First Impressions

Wrote this earlier this week, but struggled to get the blog to work. Anyhoo - here it is...


Evening everyone -

So, end of Day 1 here in Moncada, a moment to draft a few thoughts, reflect and think about what the next few weeks might hold...

Arriving at the airport yesterday and seeing a blue sky and palm trees immediately lifted the spirits. From what I could see from the coach, Valencia looks an interesting city.
Our  group - (Steven, Mateusz and I) - were last off the bus here in Moncada, about 20 minutes out of Valencia. It's a town of around 20,000 people - many of whom commute to work in the city. It would be fair to say that the town has its challenges. Moncada has clearly seen better days in terms of employment, work and social opportunities - much like many small towns across Europe. Nevertheless, the people are friendly, the teachers are enthusiastic and the students are like young people all over the world. They want to learn, they are excited about life, invested in their futures, and they want to improve their English.
One of the UKLC staff in Chester said 'if you can teach children, you can teach anyone'. This month is the opportunity to prove that, and that's why I'm happy to be in Moncada.

Watch this space...

PS: Today's breaking news: Mateusz jumped ship today and is moving to Valencia. He just couldn't take the pace of life here in Moncada. He told Steven & I last night. Naturally, there were a few tears amid the laughter... Hope you like the city, amigo!