Finding Home in Murcia

The sun dropping over the Old Bridge.
Photo belongs to Sara Lucy Smith

It is not easy finding a place that your heart can call home, no matter how long you've been there. You may adjust to living in a space but it's not always so that we find a place that we can call our own; home. After two weeks of traveling in Spain, I discovered my little piece of home away from home.

My new teaching job is located in Murcia. Little is known about this city because it is not a tourist destination, although you may find many expats here. Every Spaniard I met along the way and all my new students asked me, why Murcia? Why this city of all places?

Well, that's pretty easy to answer. Here's why:








Number 1: 
I didn't want to live in a city that is bustling with tourists. I would be able to get away with speaking English and I didn't want that. If you want to experience a culture and learn a new language, you have to immerse yourself fully. So no big, well known cities for me.


Number 2: 
Well it's where I was offered a good job. I work in a great language school and I enjoy what I do; teaching, in any of its forms.

The River Segura

Number 3: 
Murcia is the capital city of the region of the same name. It's in the south east of the country and it's quite warm in winter compared to some other places in the country. Coming from a long hard winter in Poland, I wanted to experience weather that is more similar to South African climate.

Number 4:
Why the hell not?

The Catedral de Santa Maria

I've been in Murcia for just over two months now and I absolutely love it here. I love my new friends that I've made, the locals are friendly, my students give me a great sense of satisfaction in my job and the city itself just seems to be alive in a way I can't explain.

I feel at home here. If you are from Murcia, you are called Murciano. I was telling my adult students about an embarrassing, drunken story I had one weekend and one of my students replied that it happens to all Murcianos and it officially made me one of them. My heart melted a bit at that. It seems anyone can find home somewhere in the world.

Real Casino

Murcia is definitely the place to travel if you want to experience Spain off the beaten track. One of the main beautiful sights is the lovely Catedra de Santa Maria. Built in 1394, it is one of the most astounding cathedrals I have ever seen. Visit the Real Casino de Murcia, a gentleman's club in 1847, restored to its original grandeur or walk along Gran Via, the main street in the city centre. It doesn't matter what you choose to do or see, you will always enjoy yourself, whether you're hunting for the perfect tapas bar or wandering along the streets with no destination in mind.

I've never thought of ever using this cliche but home is truly where the heart is.

Photo taken by Sara Lucy Smith

Happy Tears in Valencia

I'm continuously asked, why did I decide to move and teach English in Spain. I reply with the same answer, that honestly, I have no idea. I felt a tug in my chest about where I wanted to go to next; a physical pull that had no rational logic. I knew absolutely nothing about Spain; I even mispronounced "hola".

The square near to where my hostel was

Toesies in the sand!

When I reached Valencia on my two week trip across Spain before settling in Murcia, I realised why Spain was the right choice for me. That moment of realisation hit me once I saw the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. For no logical reason, I started to cry. This is why I came here! This feeling of accomplishment and growth; I'm just you're average South African girl and I made this dream, of seeing this view, come true. My decisions, my actions.






I asked the woman at the front desk of my hostel how I could get to the beach. She told me bus number 1 is one way of reaching it. Without a hint of Spanish, I put on my big girl panties and braved the local Spanish transport system. I had no idea which stop it was or how far I had to go. I just went on and trusted my instinct. If I got lost; well hey, it would be its own little adventure.

Luckily I did get off at the right bus stop and followed my nose on which way the beach would be and before I knew it, I was taking off my shoes and digging my toes into the sand. I couldn't swim because my new tattoo was healing, but I walked up and down the beach, dipping my toes into the warm water, wondering how in God's name did I actually manage to land up here.

I am so genuinely lucky and grateful for my parents. Without support from home, I would never be brave enough to even begin to think about traveling on my own. Thanks Mommy. Thanks Daddy. <3

I really liked this. It was above the entrance to my hostel.

By the time I landed in Valencia I was physically and mentally exhausted. My ridiculously heavy luggage and the constant traveling was getting to me, so I decided to just relax and enjoy the scenery I happened to come across; neither free walking tours, nor huge galavants. I did get lost a few times and that was a nice way of seeing things that I would never have normally seen.

Valencia is such a beautiful city. The vibe is quite different to the other Spanish cities I visited but in a way that makes you want to get to know the city a bit better. I will have to go back and learn more about the place.

The cute little alley that lead to my hostel

The view of Valencia from atop the cathedral

My Mishap in Madrid

A mishap is defined as an unlucky accident, which is definitely what I would describe my first couchsurfing experience as. Since starting my life abroad, I have realised how quickly expenses add up when travelling. Accommodation can heavily dent your savings when all you really want is a roof over your head, a warm shower and money in your pocket to do all those touristy things you've been wanting try.

A Spanish New Tork

This is where the idea of couchsurfing comes in.The site connects travellers from all over the world by creating a social media base that allows people to meet, whether you're a local or a foreigner. Locals can host travellers for a night or two on their couch. 

I distrusted this concept immediately. What kind of person allows a random stranger to stay in their home for nothing in return? It seemed an idea that was idealistically great but in this harsh reality we live in, a bit naive and unsafe. 

