-expats, but not necessarily by choice. Until the USA changes its policy regarding civil unions, we're bound to Europe. Both of us really enjoy traveling, and have been all over Europe. Last summer, we had a great extended holiday in Hong Kong & Beijing.
Why did you choose to live in Valencia?
We had decided on Spain, and were planning on moving to Barcelona until one of our friends raved up and down about Valencia. Neither of us knew much about the city, but a quick visit confirmed everything he'd said -- it's a wonderful, relaxed place with an incredible climate and extremely friendly people. And it's the perfect size for -- large enough so that you'll never run out of things to do, and small enough to not be overwhelming. Plus, it's fairly unknown, which we like.
We live right in the middle of Ciutat Vella -- the old city quarters -- which is a wonderful location. We're close to all the main historical sights, and have a big selection of restaurants and entertainment. The apartments here are a little smaller than what we're used to from Germany or America, but Spanish people seem to live their lives on the streets, so it doesn't matter too much.
What is your occupation there?
Together, we run a few websites (http://www.lastminute-auction.com/ , http://www.random-good-stuff.com , http://www.criticker.com/), from which we make enough to survive. Additionally, Juergen is a photographer (http://www.jhfoto.de).
Any culture shock ?
The biggest shock was how few people here can speak English. We're used to northern Europe where practically everyone speaks a little English, but that is not the case here. It's been difficult to get a lot of things done without decent Spanish -- luckily we were able to speak basic Spanish before we got here. If not, it would've been impossible to find an apartment and get set up. Definitely something to know, for people wanting to move to Valencia!
Do you miss anything from your homeland?
Mike (USA): As much as it embarrasses me to admit it, I miss the chain restaurants like Chili's and Olive Garden! And I really miss American TV. It kills me not to be able to follow shows like Lost.
Juergen (Germany): Magazines and of course... the beer!
When did you start your blog?
We started it right away when we moved to Valencia. We've got other blogs, and knew that we wanted a Valencia one as soon as possible. The purpose has always been to introduce and discover the city from a foreigner's perspective. We try and blog daily -- there's certainly enough to write about.
Did you make new friends with your blog?
We've got a forum on our blog, and have met a few interesting people that way. We haven't met up personally with any of them, yet, but we are planning on doing so.
Why did you register on expat-blog.com?
We love traveling, and think that the best way to learn about new cities is to explore the adventures and lessons of other expats. Expats always have a unique perspective on the places in which they live -- they're more excited about them than nationals usually are, and we love hearing the stories.
Your best souvenir? Or maybe your worst experience?
Mike: My best memory is introducing my little brother to Berlin. He'd never been out of the States before, and it was incredible watching all the pre-conceived notions that Americans have about Europe and Europeans disappear. In general, sharing the experience of living overseas with friends and family from home is one of my greatest highs.
Juergen: With my limited Spanish, I've gotten into quite a few embarrassing situations. Last week at the market, I wanted to know what a certain vegetable was called, and instead asked the lady behind the counter for her name. Everyone around me started laughing, but I didn't understand what was so funny until she answered, "Me llamo Susana, cariño".
Hola Valencia
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