I am walking down the acera on my way to my only class of the day. It’s 41 degrees Fahrenheit, or 5 degrees Celsius for the locals, and I realize I did not pack enough winter clothes for this half of the trip. It’s a 30-minute walk from my host family’s house in Ayora, Valencia to school. I do not know this yet, but 1 month from now I will purchase the city bike pass known as “Valenbici” which will cut my commute in mitad. I’m lucky though. Some of my fellow program students, and soon-to-be friends, need to use the metro system to get to school. Our host university, La Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, is large, with more students than UMass Amherst, and sits in the northeastern part of Valencia. If you’re a local student you know that the advantage of this location is that la playa is only a 30-minute walk/10-minute metro ride from school. I am hoping it warms up soon. It’s a good thing I packed more bathing suits than jackets? Continue reading to learn more about Valencia, Spain.