2015 nomadic noles valencia magazine final pdf 10-8-15

Nomadic Noles

Nomadic Noles

Summer 2015A magazine written and producedby students in Florida State University’sStudy Abroad Valencia Program

Valencia’s café culturespices up city’s vibrancy

PAGE 14

First Year Abroad shapesstudents’ experiences PAGE 4

From the U.S. to Spain:profs make life changes PAGE 12

International Programsplans anniversary parties PAGE 8

Summer 2015 3NOMADIC NOLES

2 Summer 2015NOMADIC NOLES

Table of contentsSummer 2015

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Font cover photo by Rachel Townsend. Photo above by Claudia Gonzalez.

Letter from the program directorFaculty profiles Unity through music 6Larry Gerber, professor and experienced vocal performer, talks about his travels around the world and how they led him to Valencia. By Katherine Sinner

Wily and wise 12William Biringer and David Nordlund are more than professors equipped with lectures — they are role models who inspire students to be better people. By Joseph Quintana Dynamic duo 16Faculty members Enrique Álvarez and Michael Leeser provide insight into their lives in Valencia and Tallahassee. By Sarah Tatum Study center in focus Different beginnings 4Freshmen spend their first year abroad at one of FSU´sfour study centers around the world. By Kathleen Keenan

Celebrate good times 8Important anniversaries are coming up for the London,Florence, Valencia, and Panama study abroad programs. By Milagros Aburto

Cooking with a dash of culture 10Dr. César Ángeles´s Food and Society class allows students to immerse themselves in various cultures and experiment with international cuisine. By Sasha Polissky

Biggest year ever for Valencia 28A total of 679 students studied at FSU Valencia in the 2014-2015 academic year, compared to 288 in 2010-2011. By Claudia Gonzalez

Beyond the study center Making time to dine 14Coming from a fast-paced lifestyle, FSU students adjust to the slower pace of meals in Spain. By Rachel Townsend

Seeing the sights 18Through planned excursions, International Programs allows students to explore all Spain has to offer. By Lauren Thompson

Flamenco in the spotlight 20FSU students experience flamenco, a popular form of musical expression, throughout their time in Spain. By Erica Pope

Merging messages 22Though conscious of its problems, the people of Valencia have a romantic view of America.By Corbin Ryan

Changing tides 24Recent city mayoral election makes waves in Valencia.By Ashley Tressel

From toast to tapas 26A brief guide to food, beverages, and meal times in Valencia, Spain. By Jennifer Knauf

At Florida State University’s Valencia Study Center, we are proud to provide an academic and cultural pro-gram adapted to the needs of students who, in many

cases, have never traveled outside the USA. We have grown in our program in Valencia from having 265 students during the 2001-2002 academic year, to 385 students during the 2012-2013 year, to 679 students during this academic year. It is our hope that the knowledge and life-skills that they acquire in Valencia will stay with them in the future, both in their pro-fessional and personal paths. It is especially fulfilling for us to see how they learn about and adapt to their new environment and gain a different perspective on the European lifestyle and culture. We firmly believe that having the chance to carry out their everyday lives in Valencia also gives students a strong sense of independence and self-confidence.

A study abroad experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportu-nity to become immersed in a new culture and to also learn about one’s self in the world. In most, if not all, classes in the FSU Valencia study center, the use of the city as a classroom is maximized, as students make culturally-related trips, obser-vations, and personal reflections about Valencia, its places, and people.

As dean of studies and program director of FSU Valencia, it is an absolute pleasure and honor to have Susan Hellstrom and Jack Clifford in Valencia, again teaching the Editing, Writ-ing and Media program, following the success of the first issue of Nomadic Noles in Summer 2014. Their students have once again had a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the field and to describe their unforgettable experiences in writing, while living in the heart of Valencia, Spain, and Europe.

We would like to thank the EWM students and instructors for their hard work and enthusiasm over the summer while working to produce the edition of Nomadic Noles that you are reading.

—Ignacio Messana



international program courses can be de-scribed as unconventional—but in a good way. The classes are usually small, holding about 10-25 students. Because of this, the environment of the classroom can be more personal compared to those at the main cam-pus. Additionally, having small class sizes gives professors flexibility both inside and outside the classroom.

During the days students have class inside, there is more time for in-depth discussions about the course material. Occasionally, you will see classes out exploring the city, going to museums, and eating local cuisine, all relating back in some way to their course of study.

“In my archaeology class, my professor took us to his high school to see a bomb shelter from the Spanish Civil War,” Mackie says. “We sketched the layout of it and ev-erything.”

These excursions not only make classes more enjoyable, but they help students con-nect what they learn in class with a more au-thentic experience of the host country.

Science and math classes too FYA students are offered a variety of

classes, many of which satisfy first-year re-quirements for most majors. Other classes are meant to encourage students to explore their different interests and to take advantage of the host country. For example, students in Valencia can take classes such as Sketch-ing the City or Food and Society, ones that would not normally be taught in Tallahassee.

However, with interest in studying abroad growing, the study centers are increasingly adding courses in math, science, and busi-ness. These expanded course offerings help to attract students who want to major in technical fields but who fear that studying abroad will make them fall behind in their coursework.

Many students who have come through the program have good things to say about the FYA lifestyle at the four study centers. Since the students are required to stay in the same program for the fall and spring semes-ters, they become close.

“I lived in a house of nine girls in a suburb of Panama,” says Tina Spohnholtz, an FYA student from Seattle, Washington who was an FYA at the Panama campus. “I liked living in a house better than an apartment because it felt like its own little community, where we became really close friends with all our sur-rounding neighbors. It just felt like a home.”

Home away from homeFreshman students brave first yearof college in cities around the worldBy Kathleen Keenan

Photo courtesy of Emily Larson

What makes a home? Home is where you learn how to ride a bike. It’s the place where your family celebrates birth-

days and other special occasions. It is a space where you feel safe and secure.

When most students leave home for the first time, it´s to attend a university in their home state. But imagine leaving home—full of these memories of birthdays and special moments—to study abroad in another coun-try for the next 12 months. Your new living conditions might be an apartment overlook-ing a set of medieval towers in Spain or a house set in the suburbs of Central America.

Each year, more and more students are deciding to study abroad during their col-lege careers, including some who decide to study abroad their freshman year. In the 2014-2015 academic year, 104 students participated in Florida State’s First Year Abroad (FYA) program.

“I feel that the First Year Abroad Program is an excellent way for a young person to start their FSU career,” says Jim Pitts, FSU’s Inter-national Programs Director. “They have the opportunity to study a broad range of cours-es in small classes. They also gain a global

perspective by living in another culture for an extended period of time and in many cases learn-ing another language.”

Florida State has be-come one of the lead-ing international study programs in the U.S., and one thing that makes FSU stand out is its FYA program. Through this program, students just graduating from high school can spend 12 months at one or more of FSU’s four main study centers, located in Florence, Italy; London, England; Valencia, Spain; or Panama City, Republic of Panama. Each location places students in the heart of the city, allowing them to live and embrace the local culture.

Coming into this experience, students may or may not know their host country’s lan-guage. For example, what makes the Valencia and Panama City programs so attractive is that students can practice their Spanish.

Many students take Spanish in high school or are required to take a language as a part of their col-lege course curriculum. For oth-ers, the appeal lies in the prospect of learning a new language like Spanish or Italian. These new or existing skills help students be-come internationalized and im-mersed in a new culture.

The program does more than just broaden the perspectives of its participants. Those students, in turn, bring their experiences and new ideas back to the Tallahassee campus when they return.

“The FYA program helps in-ternationalize FSU’s main campus by providing students with the opportunity for a yearlong im-mersive experience at the begin-

ning of their college career,” says Lauren Schoenberger, the Florida State International Programs FYA program coordinator. “We are proud of the growth and change the students experience during their First Year Abroad experience.”

A financial incentiveWith its main attraction featuring the ex-

perience of living and studying in a new country, FSU offers an added incentive for the out-of-state students. Once out-of-state students complete the 12-month program, they are eligible to receive in-state tuition rates for their remaining three years at the Tallahassee campus. This program is a smart option for students who may not have oth-erwise chosen an out-of-state school because of financial reasons.

Matthew Mackie, an FYA from Bethesda, Maryland, is one such student.

“I was accepted, and the tuition was look-ing kind of steep, and it looked like my par-ents weren’t going to be able to afford it,” he says. “An admissions counselor pulled me aside at an on-campus meeting, and ex-plained to me my options with the FYA pro-gram. It was then when I knew FSU could be a possibility.”

Once FYAs realize FSU is a possibility, the next step is to register for classes. Many

Photo courtesy of Mathew Mackie

Mathew Mackie, a First Year Abroad student, with a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct behind him, in Segovia, Spain, during an FSU trip to Madrid.

Emily Larson, a First Year Abroad student,enjoys a weekend away in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Photo courtesy of Connor Barniskis

Connor Barniskis visits Sicily, Italy, while he works for FSU International Programs in Florence, Italy.

By Kathleen Keenan

After living and studying abroad for 12 months,

the transition to life in Tallahassee can be diffi-cult. The lifestyle you led in your host country for the past year will prob-ably be different when you return to the U.S. However, this transition does not have to be a tough one.

Check out these helpful tips from Connor Barniskis, a former First Year Abroad (FYA) student who studied in Florence and London his freshman year and now works as a program assistant in Florence, Italy:

1) Once you get back to Tallahassee, it is important to get involved. I under-stand that going from being abroad to a campus with thousands of students is overwhelming. Additionally, trying to branch out and meet new people might seem impossible. One of the best things about such an immense school is the myriad involvement opportuni-ties. Greek life is massive at FSU, but if that isn’t your scene, there are intramural sports, various clubs, research groups, and organizations where you can make the campus feel smaller.

2) Your interaction with international groups does not have to end just be-cause you are in Tallahassee. Students from around the world attend FSU. Be-cause of this, FSU provides outreach at the Center for Global Engagement for international students who are learning

to adapt to American culture. This can be a great opportunity to make friends from other countries, and it will allow you to use your experience as an FYA to help these “International Noles.” After all, you too have gone through culture shock while being abroad, and now you can impart your wisdom in dealing with such stressful situations.

3) My last piece of advice is to not feel jaded with your impending years at FSU. You will be tempted to compare your study abroad experience to memories you will create in Tallahassee. You saw so many amazing sights and have done so much that many people in Tallahas-see will never understand. Never fall into dismissing everything Tallahassee has to offer, because if you keep an open mind you will see that Tallahassee has A LOT to offer. Find places that remind you of studying abroad, and stay in touch with friends you made abroad (even if it gets hard). Most importantly, meet new people, try new things, mess up, make mistakes, but always move forward. You have the travel bug now, so there should be no doubt in your mind that you will go abroad again. Until that time comes, enjoy FSU.

Transitioning back to campusAn FYA studentoffers his tips on easing backinto Tallahassee

See FYAs, page 30



A seasoned voicefor FSU's program

Professor Larry Gerber walks up to Lavin’s, one of the hangouts favored by staff and students of Florida State University’s Interna-

tional Program in Valencia, Spain. He’s about to take a seat at one of the café’s popular out-side tables when a friend approaches him. It’s fellow faculty member David Nordlund.

They begin exchanging jokes with one an-other.

“My profile will be muy awesomer than yours, dude,” Gerber says to Nor-dlund (profiled on page 12). They bounce back and forth between words and phrases such as “awe-somer” and “far out.” Gerber seems to know people wherever he goes.

It was during his first summer in Valen-cia when Gerber made many of his current close friendships. Gerber, Nordlund, and Program Director Ignacio Messana became nearly inseparable.

“I respect and admire him both as a friend and colleague,” Nordlund says.

Gerber first began working closely with Messana and his wife during fall of 2001.

“Larry has been a great friend and even mentor,” Messana says. “It is thanks to him, among other FSU friends, that I became one more true Seminole.”

Gerber, who grew up in Fowler, Kansas, a small town in the southwestern part of the state, was born into a family of teachers.

“My mother was maybe the best teacher I’ve ever had,” Gerber says, recalling that she was his math teacher for four years in a high school of 120 students and that she also played piano for the chorus. “I always knew

I wanted to be a teacher,” Ger-ber says. “My two older brothers were also teachers.”

When it came time to choose a college, Gerber chose Fort Hays Kansas State University. After taking a men’s chorus class and receiving encouragement to pur-sue a degree in music, he decided to give it a try.

It wasn’t long before Ger-ber found his opportunity to enter the music world. After a strenuous audition process, he was named an apprentice artist with the Santa Fe Opera’s sum-mer program, one of the best opera programs in the country. He liked it so much that he au-ditioned for a second summer as an undergraduate, and was again chosen. There, he worked with renowned teachers in an array of practices including voice, diction, movement, and staging.

“It was an inspiration in every way for me,” says Gerber. “And that’s where I decided: This is a great field.”

Gerber pursued his music passion whole-heartedly, not wasting a moment. He learned about a particular professor of music through one of his undergraduate professors and decided to study with him, packing up his life and moving to Colorado State Uni-versity to pursue a master of music in vocal performance. His music career was off to a fast start.

Gerber’s time with the Santa Fe Opera company prepared him to audition for the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, an-other of the nation’s best. He was selected for the program and remembers fondly his lead role in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.”

“I was very happy and absorbed all of it. I took full advantage of every opportunity,” says Gerber.

Gerber then took a job at a fine arts high school in Greenville, South Carolina. His mu-sic career was off to a running start, and now his teaching career was as well. Moreover, the high school gave him the time and freedom to accept opera and singing contracts.

“When it came to that time when I either had to say I’m going to teach or be a profes-sional singer, I wanted to be both,” Gerber says. “I love teaching, and I love singing.”

Teaching at this school for four years not only prepared him to later on teach at the

By Katherine Sinner

“We must be global citizens. If I can display that through music—wonderful.”

