I am now completing my second month in Barcelona! Time has really flown by, and I have been having a lot of exciting new experiences. I have also been able to travel to a few other countries in Europe, which has been exciting and eye-opening! During my time so far I have noticed many cultural differences between Spain and America. Some are harder to get used to than others!

1. Meal times: People in Spain tend to eat much later in the day and night. Lunch is usually well after 1 p.m. Working people take a long lunch and enjoy their time with friends instead of the typical 20 minutes in the break room. Dinner is not usually until closer to 9 p.m., which is much later than I am used to. I have enjoyed cooking some meals with my friends at night and then sitting down to a late dinner to talk about our days and upcoming plans.
2. Grocery shopping: I had a hard time getting used to the way many Spaniards grocery shop. People typically go multiple times a week to get fresh foods and not have to carry too much home. Most people walk to the store so they do not want to buy a week’s worth of stuff to carry home. The grocery store also has many new products I have never seen before. My favorite thing I have found is these protein chocolate pudding/yogurts that I like to put strawberries in. Spain also does not have a very big frozen food section since they are again focused on eating more fresh foods!
3. Sunday and daily closures: In Spain, most grocery stores, shops and pharmacies are closed on Sunday. It is hard to find much open besides restaurants. This can be difficult if you’re used to getting errands done on Sunday like me. I am used to it now, and I try to do something more relaxing like taking a hike or catching up on school work that day. Many stores and restaurants also close daily around 2 p.m. for a few hours for a siesta. They open back up at night after a nice break in the day.

There are many more differences besides just these that I have noticed as well. These three just really stuck out to me personally. Overall, I think Spaniards take a bit more time to appreciate life and are not always quite as rushed as we are in America. It has been an adjustment for all of these things, but it is something I have enjoyed leaning into.