I’m at the end of my time in Murcia, the region in southern Spain I’ve called home for the past nine months.

When it comes to tourism and language, Murcia often gets a bad rap. I’ve had various conversations with Murcianos about how they “don’t speak real Spanish” or “there’s nothing to do here, you need to go to Madrid.” However, I’m calling BS. I absolutely love this region and have had some great adventures here.

Here are a few reasons why you should love Murcia, too.

10. The size. Murcia is the Baby Bear of cities: not too big, not too small. Just the right size to have a decent night life and art scene; universities filled with students; and two airports nearby. Small enough that you can walk anywhere in the city in 30 minutes or less, and you can easily get to know your neighbors and coworkers.

9. The cost of living. The cost of living is cheap compared to other areas in Spain and much cheaper compared to the U.S. and the U.K. Also you get health care and paid holidays. Food and travel is also more affordable, and you don’t usually need a car to get around.

8. The low-key but high-quality art and music scene. It seems all the friends and acquaintances I’ve met have published a book, hosted an art exhibition, put out an album, play several instruments or make experimental music while DJing and performing drag in their spare time.  I’ve never met so many talented people who casually mention their hobbies as if they’re nothing. Murcia is also the site of several quality music festivals including WAM and the Cartagena Jazz Festival. I love having the ability to go to art shows, check out free museums or see a friend play a concert every week.

7. The history. People often badmouth Murcia for having no history, but those people haven’t done their research. Murcia, like numerous regions in Spain, boasts a history of multiple cultures: including Islamic, Christian and Judaeo. Cartagena was the site of the capital of the ancient Roman empire in Spain. Paleolithic sites exist throughout the region. I’ve been on hikes and stumbled upon random archaeological digs. Festivals celebrate the region’s history and culture, and many of the region’s historical military sites along the coast are still free and open to the public.

6. The festivals and holidays. If you work in a school you get TWO weeks off for Easter holidays, including the infamous Bando de La Huerta, which is an experience you’ll need at least another two weeks to recover from. Holy Week festivities end with the Entierro de la Sardina, which ends when they burn a giant effigy of a sardine. It represents the burial of the past in order for society to move forward. One weekend, I saw a Medieval Market with people dressed like vikings and playing bagpipes, a Catholic procession with women wearing black veils and parading the Virgin Mary through the streets, and a WWII reenactment, complete with actual tanks firing fake bullets. This all happened at the same time, on the same day, within walking distance of one another. And this was a fairly normal weekend. Also, you have not seen a parade until you have seen a Spanish parade. I do not know who plans the costumes or who dreams up the order of things, but I would love to meet them and give them two cheek kisses. To the untrained eye, it could seem random to have children dressed as jellyfish followed by Egyptian cat dancers followed by an enormous, giant-headed baby rolling along during a Christmas parade honoring the Three Wise Men. But not in Spain. Everyone just goes along with it, without a hint of irony. And it’s wonderful.

5.  The outdoor activities. Do you like diving, climbing, hiking, cycling, kite surfing, windsurfing, running, walking, geocaching, spelunking, horseback riding, whale watching, snorkeling, boating, kayaking, picnicking and rafting? Do you like doing these things for a pretty decent price and with not as many tourists? This leads me to the next point:

4. The natural parks and beaches. Murcia has 19 natural areas and 7 national parks and you’ll often be one of the few people on the trails which are well-preserved and offer stunning coastal and mountain views.

3. The weather.  Welcome to the Home of the SUN. With roughly 300 days of sunshine, it’s hard to cancel things because of bad weather.  It snowed once last year, and everyone still tells me about it weekly. If you can stand the oppressive heat in July and August, you’ll be golden for the rest of the year. If you can’t, just go to the beach with everyone else.

2. The food. I have never had a bad meal in Murcia. Not once. And I have tried almost all the restaurants, bars and bakeries within a 30-mile radius. It doesn’t matter if you want tapas, seafood, sushi, a burrito place run by Irishmen or authentic Murcian fare,  it’s going to be good. Also, we live in the Huerta, the vegetable garden of Europe, so you have fresh veggies and fruits as well as good seafood from the coast and a mean paella and caldero. They throw all sorts of taste combinations together featuring sardines, Russian potato salad, olives, tuna, nuts, tomatoes, lemons, bread, and I never get tired of it. I hated olives before I moved here and now I can’t stop craving them. With potato chips. And lots of lemon squeezed on top.

1. The people.  

Mi gente, achos y achas, los zagales y las zagalas. Murcianos y Murcianicas. It’s the people who make any place special, and I’ve found lifelong friends and second family members here in the Huerta. I’m extremely thankful to the friends, family, coworkers, restaurant owners, language partners and people of Murcia in general.

Y’all taught me how to use vosotros; how to slow down and enjoy the meal; how to ask for the perfect tostada during recreo; how to be patient; how to navigate Spanish government offices; how to dance until 7 a.m. and still get up and get things done the next day; how to no pasa nada, stay tranquila, but fight for the important things in life. We marched in the streets for women, for refugees, for the retired, for the people unfairly imprisoned, to celebrate gay pride and to hope for a better world. We gave charlas, we climbed mountains, we crossed rivers, and we ate a lot of paella. I am extremely grateful for the lessons, and I will be back, with better Spanish. <3

No decimos adiós. Decimos hasta luego.