— Larry Gerber

FSU Professor Larry Gerber strives to make a difference in his students' lives

collegiate level, but it also opened his eyes to other art forms.

“I would go to art shows, poetry readings, theater,” says Gerber.

After his time at the fine arts high school, Gerber accepted a teaching job at the Uni-versity of Alabama. However, this was short-

lived because Gerber received an interview opportunity, just one year later, at Florida State University. He couldn´t resist. He land-ed a job in 1979 as an assistant professor.

“I immediately fell in love with the College of Music,” Gerber says.

An entry-level professor in the College of Music must participate in performances in order to move up in po-sition, Gerber says, so he wasted no time.

“You’re only as good as your last performance,” he says.

In due time, he earned tenure at FSU and was pro-moted to full professor, eventually serving as coordi-nator of voice and opera in the College of Music.

Gerber has performed in shows across the world, from the United States to the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, and Pakistan. In the U.S. alone, he has sung with the Orlando Opera, Charlotte Opera, Bir-mingham Civic Opera, Atlanta Symphony, Charleston Opera, Dallas Bach Society, Jack-sonville Symphony, and many more.

Gerber discovered opportunities in FSU’s International Programs (IP) through Direc-tor James Pitts when Pitts’s daughter was studying voice at FSU with Gerber. He urged Gerber to bring his talents to Valencia. Once again, Gerber made a bold career move.

Spending a summer teaching abroad was all it took for Gerber—since then he has returned several times to teach at FSU Va-lencia. He has also taught for IP in London, England and Munich, Germany.

Palau de la Musica (above)This is an excellent concert hall. The acoustics are wonderful, so there is no bad seat in the house. It is a medium sized venue, so it feels intimate.

Palau Reina SofiaThis is one of Europe's finest opera houses. It is a treat for eyes and ears. At this venue, one can hear the world's best in classical music.

El PatriarcaI go to this venue because it is one of the few places in the world that still per-forms the Catholic Mass in the Latin Rite. Beautiful singing of Gregorian Chant can be heard for 30 minutes prior to the Mass and during the Mass. The acoustics and the church are stunningly beautiful.

Cafe del DuendeThe place for flamenco in Valencia. It is intimate and features the best flamenco artists in Valencia. I have never walked away from Cafe del Duende unhappy.

Jardines del PalauThis is a fantastic outdoor concert venue that is in the riverbed just behind the Pa-lau de la Musica. I have heard wonderful concerts at this location that have includ-ed music styles that range from jazz to concert bands from Valencia to a Beatles tribute band. In general, all the concerts in this location are free.

Larry Gerber's top 5 Valencia music venues

See GERBER, page 32

Gerber, right, performs during a special Florida State Opera program that featured arias and ensembles from opera and music theater. The trio is performing their rendition of “Japanese Sandman.”

Gerber in the the role of Eisenstein in Johann Strauss’ s“Die Fledermaus”

Gerber sings while performing the role of Herr Schultz in FSU School of Theatre’s production of “Cabaret. “


8 Summer 2015NOMADIC NOLES NOMADIC NOLES

Love,Italian style

P icture yourself abroad. You´ve fallen in love with the city, the culture, and the food. But what happens when you fall in love with a person?

Many students face this dilemma while they´re studying abroad. They make strong connections but feel lost once it´s time to return home. Sue Capitani, Director of the Florence program, shares the story of how she fell in love with her future husband when she was a 24-year-old graduate student and program assistant at FSU’s Florence program.

Nomadic Noles (NN): What made you choose Italy?Sue Capitani (SC): While in graduate school, I studied early Christianity, the me-dieval church, and modern-day Catholicism. Italy seemed like a logical choice, because I wanted to be in a culture quite different from the Anglo-American culture. I liked the idea of being centrally located in Europe, facili-tating travel to other European countries.

NN: How did you meet your husband?SC: One of my best friends and former roommates from the University of Florida (where I earned my bachelor’s degree) had studied on the FSU program as an under-graduate and had met her future (Italian) husband while there. She decided to return to Florence after graduation, and when I arrived in Florence a couple of years later, I called her immediately. She came by with her fiancé and one of his best friends—who ended up becoming my future husband! We met my very first day in Florence.

NN: Were you and your husband ever long distance? If so, how did you two stay in contact and how did that affect your relationship?SC: Yes, we were long distance when I re-turned to the U.S. to finish my master´s. This was before internet, cell phones, WhatsApp, and any kind of social media. WE WROTE LETTERS! We also spoke by phone every once in a while. It was a big deal to talk on

the phone with someone overseas. However, it really didn’t affect our relationship. I knew that I needed to finish my degree and was willing to do what was necessary. Fabio was very patient, but it was an 11 month wait!

NN: When did you two get engaged?SC: We decided to get married not long after I returned to Italy after having finished my M.A.

NN: Do you have any kids?SC: Yes, we have a 32-year-old son who lives in Florence.

NN: Moving to Italy permanently must have been a huge decision. Can you tell us how you made that decision and how you felt?SC: It was a very difficult decision. After we were married, we lived in the U.S. for almost two years, and although we had jobs (we both worked for the Italian Trade Commission—an Italian government of-fice promoting trade between the US and Italy), something was missing. We had made friends in Atlanta, but everyone’s life is pretty fluid in the U.S., and two of our clos-est couple friends were moving to another city/country. My husband’s family was very close and we had lots of friends back in Italy—all in Florence, so it was a joint de-cision to return to Italy. I also missed the culture of living in Italy—the beauty of the city, the countryside, being able to go from the mountains to the sea in a couple of hours—and the food! I enjoyed speak-ing the language and the witty sense of hu-mor of the Florentines. I personally knew the person who sold me bread, the couple where I purchased meat, and the woman who sold me cheese—you had lots of per-sonal contact with people in your neighbor-hood, besides your family and friends. The most difficult part was telling my family that we were moving back to Italy because we were also very close. However, when my mother came to visit the following year, she told me that she understood why we moved

back here. We would return to visit my fam-ily once a year for an extended visit.

NN: How and when did you start work-ing at the FSU Florence study center?SC: Late fall of 1989. I had worked in other jobs, but I wanted to be back in an academic environment, and also I missed being with other Americans. My life outside of my job was entirely Italian and I felt completely at home in that environment, but I also wanted some contact with my “roots.”

NN: Lastly, is there any advice you would like to give to future students who fall in love abroad?SC: That is a tough question because every-one is different. First of all, finish your de-gree—no one can take that away from you, and if the relationship is valid, then you can wait a few months. Try to return with a plan for what you are going to do. It is great to have lots of free time, but you will need your in-dependence and that comes with a job. Learn the language properly by going to an Italian language school for foreigners, if you aren’t at least conversational. If you are enrolled in a school for more than three months, you will be able to obtain a student visa which means you will be in the country legally—and can work part-time legally. Be patient and try to keep your sense of humor. Being a student there is much different from living there, and you are going to have to make many adjust-ments—not only to your lifestyle but also to your way of viewing things.

Q&A with Sue Capitani by Milagros Aburto

Back in 1957, the first students to study abroad through Florida State University wore helmets and combat boots.

That´s because the Panama Canal campus, which was FSU’s first international program, was started to help American soldiers stationed there further their educations. Now, nearly 60 years later, FSU is celebrating the same program, as well as the three other international campuses that followed: Florence, Italy; London, England; and Valencia, Spain.

In 1966, the first FSU students to study abroad in Florence probably wore boots too — so that they could help the city of Florence save rare books from the most disastrous flood the city had seen in 400 years. Thus, FSU Florence´s 50th anniversary is a particularly monumental one because it also marks the 50th an-niversary of the flood.

“Our students were active in helping clean up the city and re-ceived special recognition from the mayor of Florence for their service,” says Sue Capitani, director of the Florence program. “We are organizing a meeting with the local government for those mem-bers of the first Florence program. It will be an exciting time.”

Florence’s 50th and London’s 45th anniversaries will be com-memorated in 2016, and Valencia’s 20th and Panama’s 60th anni-versaries will be commemorated in 2017.

All past alumni of these programs are invited to join in on the ceremonies, which will be hosted in their respective study abroad cities. Those attending will be treated to guided tours of the study centers as well as the cities. Guests will also be invited to cultural events and gala dinners in historical parts of the city. To give you

Let’scelebrate

Photo by Monique Boileau

Bottom: Florence students meet in St. Mark´s Square while on a trip to Venice.

Top: London students pose in front of the London Eye. Middle: Valencia students gather in Plaza de la Virgen.

Photo courtesy of FSU IP

Photo courtesy of Adriana Gonzalez Bortot

See ANNIVERSARIES, page 31

By Milagros Aburto


Photo courtesy of International Programs

Sue Capitani, right, with students studying in Florence, Italy.

FSUInternational

Programs commemorates

benchmark anniversaries



Photo by Monique Boileau

A gastronomical adventure

On a hot, humid July day, 26 stu-dents from Florida State’s study abroad program gather at The Workshop, a place in Valencia

that offers classes to help visitors transform the cooking experience. Each student partici-pates in the time-consuming process of mak-ing Valencian paella by taking on a role at a station, where they add meat, vegetables, rice, and various sauces and spices.

After three hours of chopping, fry-ing, and mixing they finally have their perfect product and the students are able to try it, accompanied with home-made sangria and chocolate ice cream to reward their hard work.

This is Doctor César Ángeles’ Food and Society class.

“Doctor Ángeles said this class would be gastronomically difficult rather than academ-ically, and he was right,” says Alex Bajo, an FSU international affairs major.

It is one thing to test your culinary lim-

its when trying all the dishes Valencia has to offer, but Ángeles’ teaching offers a more hands-on approach. Students test their limits and step out of their boundaries to fully im-merse themselves in the local culture.

This course takes students on a gastro-nomical adventure, where they gain a respect for their new and temporary surroundings and dare to try things that some people

might hardly consider food, such as Lithu-anian salted squid.

Ángeles allows students to experiment with an array of international foods while discovering food’s relationship to society.

On top of cooking traditional meals, the students in the summer 2015 class went out for an Indian dinner, followed by a wine tast-ing to experience the richness of that culture through its cuisine.

“Whether it was shopping and tasting unknown foods from the fresh market or learning about the wines of Valencia and all of Europe, every class was exciting and kept

us engaged,” says Samantha Wells, who took the course during the spring 2015 term.

At the vanguard of experimental and innovative cuisine, Valencia has a variety of culinary options to explore. Since food is so highly regarded, in or-der to make a name for yourself as a chef, you must have a competitive at-

titude and an innovative mind. Spain houses some of the most influential

restaurants of our time, such as the world-renowned three-star Michelin restaurant El Bulli, located near the town of Roses, Cata-

What’s on the menu for FSU Valencia’s Food and Society class?

"[Students] come out with academic knowledge. They come out respecting other

cultures and civilizationsand, if things were done

well, they come out having learned a little bit more

about themselves."— Dr. César Ángeles

Article and photos by Sasha Polissky

Opposite page and above: Students spend three hours making the paella and reward themselves at the end by trying it.

“Doctor Ángeles said this class would be gastronomically difficult rather than academically, and he was right.”

— Alex Bajo

“From learning all about the regions of Spain and what foods come from those regions to the influences other cultures have on Spain, I find myself still applying those lessons during my study abroad experience.”

— Samantha Wells

lonia. In 2006, The New York Times named Ferron Adrià, chef of El Bulli, the best chef in the world because of his creations, such as caviar made from olive oil, pine cone mousse, and cuttlefish ravioli in coconut milk.

Adrià’s success has inspired Spanish pro-tégés such as José Andrés, chef and host of the television program Made in Spain, which showcases the broad talent stemming from this region.

During the summer of 2015, the class tried 10 different preserved foods from all over Europe, Africa, and Asia. The selec-tions ranged from octopus in oil to Bulgarian cheese in brine. Each food was like a Happy Meal with a surprise inside, some happier than others.

“The [Lithuanian salted squid] was like a piece of paper that wouldn’t break,” Bajo says.

Students are reluctant at first to try food so different from what they are used to eating. Human nature eventually gives way, though, and many are sometimes surprised by what they find.

“I mixed tomato marmalade with goat cheese on bread, and it was heavenly,” Bajo says.

Throughout the years this course has de-veloped and added crucial components to the lesson plan, such as impact of world hunger. Ángeles was reluctant about adding this topic at first, but now considers it an es-sential part of the course.

“It deals with how human beings interre-late through food as part of culture and civi-lization in an increasingly globalized world,” he says.

Coming from an area greatly affected by war, the topic of world hunger is familiar to Spaniards. Famine swept the nation when the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, and Ángeles attributes this factor to the value older gen-erations of Spaniards now place on food.

“The whole idea about Span-ish traditional food is being able to feed someone with very little money,” he says. “What you have at hand is a very cheap, humble plate of food, but always there. Something that you can count on. It’s wor-ship really.”

But a generational gap has emerged, and Ángeles says the younger generation has lost its appreciation for authentic Spanish cuisine, trading paella for a juicy ham-burger or a slice of pizza.

“Traditional food is being lost, and that in many ways is a shame both culturally and eco-nomically,” Ángeles says.

By nudging students out of their comfort zones, the class helps students become more cultured and encourages them to venture be-yond the foods they would typically eat.

“From learning all about the regions of Spain and what foods come from those re-gions to the influences other cultures have on Spain, I find myself still applying those les-sons during my study abroad experience,” Wells says.

Although he was born and now lives in Valencia, Ángeles is a true Seminole at heart. He grew up in Flori-da, and after high school he attended FSU, where his father was chairman of the Mod-ern Languages department. When he moved back to Valencia, Ángeles did not lose the garnet and gold spirit.

While working as a physician for the Poly-technic University, Ángeles noticed a sign for FSU on a local building and went to in-vestigate. There he met Valencia’s program director, Ignacio Messana, and Ángeles be-came a physician for FSU students. In 2010,

he was given the opportunity to teach, and, coming from a teaching family, he immedi-ately took the position.

