Is it just me or does it seem like once we hit the half way mark of this trip somebody turned the dial up and increased the pace of time? I mean, week 4 just came and went at the blink of an eye and we are now coming up on our fifth week here in Valencia… The feeling is bittersweet. Homesickness comes in waves and I’ve dreamt of being able to again communicate effortlessly with the public. However, I already sense the subtle, yet meaningful impact that this trip has had on me as an individual and I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience. I’ll save the details of this for a later blog post. This experience has been eye opening – to say the least – and I’m looking forward to making the most out of these remaining weeks.

The internship that I have discussed in previous blog posts has taught me some invaluable lessons about the society of Valencia and the culture that they hold so dear to their hearts. Eixam does a great job acting as an investigator and facilitator of important data that pertains to real life issues and concerns of the Valencian population. Yaiza and team seem committed to helping give the people a voice that can be herd and felt by public administrators, local businesses, and the city’s policy makers. It is an uphill battle, one that offers many challenges and obstacles, but it is a necessary one to fight. Attempting to create a more egalitarian society through the likes of research is trying and those who embrace it deserve praise. The hard work, diligence and commitment of this organization (and others similar to it) makes them a true inspiration. Their work sends shockwaves across the region, and although it may not yield immediate results, the meaninfulness and longterm benefit of the role that they play in Valencian society is unmatched. From the outside looking in, as a mere visitor of this society, I must forewarn Eixam and other organizations a like of the potential social, economical and political threats of following in the footsteps of Catalonia in seeking withdrawal from the central Spanish government. If anything, maintain a good relationship with both entities and sit back and watch the situation unfold. There will be much to learn from this situation. Also, to be mindful of the ramifications of global warming. Although Europe does take an overall better approach in maintaining our ecosystem than we do back in the US, I do believe that the effects are still being felt around the globe and that this will surely lead to significant changes that will demand for some exploration in the near future. I do believe that this organization is in a good position to begin examining issues of this magnitude, although, they should continue to expand their practice and look to broaden their horizons. Obviously, there can never be enough funding, so I would just propose that they simply keep on the path that they currently are on and keep using their quality of work to push for more funds and a wider network within the region. I sense that this organization is poised to take on an even bigger role given the adequate resources.