1 February 2026

I’ll start with a visa update. I met with my attorney in Tuesday. He outlined several options that I could pursue. In the end, we agreed that I’ll renew my student visa and apply from here for a resident visa. I’ll keep you posted as there is news to share.

Tomorrow (Monday), I’ll take a 3-hours long test (SIELE), to demonstrate what I’ve learned and what I have yet to learn. This will prove to the Spanish government that I’m actually making some progress. It will demonstrate what levels I’m actually reading, writing and speaking in Spanish.

The week was otherwise, generally routine. Spanish classes, groceries, laundry, etc, etc.

So I thought I’d answer a question here that I get often.

People from the United States often ask me, “what do people in Spain think about what is happening here?”

Here are two recent conversations. I think that help understand what I’m hearing.

Before choir practice last week, a man, about my age, asked me, incredulously, “what is going on in the United States right now?” He was saddened and alarmed to see the violence against Americans, the rhetoric from federal officials, and the surrender of leadership that he is seeing from the US.

And this conversation moved me to tears and is what prompted me to address the question here.

On Wednesday I spoke with a young student from Morocco (I assume he’s Muslim) in my Spanish class. We were taking a short break when he asked where I was from. When I told him that I’m from the US, he responded in excellent English, “I’m so sorry to see what is happening right now in your country. I love America.” He went on to say that the US has done so much to bring health, safety and joy to the world, he is sad to see the current direction of our nation.

I was moved to see his genuine concern, his personal sense of loss that a source of truth and light is no longer what it was, and to see his compassion for me personally as an American. I was truly moved.

On a much lighter note, I went to a professional basketball game tonight (Sunday).

I went with my neighbor, Carlos, who is a huge sports fan. Neither of us had been to the newly opened Roig Arena. This brand new stadium just opened a few months ago. It is state of the art!

Juan Roig is the Valencia businessman who started the most successful chain of grocery stores in Spain, “Mercadona.” He built this 20,000-seat venue for sports, concerts and other events. It’s a new treasure for the city of Valencia.

Valencia Basket beat Forca Lleida with a score of 101-65. Carlos had predicted that Valencia would score over 100 points. I told him that if they did, I’d buy the beer after the game. So, they did and that’s what we did!

Have a great week. May you also outperform expectations in all you do.