See FOOD AND SOCIETY, page 33



A world ofwisdom

By Joseph Quintana

Valencia is home to a bounty of ancient monuments: the San Juan Hospital, the Torres de Serrano, the Mercado Colón, and many other timeless treasures. Despite the centuries that separate students from when these sites

were built, William “B.J.” Biringer and David “Dr. No” Nordlund are like time travelers with the way they bring these ruins back to life.

Professors in residence at Florida State University’s Study Abroad Program in Valencia, Spain, and veterans of the program, Biringer and Nordlund teach every class with the passion of a first-year instructor.

“B.J. wants you to find your voice in his class, while also being respectful of other students and letting your voice be heard,” says Sarah Tatum, a student of Biringer’s in summer 2015. “He wants you to be passionate about the subjects you talk about while edu-cating yourself about the culture surrounding your everyday life.”

Both scholars are homegrown Americans. Nordlund grew up among palm trees and Lakers fans in his native Southern Califor-nia, earning his B.A. from St. Mary’s College of California, his M.A. from Middlebury College in Vermont, and his Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from UCLA.

Biringer, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attained his bach-elor’s degree in Spanish and international affairs at Penn State, his master’s degrees in Spanish and in history at West Virginia Univer-sity, and his doctoral degree at Florida State.

Both men serve as a helpful bridge between Spanish and American culture for students, says FSU Program Director Ignacio Messana.

“B.J. is not only a great professor, but also a wonderful person,” Messana says. “He communicates very well with the students and ends up being a great channel of culture between the U.S. and Spain or between our U.S. students and his passion for the Spanish and Valencian culture.”

Messana also has praise for what Nordlund brings to the program. “David gets the best from his students every semester,” Messana

says. “He is a good scholar and a very good researcher, and the stu-dents know that they must work hard in his classes. But the reward is leaving Spain having learned, experienced, and walked through the knowledge, history, and streets of Valencia.”

Biringer and Nordlund are perfect for the Valencia program, not only academically but personally. In addition to speaking fluent Spanish and being married to Valencia women, they are no strang-ers to the city.

In 1982, Nordlund was backpacking across Europe as a teen-ager when he visited Valencia as a tourist, but he couldn’t resist the city’s charm. As an undergraduate, he returned to Valencia to study abroad for a year. After his B.A., he took a teaching job in Valen-

cia, when he met Maria Sierra, whom he later married. Later, while working on his master’s degree at Middlebury, he actually did most of his work at Middlebury’s Madrid campus.

Since 1999, Nordlund has called Valencia home and now vacations annually in Cali-fornia. However, when not in Valencia or California, he enjoys spending time with his family in their country house in Valencia’s wine country, where he enjoys hiking in the foothills with his dog Lars.

“Dr. No is knowledgeable and we always learn something new,” says Jacqueline De-Porre, one of Nordlund’s students. “He also believes learning should take place outside of the classroom and takes us on outings.”

Biringer first arrived in Valencia in 2000 to work on his dissertation and to teach at the FSU study center. He did all of his writ-ing and editing in Valencia, receiving his Ph.D. in 2005.

“I was the first student to ever write a doctoral thesis in an FSU international pro-gram,” he says.

Currently, Biringer is active in an array of groups in Valencia: the Falla de Barrio San José (part of Valencia’s most famous annual celebration, Fallas), the Valencian Humane Society, and the American Space (a U.S. State Department initiative that tries to bring to-gether Spanish and American cultures).

Even though he has lived in Valencia since

2000, he still manages to stream Nittany Lions games on his laptop during football season (we forgive him).

You would normally expect some level of culture shock when your plane lands in a for-eign place that you’ve maybe only seen in his-tory books, but these experienced travelers settled down in a place that has the perfect remedy for those worried about not fitting in.

“The idea of community and friendship is one of the best things about Valencia,” Biringer says, his face glow-ing as he raves about his city. “The people are very open. I have, since day one, felt wel-comed. Never have I felt out-cast or marginalized; people here want to know you, they want to know your life.”

Nordlund and Biringer have completely immersed themselves into Valencian culture, which is exactly the experience they want to share with their students (with the exception of searching for a spouse). Studying abroad is not about sitting in a class-room in an unfamiliar place; it’s about diving head first into that culture to make that place familiar.

“For studying abroad, stu-dents need professors who like to be out in the field,”

says Nordlund as he leads a class excursion across Plaza de la Virgen. “When I teach cul-ture and humanities classes, I can use Spain to give students a much more vibrant con-text. After a film showing, I can reference local culture, and these students actually get to live it.”

In the United States, students do not have the opportunity to literally interact with the course text. In Valencia, Biringer thrives on giving students that chance.

“In the States, in the classroom, in a text-book, you can’t look at all these paintings in the same light. I get to show people Dali in person,” says Biringer, barely able to contain his excitement. “That’s what makes it great. Or we go to the archaeological ruin, and you can actually touch the castle and be with it.”

Firing off what seems like 1,000 words a minute coupled with lightning-fast gestures, Nordlund might seem a little overwhelming at first, but he has this frenetic pace because he just has so much information to dish out. In class, he draws maps of historical sites prior to his scheduled class expedition. He details the interior of the San Juan Hospital down to the exact number of windows.

In addition to teaching FSU Valencia stu-dents and to having served as the former dean and academic director of FSU Valen-cia, Nordlund teaches U.S. students study-ing abroad at the Berklee College of Music’s program in Valencia.

And from 2008-2013, Nordlund worked for the U.S. Department of State, managing

Photos by Joseph Quintana

David Nordlund takes students out of the classroom to give them a hands-on lesson on what Valencia's streets are about.

Photo courtesy of William Biringer

B.J. Biringer and his wife, Mariá de los Angeles Varea Bou, wear traditional Valencian garb.

American expatriates and FSU faculty members William Biringer and David Nordlund have madeValencia their home, and they are opening new doors so their students can learn about the city

Photo courtesy of William Biringer

B.J. Biringer gives an interview during his tenure as Vice President of the Falla de Barrio San José.

See EX-PATS, page 32



Sit down, order, eat, pay, leave. Sound familiar? Not in Spain. America and España are worlds apart when it comes to their re-spective café cultures.

“Eating in the Mediterranean context is a social act more than a survival fact,” says Valencian-born Juan Salazar Bonet, an ar-chaeology professor with FSU Valencia.

In the U.S, everything is fast paced and focused mainly on the food. In Spain, social-izing is the focal point of every meal.

“We take our time at lunch, especially in the middle of the day because it is our main meal,” says FSU Valencia Associate Director Alicia Martínez, a native of Spain. “It’s not only for eating, but after eating, we have cof-fee time and talk to the people that we are eating with.

“This is our way to live—our concep-

tion,” Martínez says. “We work a lot here so we need to maintain relationships with our family members and friends as a part of our lives.”

Taking time out of the day to sit and en-joy company is vastly important in Spanish culture. At first, most students who study abroad are taken back by the idea of spend-ing two hours at a café, but it doesn’t take long to get used to and even come to enjoy.

“The experience of going to Spanish res-taurants was a culture shock for me,” says summer 2015 student Erica Pope. “I am used to quick food, quick drinks, and quick service. While at first I found dining in Va-lencia to be rather annoying, I eventually de-veloped a gratefulness for it.”

Pope found herself enjoying the food more, appreciating the company more, and relishing her surroundings more.

“Instead of speeding through a meal, I was truly in the moment,” she says.

Although every mealtime is a social hour in Spain, lunch is the biggest deal of all. Meals are typically eaten later in the day than in the States, which means lunchtime generally falls around 2 p.m. This is the most important part of the day for the Spanish. Small shops will even shut down for a few hours to allow their workers time to enjoy a big lunch with family and friends and then re-open in the early evening—this time is often mistaken as a time for a siesta, or nap, by non-Spaniards.

Lunchtime holds a Spanish-wide cultural importance, but it is not the only meal of value in Valencia. Almorzar, as it is called in Spanish, is a mid-morning eating stop when businessmen and women take a break from what they are doing and sit down for a coffee or drink with a bite of bread.

“In Valencian, the language of the city, we call it esmorzar … and it is like a religion,” Salazar says. “It is the time to talk about the news or other general topics—fútbol, poli-tics, etc.”

Because the restaurant and café atmo-sphere is so centered on socialization, going out to eat generally calls for a more laid-back atmosphere.

“Opposite to the States, it is rude if a wait-er or waitress approaches the table and gives you the check directly. We don’t like that at all,” Martínez says, with a soft chuckle.

Locals are used to taking their time with a meal, in part due to the climate in Spain, Martinez says. It gets hot during the sum-mer and most people do not own air condi-tioning—it is considered a luxury due to its high expense.

“So we leave the hot and go outside in the street and meet a lot of people,” she says.

Rather than sitting inside and cooking in the heat, going out is the preferred option. It is even fairly common to see dogs walking alongside their owners as they journey to a nearby café.

In good weather, which is year round in Valencia and most of Spain alike, most peo-ple sit outside when they go out for a bite to eat, or even if it’s just for a cup of coffee. No matter what part of town, no matter where in the country, sitting outside at a café is sim-ply part of the Spanish culture.

“You always have excuses to say: Let’s go have a coffee,” Martinez says. “And you don’t necessarily have to drink a coffee. I mean, you

can drink a Coke, you can drink a horchata in summertime, or you can drink whatever you want. But the excuse is always coffee.”

You might be curious as to what types of dishes are ordered in these cafés. Valencia is located on the Mediterranean, so seafood is a large part of the diet, although seafood op-tions are a bit different than what you might be used to in America.

“Try new foods—it’s defi-nitely worth it,” FSU sopho-more Samantha Arvin says. “I tried a whole octopus and didn’t like it, but I’m glad that I tried it. It was a new experi-ence. Just take it all in because it’s an important aspect of the culture here. You can live how the locals live.”

Paella, eels, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a mild spicy sauce), croquetas (fried bread crumbs with a creamy filling), and gazpacho are just a few traditional foods to be found in Spain.

Although not all people like such cuisine, all should at least try. As pointed out by Arvin, the food is part of the Span-ish culture, and the best way to enjoy the culture is to immerse yourself in it.

“You just don’t get this back in Florida,” Arvin says.

Nearly every street in Va-lencia has some historical rel-

evance, and nearly every street has a place to sit and eat. This culture is offering far more than a pleasant meal. When eating at a café or restaurant in Spain you are eating with his-tory. You are becoming a part of the culture.

Valencians and tourists alike socialize as they enjoy a meal in the city’s historic Plaza de la Virgen.

FSU students enjoy lunch in between classes at Lavin, a student and staff favorite.

Above: Samantha Arvin enjoys a glass of sangria while tasting pulpo, or octupus.

Photo courtesy of Samantha Arvin

A fuller experienceArticle and photos by Rachel TownsendSpanish café culture hits the spot with students

See page 34 forRachel Townsend’s photo essay about café culture.



Photo coutesy of Michael LeeserLeeser and Alvarez during a visit to Leeser’s hometown in Pennsylvania.

By Sarah Tatum

The study abroad program in Va-lencia offers students and fac-ulty members the opportunity to create a home away from home.

With the help of Florida State University’s International Programs, they are able to establish temporary roots in a new culture and environment.

Enrique Álvarez and Michael Leeser are as-sociate professors of Spanish at FSU, where they have taught for the past 11 years. Since 2012, they both have been establishing their own sense of place in Valencia when teach-ing during various academic sessions. They also have been partners for almost 20 years.

Their home environment in Tallahassee is well established, but they appreciate being able to create a second, comfortable home in Valencia.

“I love being in a place where we can walk everywhere, and you walk out of your build-ing and are confronted with life,” Leeser says.

Both feel that the culture and structure of Valencia’s program creates a unique learn-ing environment for students as well as for themselves.

“In the summer sessions, we establish a very specific kind of relationship with our students that you don’t get in Tallahassee,” Álvarez says.

Álvarez’s academic focus in Tallahassee is Spanish literature and cultural studies, in ad-dition to studies in gender with a focus on

masculinity, and he teaches Spanish Read-ing and Conversation in Valencia. Leeser focuses on second-language acquisition and bilingualism in Tallahassee, and he teaches Studies in Hispanic Languages in Valencia.

They met at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham-paign while earning their Ph.D.s; Álvarez was in his sec-ond year and Leeser in his first.

“We found each other as life companions; our life together has been a fantastic accom-plishment of commitments,” Álvarez says.

The two have found a pleasing balance between work and home life. They have the same colleagues but teach different types of classes for FSU’s Modern Languages and Linguistics Department. They also enjoy their time together, especially traveling, but have their own personal interests they like to take on. Leeser likes competitive sports, for example, while Álvarez enjoys music shows.

“We have lots of things in common,” Ál-varez says, “and we agree to disagree some-times, but we get along together very well.”

Both are from small towns—Álvarez is from Navia, Spain, which is located in the Principality of Asturias region, and Leeser is from Macungie, Pennsylvania, which is about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Álvarez moved to England to complete his B.A. at London University, studying Spanish

and Latin American studies. He then moved to the United States in 1997 and received his Ph.D. in 20th-century Spanish literature and cultural studies.

Leeser completed his B.A. at Wheaton College in Illinois and his M.A at Middlebury College in Vermont. He received his Ph.D. in Hispanic linguistics and acquisitions.

“We are so happy to have them coming to teach from the Spanish program of FSU’s Modern Languages and Linguistics depart-ment to the Valencia study center,” says FSU Program Director Ignacio Messana. “They bring all the knowledge and all the coordi-nation with the ‘home campus’ for us, plus all the academics, good teaching, and experi-ence. And, of course, all the fun. I am proud to say that for me, they are good faculty, and above that, good friends.”

Students taking classes with the professors enjoy the knowledge they bring to the pro-gram. Karen Orellana, who took Leeser´s 2015 course in Valencia, admits not knowing much about her temporary new home before arriving in the country.

