The air smelled of black coffee and weed. Jacob Byers, who goes by Jake, sat in his ruby-red Chevrolet G20 van behind his Nord piano, fiddling with the keys.

Nestled at the base of Mount Si surrounded by mountain streams and enormous evergreens, lies the secluded and cozy retreat center called Rainbow Lodge.

In northern Spain, where the rain mist known as orbayu softens the sky, the Asturian language is quietly fighting for survival. Although it is not officially recognized like neighboring languages such as Catalan or Basque, Asturian remains embedded in the hearts and expressions of the people who call Asturias home.

EUGENE, Ore. — “I feel like I’m living in a dystopian novel,” said a Russian citizen studying at the University of Oregon on an expired student visa. Given her current situation and growing fears of deportations, she asked to be called Nadezhda, a Russian name that means hope.