By Michael Robinson Chávez, father of a student at Caxton College in Valencia

It wasn’t long after our daughter Olivia was born that I decided to stop making photographs in war and conflict zones. I had spent most of my career as a photojournalist covering various hot spots around the world: Bosnia, Congo, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, and Syria. There were other stories and places I could document that would be less difficult and risky.

I have been drawn to international travel and stories ever since my first trip to my mother’s homeland, Peru, in 1988. I was just a teenager and unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. That trip, along with subsequent journeys to South America, changed all of that.

My wife grew up as the daughter of a Spanish diplomat. She moved to a new country, a new culture, and a new language (she speaks five of them) every few years. It was only natural that we would find each other. The joy of experiencing new places and cultures runs in our veins. We hoped that it would be the same for our daughter.

We knew we wanted Olivia to get an education outside the United States, ideally surrounded by the diverse cultures and languages her parents were used to. It was only natural for us to leave the U.S. and move to Spain. We considered the many places on the peninsula where we could live. Madrid? A cultural capital, but too big, expensive, and no coast. Olivia and I are from California, so that was a non-starter. Barcelona? Beautiful but overwhelmed by tourists and the prices to match. Valencia was just right.

We enjoy Valencia's smaller size and all the cultural options it offers residents, despite its modest dimensions. Now we needed to find the right school. Caxton College was our first choice. An excellent reputation, a forward-thinking academic curriculum, and a good mix of Spanish and international students made it ideal. Olivia just had to pass the entrance exams and hope that there was a space available. It was a tense few weeks. Needless to say, we were overjoyed when we received the news that Olivia had been accepted.

Much of the world is in a tense state right now. It’s not easy being a teenager, navigating through it. Information, for better or worse, floods our devices within seconds. Unfortunately, much of it isn’t even true, and learning to tell the difference will be crucial moving forward. Attending school with students from diverse parts of the globe is essential for building a foundation for the future. On days when I pick up Olivia, now in Year 11, and she’s excited to share something she learned at school that day, I know that the foundation is strong—and still growing.