“Coming to Spain I didn’t know about the culture, and I have asked him so many ques-tions and he has answered all of them with-out hesitation,” she says.

Annie Strickland, a student who took Álva-rez’s summer 2015 course, says he is “a cool guy and has a lot of experience in the field.”

Álvarez and Leeser agree that the most re-warding part of their Valencia experience is being able to watch their students grow. They teach students beyond the classroom and use the local community to help their students grow as Spanish-speaking students, and say they enjoy hearing their students become ex-cited about the material they are learning.

“The student gaining enthusiasm and wanting to explore the culture is the best re-ward as a teacher,” Leeser says.

A look into the lives of Enrique Álvarez and Michael LeeserHome is where the heart is

Alvarez (left) and Leeser in Valencia’s City of Artsand Sciences.

Álvarez and Leeser also help other visit-ing professors feel comfortable in their new environment by sharing their knowledge with them, says Eduardo Robles, a Florida A&M professor who teaches art and archi-tecture courses in Valencia.

“To begin with, Enrique and Michael are good friends—they happily share the places and people that they have come to know in the past years teaching here,” Robles says. “They provide a bi-cultural experi-ence by having a foot in Florida and one in Spain. Both are no nonsense. And funny.”

The two express their appreciation to be part of FSU’s community, especially for the support they receive with their partnership.

“I love Florida State for many, many, many reasons—I can’t begin to name all of them,” Álvarez says, “but the way they have been since day one, the administrators, and aca-demics, and colleagues have been about our relationship by not making an issue about it, it’s been really good.”

American history changed June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right. Words and messages of support from those close to Álvarez and Leeser boosted the couple’s happiness with the court’s deci-sion, making the day even more memorable for them.

“What struck me the most was emails I got from former students, and family mem-bers, and friends that are very supportive,” Leeser says. “That’s what meant the most, getting that support from our straight allies.”

“Straight allies that are happy for you be-cause they love you,” Álvarez adds. “It is an accomplishment for them as well.”

That day was a turning point for Ameri-cans, and a lot of people expressed them-selves on assorted social media platforms.

“Facebook became some sort of a multi-

cultural, multi-colorful place,” Álvarez says. While the court’s decision was very recent,

Álvarez and Leeser have been talking about the idea of marriage for quite some time.

“It’s part of our responsibility as educa-tors to also educate our fellow citizens in America about what is a right to live by one’s emotional desires, without interfering in oth-ers’ (lives),” Álvarez says.

Education is an important concept to Ál-varez and Leeser, within their private life and at work. Álvarez wrote his dissertation on queer male poets in Spain and is currently researching problematic construction of masculinity in 20th-century Hispanic culture. Leeser’s dissertation focused on second lan-guage comprehension, and he has published several journal articles on the topic.

One of the classes that Álvarez teaches in Tallahassee is titled Queer Theory.

“Queer studies is a growing field of inqui-

ry in the humanities,” Álvarez says. Original-ly offered to just graduate students, the class is now open to undergraduates.

“Because my students are [activists], and they come to us with questions, and we pro-vide them with answers, and I might not be upfront as an activist but I certainly feel like one,” Álvarez says.

The two are excited to see America enter a time of change, and move toward a positive view of marriage equality. They are pleased that recent events are starting to encourage the view that love is equal for everyone.

“Love is having a simple dinner, and feel-ing like you are dining at the Ritz,” Álvarez says. “Love is to have a simple omelet with a glass of wine, and that simple omelet and glass of wine taste like the best meal ever. That’s love.”

“And watching ‘Game of Thrones,’” Lees-er adds, causing both to laugh in agreement.

Enrique Álvarez´s three favorite Spanish poetsOlvido García Valdés: Born December 20, 1950, Valdés has written poetry, prose, and translations. She has three major stages of writing. The first includes her first three verse collections. The second includes her prose book Caza Nocturna. The third in-cludes two books of poetry that bring a profound awareness of death. In her third stage, her collection titled Y todos estábamos vivos won the National Poetry Prize in 2007. She is currently a professor of litera-ture and Spanish in the Instituto el Greco of Toledo, Spain.

Federico García Lorca: Born June 5, 1898, he was part of the Generation of ’27. His most famous work, the Romancero Gitano, was published in 1928. The ballads high-light the gypsy lifestyle and the trials and tribulations the gypsy people go through. The book brought him fame across Spain and the Hispanic world, and he went on to write many more poems and plays until his death. García Lorca was arrested on August 18, 1936, at the outset of the Spanish Civil War, and he was executed by the National Militia on August 19, 1936.

Jaime Gil de Biedma: Born November 13, 1929, Biedma was a Catalan post-Civil War poet. His earlier poems showed a strong opinion toward Spanish dictatorship, and his first publication, Compañeros, took after the Trotskyist expression for Communist sympathizers. Along with Francisco Brines, he was also famous for helping to reinvigo-rate homoerotic topics in poetry. Biedma belonged to a group of poets known as the Generation of ’50, individuals who were inspired by social realism after the Spanish Civil War. He died in 1990 from AIDS.

“I love Florida State for many, many, many reasons—I can’t begin to name all of them, but the way they have been since day one, the administrators, and academics, and colleagues have been about our relationship by not making an issue about it, it’s been really good.”

— Enrique Álvarez

Photo courtesy of Michael Leeser



Sea breezes & city streetsStudents travel around Spain with Valencia programBy Lauren Thompson

Photo by Lauren Thompson

View overlooking the town of Peñíscola from El Castell de Peñíscola

Photo curtesy of Kathryn Kane

With the beautiful city of Toledo behind her, art major Kathryn Kane enjoys the last leg of the Madrid trip.

Photo curtesy of Melissa Betters

The parks in Madrid are full of interesting finds as junior Melissa Betters finds out while taking a stroll.

W hen thinking of Spain a few things come to mind: bulls, flamenco, siesta, and soccer, just to name a few. There is

much more to the country than those com-mon stereotypes, however, which Florida State’s Study Abroad Program in Valencia tries to teach students by taking them on field trips around the region.

“Spain is a very diverse country” says Me-lissa Claessens, FSU’s cultural program co-ordinator. “Every province is different, and they even speak different languages. We just want to give you the Spain experience, not only the Valencian.”

Through the program, students in the summer B session for 2015 traveled to Pe-ñíscola, Segovia, Madrid, and Toledo. In other sessions, students have traveled to Bar-celona, Seville, and Granada.

The small, seaside town of Peñíscola, about 90 miles from Valencia, was the first trip of the session. Students visited a historic castle nestled on a hill overlooking the town and were given a brief tour of the fortress. Some students climbed to the highest point of the hill, where they enjoyed picturesque views of the turquoise waters of the Medi-terranean Sea.

“One of my absolute favorite parts of the trip were the breathtaking views from the top of the castle,” says Melissa Betters, an FSU junior majoring in marine biology. “With a relatively easy climb, it was amazing every-thing that you could see. The white-washed buildings with the red roofs and the impos-sibly bright blue water were all breathtaking and actually looked a little Greek.”

While views from the top were the most sought after, some students ventured farther into the rooms of the fortress and received additional views from inside.

“My other favorite part of the trip, though, was actually getting in the water,” Betters says. “It felt as beautiful as it looked; it was almost crystal clear and perfectly warm.”

Students took part in different activities while at the beach. Some adventurers went paddle boarding, some sunbathed, and some dove into the silky smooth sea.

Soon, the 3 p.m. departure time rolled around and everyone was back on the bus, exhausted from their explorations. This short day trip only increased the students’ excitement for what was to come one week later: a weekend in Madrid.

The program staff prepares students thor-oughly for the time spent in Madrid, the largest planned trip of the session. First, stu-

dents meet with program assistants to sign up for hotel rooms and for group assignments. The evening before leaving Valencia, at a dinner held for all the stu-dents, they were given their itinerary, some explanation about the places they would visit, and hotel informa-tion. The meeting not only provided a reference for the group’s activities while in Madrid, but it also en-hanced the excitement in the air.

Before long, Thursday afternoon arrived, and close to 200 students, program assistants, and faculty and staff members were board-ing buses for the ride to Madrid.

After a night of explora-tion and discovery of Spain’s capital city, the large group divided into two with one group staying in Madrid for the day and the other heading to Segovia, a city about an hour and a half away from Madrid. The trip to Segovia included another stop not far from Madrid, though, the Valley of the Fallen.

Located above a forested valley, the site is beautiful. Francisco Franco, the former Spanish dictator, commissioned the gigantic monument to be built, and much controver-sy comes with this place.

Not only is it meant to honor some of those who died during the Spanish Civil War, but it also is home to the church where Fran-co is buried. Critics of the monument say that it does not hon-or those who fought against or suffered under Franco.

“I didn’t expect it to be so huge,” says Claudia Gonzalez, an FSU editing, writ-ing, and media major who graduated at the end of the summer. “Then I walked in, and that too was larg-er than I had expect-ed. It was eerie. What surprised me was the fact that this is a huge church.”

There was a sense of peace that came from looking out over the valley, however, consid-ering the calm, serene nature that engulfed the monument. Still, having been carved out of the side of a mountain, the entirety of the basilica felt cave-like and haunting.

“The building was breathtaking—the views, the architecture—but it was unset-tling,” says Christine Allston, an FSU junior majoring in international affairs. “I enjoyed going to the Valley of the Fallen and learn-ing about the Spanish Civil War, but it was an intense and heavy place to be.”

See FIELD TRIPS, page 36



emotionIN MOTION

Students immerse themselves in Spanish culture by experiencing flamenco during their trip to

Madrid and in Valencia

T he lights dim as anticipation rises in the room. A guitarist starts to play. Someone begins to sing in a loud voice. A dancer moves

across the stage and a clacking noise rings out.Suddenly, everything is in sync. This is the

sound of flamenco.“If you walk away from Spain and never

experienced flamenco, then there´s a big hole,” says Larry Gerber, professor of voice at Florida State University who teaches World Music Culture and Modern Popular Music for Valencia’s study abroad program. “It´s a big hole in what you should´ve accomplished in your time here.”

FSU students who studied during the sum-mer 2015 B session experienced flamenco at least once during their time in Spain during a program-wide trip to Madrid, when they visited Tablao Restaurante Las Carboneras for din-ner and a show.

Before entering the venue, Associ-ate Director Alicia Martinez prepared students by describ-ing what they would see and calling it a “magi-cal” experience.

“I witnessed true passion that night,” says Corbin Ryan, a student with the FSU pro-gram. “I could see raw emotion on the faces of the performers as they vigorously danced and sang, conveying feelings of regret, sor-row, and anguish to name a few. Flamenco dance is no mere spectacle to be taken lightly. It is a window into another way of life.”

The night included a four-course meal with typical Spanish dishes such as patatas bravas. The performance involved four dancers and two guitarists, with solo performances from each person.

The dance of flamenco is not just a Span-ish version of tap dancing—each movement

means something. Despite the upbeat sound of flamenco, most songs are about feelings of oppression and sadness from losing or miss-ing a loved one.

The style originated in the province of An-dalusia, Spain, and it was known as a popular form of music expression among the poor and oppressed. The style passed on from gen-eration to generation through oral tradition and has evolved over the years, and elements include cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance), palmas (handclapping), and pi-tos (finger snapping).

During the period from1765 to 1860, the first flamenco schools were built in Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, and Triana (Seville). Dur-ing this time, flamenco was mainly performed in ballrooms. Flamenco first became a public,

performing art with the emergence of café cantantes (fla-menco clubs) in the late 19th century.

The first café can-tante originated in Seville in 1842, and attracted very little at-tention. But eventu-ally around the 1860s,

these cafés started to attract more attention and opened in other major cities including Madrid.

By the end of the 19th century, the café cantante culture greatly declined, which ul-timately brought on the rise of flamenco as more of a theatrical performance similar to a ballet. The Spanish Civil War caused the per-formance of flamenco to decline in the late 1930s and early 1940s; however, it started to gain popularity again in the 1950s by appear-ing in festivals in Cordoba, Jerez, and Malaga.

The flamenco song involves a combination of four cultures including the Romanis, the

Moors, the Jews, and indigenous Andalusians. The Romanis, Moors, and Jews came to-gether from the general persecution that followed the expulsion of the Moors in 1492. Flamenco was eventually cre-ated by the fusion of the cante Gitano with Andalusian folk music. The guitar and other instruments including the bandurria, violin, and tambourine were not a part of flamenco music until the late 18th century.

Toque, or guitar playing, is an important part of flamenco music. The guitars used during a flamenco performance are different than regular guitars. The traditional flamen-co guitar is made of sycamore, cypress, and rosewood and is built with thinner tops than classical guitars.

Additionally, the flamenco guitar has the extra feature of a tap plate, whose function is to protect the body of the guitar from the guitarist’s frequent taps.

“What most amazed me during the [Ma-drid] show was how skilled and fast the gui-

tar players were,” FSU senior Kenzie Hendrix says. “I couldn’t keep my eyes off of them during their solo performance.”

What makes flamenco so dis-

tinctive from other music is that it is not designed to impress the audience and catch people’s attention, but is more intended to draw the audience to it. This uniqueness is what makes people enjoy it so much because it allows the audience to be a part of an inti-mate experience that the performers create.

While flamenco puro, or traditional flamenco, typically involves just a singer and a dancer, flamenco musicians have also branched out to create nuevo flamenco, or new flamenco, which has become popular around the world thanks to artists such as the Gipsy Kings and Paco de Lucia. This type of music fuses together other musical genres including jazz, rock, reggae, among others.

Not only were students given the oppor-tunity to experience flamenco in Madrid,

but many also saw flamenco shows in dif-ferent Valencia locations.

Gerber took a large group of students to see a performance at Radio City during the first week of the summer B session, some-thing he has done for hundreds of students in the past years.

