The past week has been a little lighter on adventures than my last few weeks have been, at least in the usual sense of the word “adventure”. The weather out here’s been somewhat dreary, and along with that, there have been a few days where my mood has been equally so. It’s gotten to that point where things aren’t as fresh and extraordinary as they were when I first arrived, and I feel as though I’ve found my niche among the day-to-day comings and goings of city life. As great as that is, it also means that I’ve been a little restless, especially on those days when the weather isn’t as great as I would hope and puts limits on my ability to get out and explore.
On one of my “downer” days, I was talking to my parents, and they offered me a piece of advice that I think may stick with me for the rest of my life. Not every day is going to be busy, and not every day is going to be full of fantastical journeys that will rock my world. In fact, sometimes (as is the case with this past week), there will be stretches of time where things couldn’t get any more “normal.” But there are small adventures waiting to be had everywhere you go, and if you seek them out, you’ll find that an afternoon spent having a less conventional adventure may be just as valuable and memorable as an exciting trip or a breathtaking cultural experience.
One of the more eclectic coffee shops I've discovered here, about a 10 minute walk from my apartment.
Take, for example, the abundance of coffee shops here in Zaragoza. You find one on every corner, each with a different ambiance and sense of character. Some have bars, some have extensive bakeries, some serve food, some are modern and some are more eclectic. On the days when I’m sick of bumming around the apartment, I’ll call one of my friends, we’ll meet up at an intersection, and we’ll pick out a new coffee shop to try out. Like tonight, for example, one of my local Spanish friends met up with me to have an “intercambio” chat – he’s learning English and wanted someone to practice with. So he spoke mostly in English and I in Spanish, and we helped one another with some of the trickier parts of our respective native languages. And if I can’t get a hold of anyone to meet with, I’ll grab a book (if I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll take one of my host brother’s books and attempt to read in Spanish) and spend an afternoon reading, enjoying being surrounded by music and conversation and the smells of coffee and bread. Granted, these coffee shop escapades are not daring excursions or incredible parties, but spending time exploring them is a memorable little experience nonetheless – one that I know I will probably miss once I get back to the States. An adventure in itself.
Part of a mosaic that used to be part of the street during the time when the Roman Empire ruled Zaragoza. My favorite piece in the Museo de Zaragoza.
However, there are days when I’m craving a little bit more of an active experience, and when the weather is poor, it’s difficult to find those opportunities around town. It takes a little bit more effort on my part to encounter those experiences, but they’re usually worth the hunt (and sometimes that’s part of the adventure)! Nothing better than deciding to go shopping, and instead stumbling upon a free art museum that is absolutely packed with intriguing pieces from throughout the centuries. Who knew? I spent a good 2 and a half hours learning about art from the Roman Empire to the Gothic period to the days of Zaragoza’s native classic artist Francisco Goya, and chatting it up with the museum curator about my experiences thus far in Spain. It was one of my favorite days here, and the best part about it is that it was living proof of my parents’ advice to me. Adventure isn’t always going to jump up and hit you in the face. It’s all about perspective, and taking the initiative to enjoy the little things.
There are plenty of other opportunities here for spontaneous adventures and discoveries, they just aren’t as glaringly obvious as some of the other experiences I’ve had so far. Walking around the park and practicing Spanish with another international student. Window shopping. Shoot, I even consider my long-winded, all-Spanish customer service phone call with the train company to be a memorable experience. Granted, I’m going to be doing some of the more conventional adventure things as well – there are lots of “touristy” things that I really want to experience while I’m abroad! But the benefits of searching beneath the surface for my daily adventures are both memorable and enhancing to my overall experience of being part of the Spanish community, and hold a place in my heart that I’m sure I’ll remember years from now.
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