I spent most of my week commuting! I volunteered this week to help with the Gay Games. They asked me to help with the bowling competition. I was happy to do so. Then, I learned the location. It was a commute of over an hour on four different metro and tram connections well north of the city. But I did it.

The other volunteers were great and the bowlers were as lot of fun. While things were a bit chaotic, we pulled together to make sure everyone had a fun time and that things ran as smoothly as possible. Helping with logistics, doing data entry, and cheering on the bowlers, it all made for a full and fun week…despite the commute. The best part was meeting athletes and fun people from all over the world.

On Wednesday night, I went to the launch of Feria De Valencia. Every July, Valencia hosts a month long celebration of summer. They kicked it off with a huge party in the Plaza Ayuntamiento, which of course, concluded with fireworks.

Thursday night, after concluding the bowling activities, I met my friend Rafa and we saw Rufus Wainwright in concert.

On Saturday, I celebrated the 4th of July with a cookout at the apartment of my friends Amy and Oscar.

And after, Valencia held the first of three weekly Saturday night fireworks at midnight.

Tomorrow, I’m back to my routine of Spanish classes in the mornings. It will be good to get back to normal after traveling and volunteering the last two weeks.

I hope you had a good 4th of July celebration. May “liberty and justice for all” thrive in the next 250 years.