Valencia: All Over the Place (Walks & Talks)

How are you feeling?! Ufff. Pfff. Hmmm. Ok, ok. Winter can be a challenging time to process our emotions. Even our sun-kissed Valencia gets gloomy sometimes.

Grief & the City... You probably already know if this walk is for you.
A pilgrimage mapping laughs, tears, memories, and many squares.
It's like, if Love was your personal tour guide...

People, pets, places, objects - anything that is loved can be lost.
“If there ever comes a day where we can’t be together, keep me in your heart.”
Winnie the Pooh was right. Our hearts keep memories alive.
And yet, sometimes the heart can feel too small, too fragile.
Can a city square contain a memory of a conversation?
Can a city street tell a story of a laugh?
Can Valencia reunite us with those who are not here and reconcile us with our present selves?

Many have heard about the Five Stages of Grief:
denial, anger, bargaining, depression & acceptance.
How do we get through each and navigate them all?
How do we honor our connections, let go, and go on?

This two-hour walkshop will take us through the hidden corners in the historical center of Valencia and introduce a variety of coping techniques, remembrance practices, and stories of resilience. If these walls could talk… these walls would weep. And then, rejoice.

Attention!
The walkshop is limited to 12 participants. Please, note it is not a substitute for counseling that may be needed in cases of acute grief. If you are experiencing severe loss, you may find this walkshop overwhelming. Please, reflect on your decision to attend. You will not be asked to share any details of your story/process, but there will be voluntary opportunities to do so.

About the Route
Participants will receive the starting location information to the day before the ecent. We’ll be taking unexpected turns in the (un)familiar streets.

What to bring?
An open mind, a gentle curiosity, your water bottle. Maybe a photo or an artifact that connects you to the grief you’d like to take for a walk. Dress according to the weather; we won’t mind even a bit of rain (nobody can see one cry, although tears are welcome anyway). Also, bring a notebook and pen for a bit of journaling if you wish, and maybe something to sit on at the park. Any other creative prompts and materials will be provided by the walkshop guides.

About the Guides
JANE is a self taught death enthusiast (death doula), who happens to have a masters degree in mental health nursing. After losing a loved one 3,5 years ago, she got a wake up call- nobody, including herself, was ready to support a dying person nor knew how to cope with loss. Now raising death awareness is her daily job, through teaching nursing students, healthcare workers, organizing Death Cafes and writing many… many articles.

ALEXEY is a storyteller who has taught at Academy of Art University (San Francisco) and International Fashion Academy (Paris). He’s guided all kinds of folks through all kinds of pilgrimages from 800 kilometers of Camino de Santiago to the two blocks of Calle Sevilla in Ruzafa. He is also the host of comedy events with @StandupComedyValencia as well as Book Lovers Unplugged, a monthly literary open mic at the only English bookstore in Valencia. Most importantly, Alexey is a fulltime Gemini with ADHD.

About the Cost
This walkshop is FREE to attend. At the end, there will be an passing of the hat so you can make a contribution to keep this work sustainable if you are able to do so at that time.