Café del Duende is another Valencia venue where students can see a more intimate fla-menco show. The name comes from the feel-ing of heightened emotions audience mem-bers can get during the performance.

Students also may have seen flamenco without planning to while walking the streets of Valencia in areas around La Plaza de Pa-triarcha and La Plaza de la Virgen, where im-promptu performances might feature a gui-tarist and a singer. Sometimes these can be the best shows to watch and listen to because of their authenticity and passion.

Flamenco is an important part of Spanish culture and prevalent in Valencia, but Ger-

ber encourages FSU’s study abroad students to “look up flamenco

artists and keep it alive,” when they return to the U.S., “because once you hear that, it´ll draw you back to your time in Spain.”

Right: A dancer performsher solo act in Madrid. Above, flamenco dancers from venues in Valencia, Sevilla, and Madrid perform in front of FSU students.

By Erica Pope

“Flamenco dancing is no mere spectacle to be taken lightly. It is a window into another way of life.”

— Corbin Ryan2015 study abroad student

“What most amazed me during the show was how skilled and fast the guitar players were. I couldn´t keep my eyes off of them during their solo performance.”

— FSU senior Kenzie Hendrix

Students also danced their way through swing dancing lessons; see page 30.

Photo by Sasha Polissky Photo by Rachel Townsend

Photo by Sasha Polissky Photo by Erica Pope Photo by Sasha Polissky

Photos by Erica Pope



Spanish culture 101

Y ou find yourself in a restaurant. The menu offers a variety of gourmet burgers, with names such as the All-American, the

Bar-B-Q Burger, the Chiliburger. Movie posters cover the walls, advertising Holly-wood blockbusters such as The Terminator, The Edge of Tomorrow, and Twilight. Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” plays over the speakers.

This is a familiar environment, similar to many other eateries you have found yourself in while growing up. But there is one major difference to the experience you are having in this burger joint: You are in Valencia, Spain.

Students preparing to study abroad in Valencia may anxiously anticipate the cul-ture shock they will experience, but bits and pieces of the U.S. can be seen and heard in many places throughout the community to ease their worries. You are able to see that in-fluence from the restaurants, to the films that are advertised, to the music that is played in restaurants and over the local radio stations.

Though it is both appreciated and criticized in Valencia, there is no mistaking that aspects of American culture are very much part of the city’s identity. Some professors with FSU’s study abroad program have at least one simple answer to America’s presence in Valencia.

“You are the Roman Empire of the 21st century” says Pro-fessor Juan Salazar, a Valencian native. He teaches archaeology courses for the FSU program.

Professor B.J. Biringer agrees with Salazar’s assessment, and adds that there are economic rea-sons for this Americanization.

“I’m not saying that it’s

good, I’m not saying that it’s bad — it’s happening,” says Biringer, a native Pennsylvanian who has lived in Valencia for the past 15 years. “Why? Mainly because of globalization, and the new generation of people that you have, culturally, who are studying abroad.”

Some of the more complex answers to persisting American influences in Valencia lie in the two places’ historical relationship.

“The United States requires no introduc-tions. It is already inside us. Or perhaps it is part of us that is inside them,” writes Jose Antonio in Barres I Estels, els Valencians I Els USA, a book published to accompa-ny a Valencia conference that took place in early 2015 that was devoted to analyzing the American influence in Valencian culture and vice versa.

Several discussion panels made up the conference, including one led by Biringer and

FSU Valencia’s Pro-gram Director Igna-

cio Messana titled “Fallas or New Orleans Carnival? Who celebrates a festivity better?” FSU Professor David Nordlund, who teach-es in Valencia, led one called “Americans in Valencia, from Hemingway to the America’s Cup (and much more).”

American influence can begin at an early age for many Valencians. Sometimes they might even take on American symbols and figures as a part of their own identities. Sala-zar says he and his friends, in their adoles-cence, loved NBA basketball, without much thought of what culture it came from.

“They played well, we watched the games, and enjoyed the games—that was all,” he says, and adds that his parents grew up listen-

ing to American music, like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and other English music. “When I say ‘the American influence,’ you could also say ‘the English influence.’ We don’t distinguish that much between the two.”

In essence, Salazar’s com-ments on this topic echo the passage in Barres I Estels, els Valencians I Els USA.

“We grew up probably with the same [TV] pro-grams that you did. Hav-ing these movie characters as the symbols of what we wanted to become. Every-one of my generation has

The sign above can be baffling, with its look of a 1950s American ad. The text translates to "Call Peggy Sue at home and order!!!"

seen Star Wars and is a fan,” he says. “We have been influenced by so many elements of Ameri-can culture that it is difficult to tell what’s different [from us].”

But Valencians do not enjoy American culture solely in their private lives. Simply walk from the FSU Study Center to La Plaza de la Virgen, for instance, and you can see these influences in action within the narrow city streets and on the plaza.

“Rap and hip-hop, that’s very popular here,” Biringer says. “You see young Spanish groups doing Spanish rap. And hip-hop. And it’s popular. Or, you see the skateboard culture among the young people here.”

Biringer, Salazar, and their colleague Professor Enrique Alvarez all talked about some of the surface ways that American culture has seeped into Valencia and Spain, but their opinions also went much deeper. The three of them had insights on how eco-nomics and corporatization are both driv-ing forces behind the phenomenon of the two cultures intersecting.

“It belongs to some sort of market strat-egy that is very conspicuous of what Ameri-can culture is,” says Alvarez, a Spaniard who has attained dual citizenship in his home country and in the United States. For exam-ple, when Alvarez comments on Starbucks, one of the most internationally recognized corporations, he says, “As you know, in Spain we have very good coffee. I don’t know why we need Starbucks in this country. I believe that there is no need, yet, it is a very success-ful business.”

Biringer points out that because there is such a strong corporate influence from the U.S., there also is a demand to learn Ameri-can English, especially among the younger generations.

“For years, America has been the number one world economy, and defines what hap-pens to the world economically,” he says. “Morever, English is the technological lan-guage of the world. Million and billion dollar deals are brokered every day and every min-ute around the world in English. Therefore, if you want to be something and advance em-ployment wise in Spain, you need English.”

Passages in Barres I Estels, els Valencians I Els USA reference these economic connec-tions, adding a recent historical context.

“The ups and downs of Spanish history,

as of the 1950s, helped the presence of the United States in Spain to grow. As of the 1960s, the presence of the U.S. economy was marked by the emergence of companies like IBM or Ford. American popular culture (jazz, rock, fashion Made-in-the-U.S.A. film genres, TV series, food multinationals, shop-ping malls) has been taken on by younger generations of Valencians as their own.”

Not all of the influences flow from Amer-ica to Valencia, however.

“Few New Yorkers know that the architect of the Grand Central Terminal came from Valencia or that when they take a cab, it is very likely to have been manufactured in Va-lencia,” the book points out.

Of course, students from FSU and other American universities bring more individual and personal influences when they study in Valencia. Alvarez offers a few suggestions for them to consider as they become im-mersed in a different culture.

“Something you should take into account if you want to talk about the perception of American culture in Valencia is the way that your fellow Americans in Valencia behave in the streets late at night—that will be picked up by the passerby,” he says. “We as Ameri-cans have to be concerned about the actual image that we present.”

Future study abroad students should be aware that the real impressions Spaniards will have of America and the culture will be the ones they experience firsthand. If students want America to have a positive image, then these students must try their hardest to give off the best impression they can.

“What is the image we want to project in Valencia as American students living in a dif-ferent country? That is the question,” Alva-rez says.

A little USA in the VLCDiscovering the red, white,

and blue in Valencia Article and photos by Corbin Ryan

Yes, students and faculty members will find a good amount of Ameri-can/English influence in Valencia while participating in a study abroad session. It is important to remem-ber, however, that you are a visitor in Spain, and that there are small acts or understandings of the culture that can show you appreciate the invitation into the country.

• Learn a little bit of Spanish before you leave the U.S. If you know at least how to order your food in Spanish, it will show that you are willing to par-ticipate in Spanish culture. If you want to go the extra mile, maybe even look up and become familiar with a little Valencian, the local dialect of the city.

• Apparel should be smart and con-servative. This will allow you to look less like a tourist and you will better connect with the locals. For example, don’t wear clothing with text on it, English or otherwise. You want to ap-pear as if you could be from any coun-try. Also, cover your shoulders and knees. “You can never be overdressed or overeducated,” Oscar Wilde said.

• Spaniards tend to socialize a lot lat-er than Americans do in the States. A typical Friday or Saturday night in Valencia may start with dinner at 10 p.m., and a drink or two with dinner. Then, to a bar or tavern at midnight. Then, out to the clubs at 2 or 3 a.m. Finally, arrive home at 5 or 6 a.m.

• Just like Spanish nightlife, lunch and dinner are held later in Spain, regard-less of what day it is. Restaurants typi-cally open between 2 or 3 p.m. for lunch and between 8 and 11 p.m. for dinner.

• Almost all bartenders and waiters earn a decent salary in Spain. Because of this, it is usually not necessary to leave a tip. Sometimes for bigger groups it can be considered a nice gesture to leave a few extra euros.

Above all, remember that you are guest in someone else’s country. Imagine how you would feel if someone came to your country and acted rudely and disrespectfully and how you would view that visitor’s own country.



Editor’s note: Author Ashley Tressel, who hopes to become a foreign correspondent, immersed herself in learning about local politics while studying in Valen-cia in summer 2015.

V alencians awoke on May 25 to a change that some would say was a long time coming.

New mayor, Joan Ribó Canute, won the election for Coalició Compromís, a relatively new coalition that supports na-tionalist, progressive, and ecological politics. Ribó replaced Rita Barberá Nolla, who had held the office for 24 years.

Ribó is now the highest leader of the city of Valencia. Valencia is the capital of the Valencian Community, an autonomous com-munity in Spain. Separate from these two, the province of Valencia is also a central part of the Valencia Community and includes the city of Valencia.

Ribó served as deputy of the Valencian Parliament from 1995-2007 and councilor of the city of Valencia from 2011-2015, and is now spokesman of Compromís.

The coalition, formed in 2010, was found-ed on the sentiment “compromís means commitment.” Met with widespread enthusi-asm, Ribó was sworn in as mayor of Valencia on June 13. However, the initial enthusiasm about the progressive shift has quickly trans-formed into skepticism for some.

“I think [the local citizens] went from im-mediate excitement about a new opportunity to immediate doubts,” says David Nordlund, a professor in residence at the FSU Valencia Study Center who has lived in Valencia for 16 years and who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State.

These doubts concern the ability of

Compromís to actually take care of business in the city, since there has been a his-tory of disagreement within the coalition. Voters are now concerned that the leaders of Compromís will be too busy warring among themselves to agree on important decisions, since the coalition contains so many views: those of the Valencian Nationalist Bloc (BLOC), the Valencian Peo-ple’s Initiative (Iniciativa PV), and The Greens — Environ-mentalist Left (Verds-EE).

Referring to itself as “Va-lencia’s third political force,” Compromís “was born as a viable electoral alternative for the citizens of the Valencian Country,” according to the party’s website.

This “electoral alternative” is no doubt in response to Ribó’s predecessor, Barberá. Such a long term is almost un-heard of among Americans, who often tire of politicians after just four years. Barberá is the only mayor that young Valencians know.

Although Barberá held the highest per-centage of the popular vote with 25.7 per-cent, the Partido Popular (PP), to which Bar-berá belongs, lost over half of its city council seats to the more progressive Compromís. Compromís was a close second with 23.3 percent of the popular vote. There were six parties total in the election, but none of the others managed to garner 20 percent.

The Valencian people, upon hearing the election results, were optimistic about the change in leadership. To her credit, Bar-berá, referred to familiarly by her constituents as Rita Barberá, ef-fected plenty of positive change during her time as mayor.

Starting right at the beginning of her term, she cleaned up the city, which had a major drug problem in the 1980s, and trans-formed it into an area that local citizens could be proud of. She also directed effort into main-taining historical buildings and pushed the city to utilize greener methods of transportation, such

as Valenbisi, a public bicycle rental service. However, her positive influence on the city

was not enough to stop the decline in her party’s seats.

This decline was likely due to several fi-nancial scandals surrounding the PP, the most famous of which occurred in July 2013. Named the Bárcenas Affair after Luis Bárce-nas, former treasurer of the PP, the scandal centered on claims that Bárcenas took dona-tions from construction bigwigs and distrib-uted them to PP party leaders in cash.

Furthermore, given the current state of recovery after the recession, voters had seemingly become disenchanted with the PP, and were craving a fresh start. And they have certainly found it in Ribó.

In the weeks after the election, Compro-mís was focusing on popular, superficial changes to try to boost its image. Ribó an-nounced a few changes concerning the perks of his position, including decreasing his sal-ary and selling one of the luxury cars that Barberá used to get around the city.

“There are gestures that show one wants to seem above the rest, but I like to be just a

Former Mayor Rita Barberá Nolla lost her position after 24 years of service.

Open to changeValencia´s new mayor Joan Ribó Canuterings in a progressive era for the city

New mayor Ribó walks the streets

with hissupporters.

By Ashley Tressel

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Ashley TresselSee ELECTION, page 35



El almuerzo Coffee breakThe second “meal” of the day is a coffee

break around 10 a.m. This is exactly what it sounds like: a break from work to drink more coffee and maybe eat a small sandwich, or montadito. If you haven’t caught on yet, Spaniards really like their coffee, and as a re-sult, it has become one of the perfected arts.

“I am going to be a spoiled brat when I go back to America because the coffee here is just so good,” says 2015 study abroad stu-dent Sarah Tatum. “Nothing can compare.”