I was happily surprised though when I went on the website and saw that surfers have to be rated (and therefore trusted) to be considered potential hosts. You can choose who you want to host or decline if you want to; every decision is in your hands, whether you're a host or a surfer.

The scariest fish I have ever seen!

My third stop on my trip around Spain was Madrid. By this time, my accommodation expenses were adding up quite a bit so I decided that I would give couchsurfing a try. My friend Justine is an avid surfer and has had nothing but good experiences. We had a conversation about it before I left, to try and calm my nerves.

Some graffiti in the street

"What if something happens to me?" I said.
"Something can happen in a hostel. That doesn't stop you from going there. Be brave; trust the system and trust your instinct", she replied.
"What system?" I asked.
"Couchsurfing; the system of strangers connecting and trusting each other", she answered.

This conversation stuck with me and I decided to just take the risk and go for it. Boy, was I in for a surprise! I stayed with a Mexican guy that had a great reputation on the site but I was still nervous to stay with a man. Luckily though, he was hosting a German girl too. Yvonne was my saving grace those few days.

My new favourite hangover remedy:
chocolate and churros

Yvonne was already familiar with the city and took me sightseeing and showed me some really great places that I would never have found by myself, like chocolate and churros! How quickly people can bond when put in certain circumstances. I'd like to go back to Madrid and see more of the city from a cultural perspective; learn more about the city itself.

My host took a particular liking to me though and became quite touchy-feely, which made me feel very uncomfortable. I became quite shy and introvert in his presence. How do you tell someone you don't want anything sexual with them when they are allowing you to sleep on their couch for two nights? I honestly did not know how to handle the situation. Thankfully, with Yvonne around, he didn't come onto me too often and we decided to spend our last night at a hostel. I'm really happy we met.

After my stay, I wrote a reference for his profile so that other surfers can know that, although many people wrote positive reviews, I am one of the few that did not have a great time with him. Every reference on CS is important. It allows others to better decide if they want to meet with the person in question.

Yvonne and myself in the main plaza

Trust is something so difficult to attain; to willingly rely on someone and to abandon our sense of control. CS asks us to trust others like us. "We envision a world made better by travel and travel made better by connection. Couchsurfers share their lives with the people they encounter, fostering cultural exchange and mutual respect."

Meeting strangers on couchsurfing can be a terrifying experience. I have no idea what I would have done without Yvonne. She balanced my negative experience with a positive one. Without CS, I would never have met her and I still want to try it again. Many people are genuinely interested in just helping a person out. Millions of people trust the system and I think that the concept is an amazing way of putting faith in humanity.

Zaragoza, the Eternal City

My view from my hostel window. 

After Barcelona, I headed off to Zaragoza; a city I had vaguely heard of but knew nothing about. I was in for a mild surprise as to what awaited me; two thousand years of history, all the way back to the Romans, leaving a legacy of monuments in its wake.

Evening strolls through the old town

My first impression was how radically different the city is to Barcelona. Barcelona hums with energy at all times whilst Zaragoza seemed a city that runs at a slower pace.

I arrived with over 40kg of luggage (my move to Spain made it necessary to lug my bags with me during my two week journey) and, even though it wasn't particularly far from the train station to my hostel, I was exhausted and collapsed on my bed in my temporary home.

Maritza and me

I met a Venezuelan girl and we instantly got on, like a house on fire. The next 24 hours saw our new friendship blossom with all the sightseeing we did. Without Maritza, I would've wandered the city without much direction. She became my non-Spanish, Spanish speaking guide without even visiting the city beforehand. This was the first time for both of us in the city; we popped our Zaragozan cherry together.


The city lies between Madrid and Barcelona in the north of the country, along the river Ebro. It is the perfect mid-journey stay.

The entrance to Aljaferia

Our first stop, and an absolute must-see, was the Aljaferia. This pleasure palace lies in the heart of the city. It was built for Zaragoza's Islamic rulers, roughly around the 11th century. When Christians took over the city in 1118, it became the royal residence of Christian kings. Nowadays, it holds Aragon's (the province in which the city resides) regional parliament. Guided tours are offered only in Spanish so I was quite happy for Maritza to be my own personal translator.

I went on a guided bus tour, mainly because I was too lazy to walk around but I found that it was interesting to see the difference in styles of sightseeing. I prefer walking tours but it's good to try different types to see which you prefer. I fell asleep during the ride; just soaking up the sun. Headphones in my ears, it becomes a bit like a monotonous background hum, I tended to stop listening.

The view of the city from the top
of the Basilica

My personal favourite moment of my stay in Zaragoza was taking the lift to the top of the basilica. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary where, according to ancient legend, Mary appeared to Saint James while he was in prayer. The view from the top of the building shows the city in all its historical glory.

Sunset captured on the Basilica and the Old Bridge

This city is beautifully memorable and definitely should be visited if you are travelling to/from Barcelona and Madrid. It is a place where history and folklore are still alive. When travelling abroad, it is a special experience to find a place that makes you believe that you are connected to a part of the world even though you have no real ties to it. I'm not quite sure why I felt this way to Zaragoza; it was just a great city to visit. It felt to me that Zaragoza draws you in like a child gazing at treasure in a stranger's outstretched hand.

"Because I dream, I'm not crazy"