My name is Pablo Lalama Salazar.                                                                                     I’m a Music Business/Entrepreneurship senior.                                                                  I arrived to Valencia for the Fall 2016 semester.

It is a very interesting contrast being in Boston and getting to this warm city.

The first day at Berklee Valencia is an important date to everyone who has come here. Everybody on campus seems to be expectant of something great to happen and the excitement runs like a rumble of smiling people talking to each other for the first time. The campus is very particular, too. The structure of it is both overwhelming and inspiring.

All of a sudden, the first month is gone and you are involved into Spain’s diverse culture, and music seems to be everywhere. Berklee Valencia allows you to make easy and quick connections with many venues and people surrounding the industry. There is a great opportunity for collaboration with highly skilled artists around the city who always welcome international peers. I’ve managed to work with Social Musik, El Retrocolectivo and Afromelonius, all from Valencia plus several individual artists from the city.

Another very important thing to note is the closeness with the students from the master degree programs. Most of them are very experienced artists who are looking to polish their abilities and updating their knowledge. A lot of important projects seem to start around them and they’re always looking for people willing to work hard.

Another amazing thing about coming to Valencia is the food. The food is cheap and tasteful. Every restaurant here has locally grown ingredients and they’re very proud of their gastronomic culture.

Plus, the easiness to travel around Europe is amazing. I bought a ticket to Portugal for €10. And there are many, many options for tourists to stay in a wide variety of prices.

Louvre Eiffel Tower

What I think of the most is how all these experiences have changed my music and my way of thinking. The lifestyle juxtaposition between Boston and Valencia plus my own background as an Ecuadorian has helped me have a better understanding of what is it that I value both, personally and professionally, and how much of an impact the Study Abroad Program had on me. Soon I’ll have to be back but I’m certain Valencia will always be one of the most important years of my life.

Words by Pablo Lalama Salazar

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