La comida LunchThe time between meals in Spain is exten-

sive, hence the many snacks. Lunch doesn’t begin until 2 p.m. This is the biggest meal of the day in Spanish culture; you probably know it as la siesta, or the time in the middle of the day when everyone takes naps. How-ever, people don’t really sleep during the three-hour lunch break. Instead, this is a time for family, when small-business own-ers close so they can go home to their loved ones. Or occasionally Spaniards may eat lunch at a café.

Lunch generally consists of three or more courses. It begins with something light like soup or salad. Two popular soups in Spain are gazpacho and salmorejo. Gazpacho is a tomato soup, served cold, and made with garlic, red and green pepper, olive oil, vin-egar, and small pieces of bread on the side to mix in later, like croutons. Salmorejo is very similar.

For the main course, dishes of meat and fish are served. According to FSU Valencia instructor Leda Pedelini, most of Spain´s

rice comes from Valencia, so naturally the city is famous for its rice dishes. Paella is probably the most well-known of these—after all, some call Valencia the city of paella. This social dish, made to be shared between two or more people, has several variations.

Paella Valenciana, named after the city, is the most common. It is made with chicken and/or rabbit, sweet pepper, tomatoes, olive oil, and green beans, all on top of Spanish rice colored yellow by saffron and other spic-es. Paella can also be made with seafood and squid ink, which turns the rice black. There is even a paella, made with noodles instead of rice, called fi-deau. This cre-ation came about when a fisherman had to improvise to provide food for his whole crew.

Following the main course is dessert, which could be pastries, cus-tard, or ice cream. Bread usually accom-panies the meal, as well as wine or a beer, and of course there is almost always more coffee at the end.

La merienda SnackAfter the oh-so-famous siesta, there is

another snack time from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. once people get off work. Tapas

are a famous Spanish food usually eaten during this time. There

are a variety of these small dishes meant to

be shared be tween f r i e n d s .

S o m e tapas include cro-

quettas de jamon (ham tucked inside

fried balls of pota-toes), and patatas bravas

(fried potatoes drizzled with to-mato sauce and aioli).

Sometimes tapas are meats and cheeses or other delicacies piled on a slice of French

bread and held together by a toothpick.Aside from the perpetual option of cof-

fee, horchata is another available bever-age offered all day but usually saved for la merienda. Horchata is a sweet liquid that looks like milk but is made from the tiger nut (a tuber) and is usually served with a sweet bread called fartón.

“I´m not a milk person, so I was hesitant to try it,” says Kathleen Keenan, a summer 2015 student. “I was surprised by how sweet it was, but it tastes better with the fartón.”

La cena Dinner

Finally, dinner comes around at 10 p.m. If you try to eat much earlier, you will be the only one on the restaurant scene. Many restaurants don’t even open or start prepar-ing food until 9 p.m. The final meal of the day is also a light one because it is eaten so late.

As with most meals late in the day, dinner is generally accompanied by wine and other alcoholic beverages. Agua de Valencia has be-come especial-ly popular later in the day. The cocktail is a mixture of

champagne, orange juice, vodka, and gin. In the summer, people also enjoy sangria or its cousin, tinto de verano (red wine of summer).

You probably already know that Spaniards are night owls. Even after dinner is finished, the younger generation takes on the night, bar hopping and clubbing any day of the week. When you eventually make it home, which could possibly be around dawn, you may have the luxury of falling asleep for a few hours—only to wake up and start the meal process over again.

El desayuno BreakfastThe all-American breakfast of

eggs, bacon, and sausage with a side stack of pancakes drowning in syrup doesn’t exist in Spain. In fact, breakfast is considered the least im-portant meal of the day and is often skipped. This meal, if eaten at all, is typically at 7 a.m., or whenever you wake up for work or school.

Coffee is the main form of suste-nance for breakfast—keep in mind this is a small, non-American sized coffee. Some common coffees in-clude café con leche (half coffee, half milk), el cappuccino (or coffee with milk and a dash of chocolate), and café cortado, for those who don’t like a lot of milk. The rest of the meal may consist of croissants, pastries, toast with jam, and other dishes centered on bread.

Y ou´re showered and ready to start the day, a day like any other, except that you´re studying abroad in Valencia, Spain. You have a few extra minutes before class to grab breakfast, but what should you eat? What is there to eat?

You have probably had a decent amount of practice feeding your-self; after all, college life is a culture shock in and of itself, and you have obviously been surviving somehow.

However, Spain is a whole different kind of culture shock: The food is different, the meal times are backwards and upside down, and then there is the small issue of needing to speak enough Spanish to order and pay.

“I started to become concerned about food when I noticed that my friend, who studied abroad in Valencia in the spring semester, came back much skinnier,” says Erica Pope, a summer 2015 study abroad student graduating in 2017.

Have no fear. There is no shortage of food or variety in Valencia. “There´s actually a lot to eat and I have a newfound appreciation

for Spanish food, even if it´s not my food of choice,” Pope says, revising her earlier statement.

For future Valencia study abroad students, here is a brief survivor´s guide for Spanish food, beverages, and meal times.

Finding foodin Valencia

What to eat and when while studying abroad

By Jennifer Knauf

Paella Valenciana

Agua de Valencia

Horchata

All photos on this page by Jennifer Knauf

Photo by Sarah Tatum

Traditional breakfast at Panaria. Finding fresh food at Valencia’s El Mercado Central; see page 38.



Letthe

talk

During the summer 2008 study abroad sessions, 198 students set out to study at the FSU center in Spain. All of the stu-

dents were housed in one building, where they quickly became a close-knit group.

Now fast-forward seven years to the summer of 2015, when

367 students arrived at FSU Valencia. In-stead of one building, students were housed in three apartment buildings: Garnet, Gold, and Seminole.

Growth has spiked dramatically at the cen-ter in the past two years.

In the academic year from the fall 2014 semester through the summer 2015 ses-sions, 679 students studied at FSU Valencia, up from the year before when 529 students studied at the center—and up dramatically from years before that. For example, from the years 2000 through 2010, annual enroll-ment hovered steadily between 250 to 300 students per academic year.

There are many reasons to study abroad, and choosing a location may not always be the easiest decision a student will ever make. But the word is out that the Valencia study center provides students with great weather, beautiful beaches, delicious food, and gor-geous scenery for those Instagram photos.

“There are a number of reasons why I chose to study abroad in Valencia, language and location being two big ones,” 2015 stu-dent Kathleen Keenan says. “I had studied Spanish in high school and college and was

excited to finally put my Spanish to the test. It ended up being a great decision.”

Program Director Ignacio Messana and his staff were as surprised as anyone at the dramatic growth.

“We didn’t know that the program would become so popular so fast,” Messana says. “We didn’t have any specific goal in mind of growing to a certain number.”

Messana mentions two main factors that contributed to FSU Valencia’s expansion.

“One is that our colleagues in the Inter-national Programs office in Tallahassee do a wonderful recruiting job, both for the fresh-man students and for the broad curriculum students, including people like the ones that recruit for Editing, Writing and Media,” Messana says.

“Point two: We know it has been word of mouth. That is, the students who go back speak well about our program, and that means many of the students want to come here for that reason,” he says.

numbersBy Claudia Gonzalez

Clearly, studying at FSU Valencia is more popular than ever. But with such success come some logistical challenges.

“The same problems arise with anything that has high volume,” says David Lanza, a PA in summer 2015, summer 2009, and spring 2009—as well as one of the students who studied in Valencia in spring 2008.

Lanza, who has first-hand experience of the dramatic growth, gives an example.

“You have a lot of students who need to do a lot of different things,” Lanza says. “We have six PA’s. We take students to the doctor almost every single day, and that changed be-cause it used to be a once a week thing, and now there are just more students.”

From coordinating daily doctor visits to organizing field trips for 367 students, FSU Valencia staff members have had their hands full, not just during summer 2015, but also throughout the 2014-2015 academic year.

“I used to know the name of every student, and now that’s impossible,” Messana says.

Such enrollment growth has also required logistical changes. For instance, the PAs used to staff the front reception desks of the apartment buildings during daytime hours. But during summer 2015, the front recep-tion desks of each building were staffed by local Valencians.

In addition to staff changes, field trips have also required some tweaks. Instead of all students following the same itinerary on the summer Madrid trip, for example, stu-dents were divided into two groups and went to different places each day.

With all of this growth, you might think that staff members would be discouraged or overwhelmed. This, however, is not the case.

“Yes, we have noticed this increase so much that it has affected the staff, faculty, courses, classrooms, housing (of course), and assistants in the different offices,” says Alicia Martinez, associate director of FSU Valencia.

“But we are super happy with this increase and happy to be able to give the opportunity to many other students coming through FSU to experience this beautiful study abroad program.”

Like Martinez, Messana is pleased that the program is so popular, and he is quick to

credit his colleagues for the center’s success. “It is a wonderful achievement of FSU Va-lencia as a team, not of mine only. As a team, we are very proud.”

Moreover, Messana and his staff are de-termined to keep the quality of the program high for each student who studies at FSU Valencia.

“If students leave here feeling like they’ve learned a lot and at the same time they’ve en-joyed a lot, that’s the best feeling,” he says.

"If students leave here feeling like they´ve learned a lot and at the same time they’ve enjoyed a lot, that´s the best feeling."

— Program Director Ignacio Messana

Top left: While visiting the Valley of the Fallen during the 2015 summer session B, one half of the entire student group meets for a picture.

Photo by Emily Larson

Top right: The rest of the students visit Valley of the Fallen on a different day and pose for the same photograph.

Photo by Ryanne Doumet

Bottom center: The entire fall semester class of 2005 during a trip to Cordoba.Photo courtesy of Melissa Claessens

Photo by Claudia Gonzalez

Program Director Ignacio Messana and his staff work hard to make sure students succeed and enjoy themselves while in Valencia.

FSU Valencia more than doubles its enrollmentin the past five years



Flamenco is just one form of dance that can be found in Spain. Swing dancing performances are held every Sunday near the Torres de Serrano, and they typically involve around 20 to 30 swing dancers and people who are watching the dancers.

The music ranges from older jazz music to more modern music and doesn´t have any lyrics. The event allows Valencians and tourists alike to let loose and enjoy judgment-free dancing.

“I actually learned how to swing dance in Valencia from walking by the dancers one Sunday night,” FSU senior Kenzie

Hendrix says. “It was really random but also really fun.”

Many other musicians and dancers — violinists and fire dancers, for example — perform in Valencia at night, and can be found in the plazas near the FSU study center, such as the Plaza de la Virgen.

Swing dancing the

night away

Kathleen Keenan and Corbin Ryan participate in one of the swing dancing performances, which are held every Sunday night near FSU’s Valencia study center.

Story and photos by Erica Pope

The housing system varies from study center to study cen-ter. While FYA students in Pan-ama enjoy living in their own house, those at the Valencia, Florence, and London centers are housed in apartments. For example, in Valencia the FYAs are spread out between the two FSU-owned buildings, Garnet and Gold.

These study centers become home to students. It is not only a place to hold their belongings or lay their head at night; it is a space that feels safe and secure.

Emily Larson, a Valencia FYA, says, “I love to travel, but whenever I am near the end of my trips, it is such a relief to get back here, to Valencia. This apartment has pretty much been my safe place for the last 11 months.”

Studying abroad for a year changes a person. Going into the experience, the stu-dent may not know anything about the host country´s culture or even speak the lan-guage. But living in a different country for 12

months forces students to become comfort-able in situations they would not normally have to deal with in the U.S.

While culture shock may occur when stu-dents engage with a culture dissimilar from their own while traveling or studying abroad, they do not have to go through it alone.

“What was really helpful was that I am in a program with about 200 American stu-dents,” Mackie says. “So, I can go outside and get my fair share of the Spanish culture, and if I am not feeling up to it the next day, my building is like a little slice of America just chilling there.”

Photo by Rachel Townsend

FYAs reminisce about their favorite memories at a local cafe. Clockwise from lower left: Asha Jackson, Charles Evers, Dylan Geller, Victoria Oesterle, and Julianne Mahoney.

FYAs from page 4

FSU anniversary eventsLondon’s 45th:

January 21-23, 2016Florence’s 50th:

February 25-27, 2016Valencia’s 20th:

January 2017Panama’s 60th: February 2017

To RSVP, contact FSU International ProgramsPhone: 850-644-3272

Toll-free: 800-374-8581Fax: 850-644-8817

Email: [email protected]

Anniversaries from page 8

“We would like to certainly make it more affordable and attract more students because I think studying abroad is an essential element of a 21st century education.”

— International Programs Director Jim Pitts


Students who were inValencia during the 2010 World Cup will always remember the celebration when Spain won the title.

an idea, the Florence gala dinner will be host-ed in the Palazzo Borghese, and the London dinner will be hosted in the London Trans-port Museum.

“We are organizing visits to local muse-ums, special wine tastings, cooking lessons, and even a tour of some of the local arti-sans,” Capitani says. The Florence program has also scheduled a trip to Siena for one of the days.

“These events are primarily about the alumni and giving them the chance to cele-brate with us as we recognize the amount of time our study centers have been providing students the opportunity to study abroad,” says Michelle Campbell, marketing represen-tative for FSU’s International Programs (IP). “We want them to reconnect as well as re-flect upon their experience in these cities as FSU students.”

Little did anyone realize in 1957 that FSU would one day send roughly 1,600 students abroad every year. “We now have the four study centers that we operate year around, and we have close to 20 other locations around the world that we offer summer only programs,” says Dr. Jim Pitts, director of IP. “So, we’ve had an enlarged interest in study-ing abroad and different areas of the world to study in.”

Looking to the future, International Pro-grams hopes to keep expanding.

“We would like to examine the possibility of doing another type of study center in ei-ther Asia or Africa,” Pitts says. “Asia is cer-tainly an attractive location in terms of the Pacific Rim and commerce, as well as a rep-resentation of the world’s populations. As it relates to Africa, we have a lot of students in the U.S. and at FSU who trace their roots to Africa, and I think it would be good to give those students an opportunity to learn more about the culture of Africa.”

