I want to go to Valencia for a few months, advise on everything please!?

Question

I want to go to Valencia to teach English for a few months... my spanish is OK but I am learning and getting better each day.

I want to know about the city, the areas the people

the do's and dont's

safety

general living

costs

places to live/stay

transport/travel

just anything anyone can tell me would be great

Answer 1

I've been in Valencia for two months doing an internship... I'll help with what I can but I don't even know the answers to some of these!

The area:  they speak a language called Valencian, which apparently is a mixture of French, Spanish, and its own quirks.  I don't speak Spanish (I know, it's terrible) but I hear if you can understand Spanish you can usually understand Valencian.  So far, the people are really nice, just be polite and they'll be very helpful.

What time of year are you coming?  I can tell you that the summer is very, very, very hot and humid, but at least there's a beach nearby!

Safety - I've had no trouble whatsoever (fingers crossed!) and I'm a lone 20 year old female.  Of course, I don't go out alone after dark, and don't stay out beyond about midnight in any case, but it seems like a pretty safe city overall.

Costs:  I'm mixed up in the university, so I stayed in dorms and such for a while, but now I'm in an apartment running about 300 euros per month, which I gather is cheap for the location.  But it all really depends on where you go.  I'm afraid I don't really know how you should go about looking for housing - sorry I can't help there.

Other costs - groceries are pretty cheap (Mercadona, Consum are the grocery stores I've found) and some restaurants offer a pretty good menu del dia - between 6 and 10 euros for a three course meal with drink.

Transport - for 6,10 you can buy a 10 trip ticket (bonometro) for the metro (and bus too, I think, but not completely sure).  It's one of the cheapest public transportation systems around, apparently.  One way tickets are 1,30 (I think).

Hope that helped!  If you have more specific questions, feel free to email me and I can try to answer...

Answer 2

Are you British, or non-EU.  Getting a job, nay, getting a WORK PERMIT is really difficult.  Take care of that first, then worry about the other things.

I can't help with much else...remember, their schedule is really unusual.  They get up later than most of us do in Spain.   I was there last year, and I was getting up at 7, out of the hostal at 8, to empty streets, and often closed breakfast places.  I was anxious to start my day, but there was no one to help me get going (especially that first cup of café con leche!)  They eat lunch around 2, take a long break, and then back to work at 5, when any other country is shutting down.  No one goes out until about 10, nothing starts hopping until midnight, and in many places, there is no such thing as quiet until, well, 7, when everyone returns home.  (dinner is around 10 - 12, or you just go tapa hopping).  

Safety, is like anywhere...use common sense.  The wonderful thing about Spain is that the most common crime is pickpocketing.  Personal crimes and violent crimes are pretty uncommon compared to other countries, but you want to protect your cash, credit cards, CELL PHONES, and valuable papers.  And don't get drunk and go anywhere with strangers...then you're opening yourself for all kinds of trouble...but then, that's common sense, right?

Costs...as far as I know, things are kind of pricey in Spain, in general.  Do a search.  You can find all sorts of information on the web.  You might not want to actually RENT a place online, but you can get an idea.

Travel is simple throughout Spain.  The train service, like most of Western Europe is quick, clean and efficient.  Busses between cities, in-city busses are clean and green.  taxis run on biofuel.  and there are cheap airlines between cities, too.

If you are a woman, and the men Piropo you, don't respond.  

DO have fun!  The people of Spain are warm and wonderful!  You'll have a great time!