FSU has consistently been ranked in the top 20 of U.S. study abroad programs by the Institute of International Education, yet IP is always looking for ways to make the pro-grams more attractive and accessible to stu-dents.

“We would like to certainly make it more affordable and attract more students because I think studying abroad is an essential element of a 21st century educa-tion,” Pitts says. “We would like to provide more scholarships and generate the funds to al-low that.”

Choosing to study abroad can be a life-changing decision that not a lot of students get to experience. Pitt him-self regrets not having the opportunity to study

abroad. “I did teach abroad in the London program though, and I saw how it changed the lives of students,” he says. “And it also broadened my own understanding of other cultures in the world. So I’m very passionate in trying to encourage students to do it.”

FSU tries to make it easier for students to study abroad by focusing on scholarships and by finding interesting places to expand to. If you decide to study abroad, you can rest as-sured that you will be part of a long history of students and will participate in one of the top-ranked programs in the country.

“I really enjoy seeing the impact that studying abroad has on students as they have their first-world perspective broadened and they come back with a new understanding of global issues,” Pitts says.



Dietary concerns or questions? María Sierra answers them for you

María Sierra, head of health care services, is always eager to help students.

Photo courtesy of FSU International Programs

Ángeles brings 30 years of medical experi-ence and a strong vocational component to the table when he teaches about food and society. He showcases his passion and will-ingness to help students develop a true un-derstanding of the concepts. Every class is

unpredictable and he motivates students to engage in the culture.

“He brings a new aspect to the classroom that other teachers don’t,” Wells says. “He gets everyone involved without them even knowing, which is key for kids who don’t like to participate — you can see how much he cares for his students in every class.”

Whether tasting foreign foods or learn-

ing about the wines of Europe, each class is its own adventure, and students come away with lessons that stay with them for the rest of their lives.

“Students come out with academic knowl-edge,” Ángeles says. “They come out respect-ing other cultures and civilizations and, if things were done well, they come out having learned a little bit more about themselves.”

What precautions does the program take?On the housing form, students must put down any special needs or dietary requests that they may have. The school further dis-cusses specific accommodations during orientation and will send a message to each student with dietary restrictions before a group dinner to ensure that they are able to eat.

What are some options for vegetarians?In the last 15 years, Spain has become more open with different types of foods. Before you couldn’t find tofu, soy milk, or broc-coli; however now there are specialty shops that students can go to. Students have the option to cook at their apartments and can go to Mercado Central [the central market] to choose from a vari-ety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

What problems do students typically encounter?During the first few days abroad, students are hesitant to try the Mediterranean diet and will sometimes feel ill. Make sure to give your body time to adjust, eat well, and get plenty of rest.

Is it safe to drink the tap water?It is safe; however it is recommended that students drink bottled water during the first few days abroad to help them transition bet-

ter after jet lag and cultural shock. Keep in mind that in Valencia, you must pay for water individually at restaurants.

Is it safe to eat the dried ham?Jamón serrano [Serrano ham] is a type of dry-cured Spanish ham, which is generally served in thin slices, or occasionally diced. In Spain, students are always surprised to see legs of ham hanging

from restaurants and shop windows; however it is completely safe to eat. All the restaurants and shops have a safety measure that they follow to carry this type of meat, so don’t be afraid to try it in your bocadillos [sandwiches] and other meals.

What advice would you give to incoming students?Students tend to seek out familiar food like pizza and hamburgers while abroad. Take advantage of the Hispanic diet. Start out with some tapas [five starters and five main dishes] and work your way up to the fish, meat, and other dietary options Spain has to offer. In Valencia, you will find that the meals are plain in flavor, typically substituting olive oil for sauce. This will allow you to fully em-brace the flavor and immerse yourself in the Valencian diet.

– Interview by Sasha Polissky

Food and Society from page 11

Photo by Sasha Polissky

The Mercado Central is a great place for students and instructors to buy locally grown produce and to interact with market vendors.

“It has made me a better teacher,” says Gerber. “I try to give back as much as I re-ceive. I still feel indebted to this program. I love IP.”

Gerber has enjoyed soaking up the Valen-cian lifestyle. The café culture is something he instantly became fond of. He sees the ap-peal of sitting outside, grabbing a bite, and connecting with friends. He also enjoys walk-ing around—being able to see everything and to admire the city.

Gerber has three grown daughters, all of whom have been to Valencia, two of

them as students in the FSU Valencia pro-gram. “They all three have the travel bug—like me,” Gerber says. Currently, his oldest daughter works in Africa with refugees, his middle daughter teaches at an elementary school in Tallahassee, and the youngest lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Gerber’s career has yielded five awards for outstanding teaching at FSU. Initiated by positive student evaluations, it is clear that he stands out among other professors.

“It is a lovely honor,” says Gerber. “But that’s not the main reason I teach.”

He enjoys engaging his students—getting them out of the classroom and into the city.

He not only takes stu-dents around Valen-cia but also to local flamenco shows. He aims to provide a cul-tural experience.

Gerber has accom-plished quite a bit. At-tempting to sum up his entire career in just one article has been just that—an attempt. It feels impossible to sum up everything. He seems to be loved and admired by all.

He has been in Va-

lencia since the birth of the program. In many ways, he has become one of the faces of the program.

“The very idea that we are all intercon-nected—we are all part of this greater whole,” says Gerber while finishing his soda. “We must be global citizens. If I can display that through music—wonderful.”

Larry Gerber, front right, and students from his 2015 courses, visit the Miguelete Tower, which tops the Valencia Cathedral. All article photos courtesy of Larry Gerber

Gerber from page 7

Ex-pats from page 13

the U.S. Consulate in Valencia, where his du-ties ranged from diplomacy to naval support to regional security protocol to public out-reach. Currently, he serves on the Fulbright Commission for educational exchanges be-tween the U.S. and Spain.

In spite of Nordlund’s Swiss-army-knife range of talents and interests, his heart be-longs to teaching, as evidenced by his deci-sion to leave the State Department.

“The State Department told me I had to choose between my academic interests or government interests and I said ‘Well, give me two minutes and I’ll clean out my of-fice.’” A day later Nordlund was done with politics and instead was dedicating his life’s work to his students.

Upon meeting Biringer, you would know right away that he is the guy who knows ev-eryone not because he works in government surveillance but because he’s just that likable. Biringer has not just assimilated to life in Va-lencia; he has embraced it.

“I know all my neighbors,” Biringer says us-

ing his fingers to keep count of everyone he mentions. “In my apartment building, I know all my neighbors, I know all their kids. I know the butcher, the pastry maker, and the guy who runs that restaurant on the corner. Here, you know everyone; everyone knows you.”

The powerful sense of community Biring-er always talks about is exactly what students experience in his Kingdom of Valencia class. This is typically the only 4000-level course in the Valencia program and is reserved for Spanish majors, minors, or heritage speakers. Biringer leads students on a journey all over the region to speak with locals, see popular culture, hear music, taste food, and everything else that encompasses the Valencian identity.

“I want [students] to act like they’ve been here before. You’re a guest, you are privileged to live here,” says Biringer. “I want them to respect the culture.”

Both men are more than just professors; they are mentors. They mold young minds through direct instruction and as inspiring role models. In fact, both take great satisfac-tion from their students’ success.

“There’s no greater feeling than when the

pupil surpasses the master,” says Biringer, beaming with joy.

This past spring, one of Biringer’s former students earned her Ph.D. in political science from Duke University. Although she was no longer his student after the Valencia pro-gram, she was still learning from him, always asking questions and seeking his counsel.

“I felt like I was coaching her from the sidelines,” says Biringer. “And there’s no greater feeling than that.”

Nordlund too takes pride in mentoring students. A bright pupil who matured and flourished under Dr. No’s tutelage earned an internship at the White House.

“When you teach someone, a young adult, and they come out of their study abroad ex-perience as a sharper, clearer person and they get one of the most difficult internships on the planet, that’s huge for me,” Nordlund says.

Biringer and Nordlund genuinely care about their students, and they do not take for granted their opportunity to inspire am-bitious, young adults.

Nordlund put it best: “They teach me that what I do matters.”

Gerber in FSU’s 2014 production “Street Scene,” performing the role of Abraham Kaplan.



regular guy,” Ribó said in a statement. By August, there was even a video game

featuring Ribó bicycling around the city “while dodging obstacles on his way towards the City Hall,” according to Costa News, a regional newspaper.

The new changes are clearly pointed and symbolic, including opening the doors of City Hall from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., reserving one day a week for one-on-one meetings to receive requests or complaints, and allowing dogs to ride the subway.

While these new policies may give an ap-pearance of City Hall being more open to

the public, the coalition has yet to discuss more pressing city matters, such as the ris-ing unemployment rate, particularly among youths. However, Ribó has announced that there will soon be an audit of city finances.

The shift from conservative to progressive has also taken place on a bigger scale.

“The city of Valencia and the region of Valencia are certainly becoming more leftist and nationalist,” says Nordlund.

Ximo Puig, leader of the Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV-PSOE), the main opposition party in Valencia since 1995, was recently elected president of the Generalitat Valenciana (of the Valencian Community). The PSPV-PSOE is the Valen-cian branch of the Spanish Socialist Work-

ers’ Party (PSOE), a social-democratic and federalist political party in Spain.

This political change prompts questions of whether education systems will change (most schools in the area are Catholic), whether trade relations will be affected, and even whether local language will be affected. Under Barberá, the local government em-phasized the use of the local language (Va-lencian), but it is conceivable that the new leadership would lessen that emphasis.

So far, the lack of solidarity within the new ruling party is the main cause of worry among some Valencians. But Valencians are hoping that Compromís will come through on its promise to “bring about the change that [this] society needs.”

By Joseph Quintana

C ameras and selfie sticks are every-where as a crowd swarms the Apos-tles Gate of Valencia’s cathedral every Thursday at noon to be a part of his-

tory. The crowd quiets as a bailiff wielding a scepter-like weapon summons nine men adorned in black robes.

Suddenly, court is in session. The Tribunal de las Aguas de la Vega de

Valencia, or simply the Water Court, func-tions as the oldest existing justice institution in Europe, dating back to the times of Al-Andalus (9th-13th centuries).

Surprisingly, the Water Court is not made up of lawyers; rather it is composed of nine farmers who are democratically elected, each representing a different irrigation community.

They are tasked with settling conflicts and disputes regarding the use of irrigation water users in Valencia. But because of im-proved irrigation technology, there are not many complaints.

However, when there is a complaint, the proceedings are carried out orally and publicly. Considering the backdrop of the cathedral, the robes, and the fact that the tribunal is carried out completely in Valen-cian, you feel as if you should double-check the date to make sure you are not in the Middle Ages.

Court members deliberate amongst them-selves and render a verdict immediately, so if you intend to catch this spectacle, you had better not be late.

Although the court may seem antiquated,

its judgment holds as much value and author-ity as any Spanish civil court, as its existence is protected by the Spanish constitution.

The survival of the Water Court is a testa-ment to Valencia’s dedication to honor and maintain its history.

Photo by Ashley Tressel

Crowds gather at the Apostles Gate of the Valencia Cathedral every Thursday to witness the Water Court’s meeting, but hearings are not that common.

Going counterclockwise from top left:

A classic Spanish dish FSU students tend to love includes croquetas, patatas bravas, and a glass of sangria.

Churros con chocolaté is a delicious treat that all must try when visiting Spain.

Eating at cafés in Valencia always calls for a great view, such as overlooking the Valencia Cathedral.

Make sure you know what you´re ordering in Spain. "Small fried fish" does not mean the same thing as it does in America.

Election from page 25

Modern-day Water Court has long, storied historyCapturing café culture Text and photos by Rachel Townsend




Flamenco is not just about the movements and the music; the dancer’s emotion adds to everything.

"It's one thing to read about artists and their work, but it's another thing to see it in person, observe the details, and just be in physical awe." -Kathryn Kane


The gigantic stone cross is the first thing a visitor sees when arriving at the Valley of the Fallen.

When you hear the phrase “water sports,” Valencia might not be the first place that comes to mind, but there is a lot to do on the Mediterranean Sea. Here are just a few of the different aquatic activites offered that the Valencia program took students to try out in summer 2015.

SurfingValencia is not Hawaii or California in re-gard to wave size, but the waves on the Mediterranean do have something to offer. It is a great place for people trying out the sport for the first time to test the waters and get the basic hang of the sport.

SwimmingIf you are not one for more unique sports, there is always swimming. Valencia has several kilometers of coastline and water for swimming and jumping into waves, and this is one activity that every member of the family can enjoy.

Paddle boardingLike surfing, the participant stands on a board (although the board is much smaller than a surfboard) and moves around the wa-ter with a paddle. This is an activity that can be done by novices just as well as experts.

— By Lauren Thomspon

Photo curtesy of Melissa Claessens

Catching some waves in Valencia, Frances Beacom, a student with the FSU program, is one of many who tried out surfing while at the beach.

After that short visit, the students and other program members again boarded their buses, which made their way toward Sego-via, located in the Old Castile region. Upon entering the town, the group was met with a 2000-year-old Roman aqueduct. This grand marvel stood nearly 100 feet off of the ground, with beautiful archways spanning the entire length.

Perhaps the most interesting fact about the aqueduct is that its approximately 25,000 granite blocks are held together without any mortar. A walk through Segovia gave every-one the opportunity to see even more sights.

“I loved seeing the architecture of the city, and it felt like every five steps you would

come across another an-cient building” Betters says. “The city itself just seemed so historic and beautiful, and it was incredible to be able to walk the streets and see that close-up.”

The group also received a guided tour of the Alca-zar de Segovia, a medieval fortress once home to kings and queens of Spain.

“I really enjoyed the cas-tle,” says Kathryn Kane, an FSU junior majoring in art. “The guided tour taught me interesting tidbits of infor-mation like that there are golden pine cones decorat-ing the ceiling and who the murals were inspired by.”

But, the day had to end, and everyone boarded bus-es for the return to Madrid, where they would await the adventures that were in store for them the next day.

Students were eager to explore Spain’s capital, and the day started with a guid-ed tour of the city center.

The guides led the groups while explaining the history and importance of various plac-es, and the tour ended where many had been anticipating since the beginning, the Prado Art Museum.

“Seeing the masterpieces of Velasquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, and Rafael was beyond incredible, as was seeing the Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch and Las Meninas by Velasquez,” says Betters, referring to the priceless treasures housed at the Prado.

Students even had a rare chance to see more works than usual by Pablo Picasso that were on loan to the museum. Students also were encouraged to take a short walk to Reina Sofia, a modern art mu-seum, which holds the works of Salvador Dali

and Picasso’s Guernica, seen by many as one of greatest anti-war paintings in history.

“Picasso is my favorite artist, and I was so happy to be able to see some of his famous works,” Kane says. “Both museums are ex-tremely large so it was impossible to see everything, but the tours showed us some

magnificent highlights. It´s one thing to read about artists and their work, but it’s another thing to see it in person, observe the details, and just be in physical awe.”

Students were given free time during the afternoon to explore the city on their own, and some headed farther into the shopping district to pick up some new clothes or sou-venirs, while some walked to Retiro Park to take in some of the green spaces of the city. Others simply wandered around seeing what the city had to offer and finding themselves a little lost, before heading back to the hotel.

Close to 7 p.m., students gathered in the hotel’s lobby, dressed for a nice planned dinner and a flamenco show at Tablao Res-taurante Las Carboneras, about a 15-minute walk from the hotel. After the dinner plates had been cleared, the live band strummed up their guitars and the performers’ emotions flooded the room.

“I was very impressed with the flamenco show,” says Samantha Arvin, an FSU sopho-more majoring in communication disorders. “I tried tap dancing when I was younger and [flamenco] was like tap dancing on steroids. I was so impressed.”

The four dancers were dressed in a variety of outfits all in traditional style.

“Only a couple of the people are the same

each time with different types of dress and dance,” according to Alicia Martínez, the program’s associate director, “so each semester the students never get the same experience as another.”

After the passionate show, some stu-dents went out to discover more of Ma-drid at night, while others, exhausted from a long day in the brutal Spanish sun, made their way back to the hotel.

The next morning started the final day of the trip, and students and instructors boarded the buses for the trip to Spain’s former capital, Toledo.

“It honestly felt like going through a time machine and winding up in an in-tricate, stone medieval city,” Betters says. “The entire city looked like a place where time had stopped—the cobbled streets, the stone buildings, the winding, narrow paths and roads, the soaring steeples of the different churches and temples. It al-most looked like a movie set or a fairytale.”

Before entering Toledo, the buses stopped on a hill overlooking the city, and students reacted with awe and excitement.

“The panoramic view was my favorite part,” Arvin says. “I knew that we were in Spain, but it reminded me of Tuscany in Italy. It was very quaint, and I love quaint. After leaving the business of Madrid, it was refreshing to be in the rustic coun-tryside. Plus, I am always one for a good view.”

While on a walking tour of the city, the groups stopped at two churches and one synagogue.

“Toledo was the first place in Spain I’ve been where the different kinds of church-es were preserved and celebrated for what they were,” Kane says.

Even though only a few hours were spent in Toledo, Betters, Kane, and Arvin say they would love to return. Upon arriv-ing back at the study center in Valencia, all of the students were tired and dreading the return to classes the following morn-ing, but the trip had all been worth it.

“During Spanish classes we were always taught about the culture and history in Spain, but to actually see and experience their daily lives firsthand is an experience that you can only get abroad,” Allston says.

Spain has more to offer than what ste-reotypes may lead people to believe. It is a nation with a rich culture and history that can only be discovered through exploring the country. Only then can you discover the real Spain.

Surf’s up!Water activitiesaround Valencia

"It almost looked like a movie set or fairytale."

— Melissa Betters

Field trips from page 19

Photo by Rachel Townsend

The Segovia Cathedral was built between 1525 and 1577 and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.



If Consum, the main grocery store that Florida State study abroad students frequent, is like Winn Dixie, then El Mercado Central is similar to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. A maze of shops fills a warehouse with food products from nuts and dried

fruits to vegetables and meat. Vendors take time to make beautiful displays of their products, only enhanced by the colorful produce. Freshly squeezed juice, or

zumo, is often sold for a euro to reel customers in. Freshness is a huge selling point in the central market. Vendors even keep live snails and eels for customers to choose.However, a trip to the market is not for those with weak stomachs. While

markets in the United States sell meats ready-to-eat, El Mercado Central uses all parts of the animal in its counter displays. Not only do sausage and ham legs hang over countertops, but be prepared to see dead fish, animal hooves, and even animal heads.“Personally I didn’t find it unsettling but even if you think you would, is

till suggest going to experience a traditional part of daily Valencian life,” says Lauren Thompson, an FSU senior studying abroad in summer 2015.

A walk through El Mercado CentralBy Jennifer Knauf

Editor´s note: David Lanza, originally from Cocoa Beach, Florida, graduated from Florida State University in 2009. He earned his law degree from FSU in 2012 and then his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida in 2015. Lanza is starting a new job in fall 2015 as an attorney for Ernst & Young in San Francisco.

Sadly, this means that he will no longer be returning to Valencia, Spain, as a program assistant (PA) in the future.

Nomadic Noles: When did you first become a program assistant? How long have you been a PA and why did you decide to become one?

David: Originally I studied abroad in Spain in the spring of 2008 and came back. I decided to come back initially to practice my Spanish and to visit Spain. My family is in the north

[of Spain], so I came here to kind of to be away from them. I liked it a lot—it seemed like a great opportunity to come back and try to be a PA. I applied for [the position] and I ended up being a PA in spring 2009. They asked me to stay an extra 6-week session be-cause they had 120 students at that time, so I stayed and I was a PA during summer session 1 2009. I came back this semester [summer 2015] because I had the summer open before I start working. I was talking to Ignacio and he invited me to come back this summer.

NN: What do you like most about being a PA at FSU Valencia?

David: Probably the interaction that you get with the staff, students, and area. There is a little more added responsibility and that’s always nice to be able to take advantage of

that and rise to the challenge. At the same time you also have a lot more interaction with the general populous and culture by necessity.

You have to go do doctor visits—that’s not really something you learn as a student. You have to talk to business owners, you have to help professors find stuff, you set up excursions; you learn more about the area because you have to, in order to tell the students about those type of things. Simultaneously, it’s a great opportunity.

It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the region.

NN: As an experienced PA, do you feel a little bit like the unofficial “head” PA? Do the other PAs come to you whenever they have a question or concern?

David: Not really. I mean, I’m just another PA. There are a couple of things I do that I ask them to help me with. I delegate sometimes but not because I’m in any position of author-ity. I think it’s just because I know Alicia and she asks me to tell them to do other stuff.

NN: Are you planning to come back af-ter summer 2015 or will you be officially retired as a PA once this semester ends?

David: No, I don’t think I’ll ever be back [as a PA]. It was kind of a freak coincidence that I was here for this summer. I start working in September and I was working before this, so I just had summer off. That’s why I’m here.

NN: So you were glad to come back?David: Yeah, there’s a reason I came. I love Valencia.

A last hurrah for (and with) David Lanza,a veteran PA

David Lanza

Students in the summer 2015 program took to Instagram to highlight their adventures. Follow @nomadicnoles for up-to-date info about studying abroad and to keep up with the student-produced magazine.

Insta Spain

instagram.com/nomadicnoles/

Don’t be scared, it’s just arroz negro!

#fsuip #fsuvalencia (By Claudia

Gonzalez)

The Feria de Julio Ferris wheel

peeks out from the famous

Rose Bridge #fsuip

#fsuvalencia (By Milagros Aburto)

Holy Toledo! #fsuip #fsuvalencia(By Sasha Polissky)

What better way to end a summer night than in the old riverbed of Valencia overlooking the Feria de Julio? #fsuip #fsuvalencia (By Rachel Townsend)

Photos from Wikipedia Commons



About thecontributorsMilagros AburtoAburto is a Florida State University (FSU) senior majoring in English with a concentration in editing, writing, and media (EWM) and minoring in communications. She was born in Lima, Peru, but moved to sunny South Florida when she was 10 years old. She is passionate about traveling, music, and film. Upon graduation, she will pursue a career in editing or desktop publishing. She aims to never stop learning and to continue to discover her talents.

Claudia GonzalezGonzalez, from Coral Springs, Florida, graduated from FSU at the end of summer 2015 with a major in English (EWM concentration)

and a minor in communications. After graduation, she is being forced into the real world, where she has hopes of returning to Spain to teach English. Some of her favorite things include cats, sleeping, and traveling.

Kathleen KeenanOriginally from Vero Beach, Florida, Keenan is a senior and she will graduate from FSU in December 2015. She is majoring in English with a concentration in EWM and minoring in communications and political science. Her love for reading started at a young age, and now, with graduation approaching, she hopes to have a future in publishing. Her perfect day starts with a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, followed by reading a good book on the beach.

Jennifer KnaufBorn in Orlando, Florida, Knauf is majoring in English (EWM). She is a junior at FSU and hopes to one day edit books.

Sarah PolisskyPolissky, who grew up in South Florida, is a senior at FSU majoring in English (EWM) and minoring in business. She aspires to work in

a marketing or public relations firm, where she can put her creativity to use. She enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her loved ones—especially her adorable puppy.

Erica PopePope is a junior at FSU from Gainesville, Florida. (Go Noles!) She is majoring in English (EWM) and minoring in sociology of law, and she also is pursuing a certificate in leadership. She has dreams of becoming a lawyer and traveling the world along the way. She has a passion for good books, Chipotle, and puppies.

Joseph QuintanaQuintana is a senior at FSU majoring in English (EWM) and minoring in film studies. He grew up in Miami and his future aspirations range from writing for an online news publication to writing and directing for the silver screen.

Corbin RyanHailing from the city of Tampa, Florida, Ryan is a junior at FSU. Deviating from his creative writing concentration for his English major, he decided to give journalism a try by working on Nomadic Noles. His passions include reading, cooking, and surfing.

Katherine SinnerSinner is a senior at FSU majoring in English (EWM), while minoring in communications. Her roots are in St. Petersburg, Florida. She enjoys a good book, her pug puppy, and the

beautiful beaches of her hometown. Through her time in Europe, she discovered a borderline obsession with any pistachio-flavored dessert. Her longterm passion and goal is to one day work for a fashion magazine.

Sarah TatumOriginally from Orlando, Florida, Tatum is a senior and she will graduate from FSU in December 2015 with an English major (EWM) and a minor in international affairs. While her hobbies include filmmaking and photography, she would like to pursue a career in investigative journalism upon graduation.

Lauren ThompsonThompson is a senior from Ocala, Florida, majoring in English (EWM) at FSU. After graduating, Thompson hopes to work for a travel magazine and travel the world writing. She enjoys going to new places, adventure sports, and curling up with a good book and a hot cup of tea.

Rachel TownsendTownsend is a junior at FSU majoring in English (EWM) and minoring in environmental studies. She has lived in Tallahassee, Florida, since the age of 5, and she aspires to write for a nature magazine such as National Geographic. She thoroughly enjoys immersing herself in the outdoors and playing with nearly every dog to cross her path.

Ashley TresselTressel is an FSU junior majoring in English (EWM) and media/communication studies.. She has interned in the Executive Office of the Governor (Tallahassee) and worked as a freelance writer for Carbonated.tv. In fall 2015, she will be a journalism intern for The Borgen Project. She hopes to be a foreign correspondent or news editor. Her favorite city in Europe so far is Brussels, Belgium.

Students in the summer 2015 Editing, Writing, and Media Program visited Valencia’s La Beneficencia and found a break from the July heat in the center’s inner courtyard.

This area behind Valencia’s cathedral is where the weekly Tribunal de las Aguas de la Vega is held.

Advisors: Susan Hellstrom and Jack CliffordStudent editors: Kathleen Keenan and Ashley Tressel

Student design assistant: Sasha Polissky



”

Taking two steps out my front door and being instantly surrounded by century-old buildings is one of the things I will miss most about living in Valencia, Spain.

– Rachel Townsend

“”

What will I miss the most about Valencia?

I will miss the castles that had unbelievable views of the Mediterranean. – Claudia Gonzalez“

No single adventure or monument compares to the unforgettable people I’ve been blessed to meet.

– Joseph Quintana

“”

Just a short metro ride away from the study center is the beach and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, and this is one of the many things that I will miss about our time in Valencia.

– Lauren Thompson

“

”

I’m going to miss the unforgettable adventures we had including dorking

out on the top of the Torres de Serranos with our daggers.

– Sasha Polissky

“”

Of all the wonderful things about Spain, I will miss the story-book like scenes the country has to offer.

– Corbin Ryan

“”

I’ll miss walking along the streets and encountering beautiful street art each day.

– Sarah Tatum“ ”

I will miss having the Torres de Serrano as my front door.

– Milagros Aburto“ ”

I will miss walking around the streets of Valencia and marveling at the beauty and history of this city.

– Erica Pope

“”


Text and photos by students inthe summer 2015 magazine course

What will I miss the most about Valencia?

I’ll miss the unbelievable architecture, palaces, and museums that are always just a short walk away.

– Katherine Sinner“ ”

I will miss the unique live entertainment you can find simply walking down the street, from music to magic.

– Jennifer Knauf

“”

I will miss all of the crazy adventures and memories that brought us closer as a “family” that we shared while being abroad.

– Kathleen Keenan

“”

What I will miss the most is being surrounded by a neverending supply of delicious food.

– Ashley Tressel“ ”

2015 nomadic noles valencia magazine final pdf 10-8-15

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