One large difference in Spain compared to the U.S. is the culture centered around time spent enjoying life with others instead of working constantly outside of daily working hours. I really love this aspect of the culture in theory, but when I have a lot of school work to get done that I can’t do during normal hours, it becomes more difficult. After 5 p.m., or often earlier in the afternoon, if you walk down the street you see groups of friends, coworkers, couples and families all out sitting on patios having an aperitivo, people sitting in cafes chatting or walking their dogs. Absolutely no one is working, no laptops or notebooks are out, and you feel out of place if you break this unspoken rule. Oftentimes, you see a lot of this during the daytime too in cafes and restaurants. Because of this cultural standard, most cafes in Madrid have a no laptop policy, because they want to prioritize people sitting and connecting with one another.

This tradition can become very difficult when you have work that extends beyond 5 p.m., because there really aren’t many spaces in the city designated for this. Additionally, it can feel isolating when you have to stay home and get things done when you know that virtually everyone else in the city is out enjoying their time with a drink and an appetizer on some patio. I think some of this is due to a college class schedule vs. workforce hours. Many students here, me included, have classes starting at 9 a.m., and finishing around 7-9 p.m., with a long commute up to an hour and a half in between each class and getting home. If I had a standard 9-5 here, it would be a lot easier to get off work, head to a bar, grab an aperitivo with friends and stay until dinner. When people talk about the lax working culture in Spain, it isn’t always like they say, at least what I’ve experienced in Madrid. People do prioritize enjoying life more, but schedules, commutes and work loads can prevent efforts towards that, especially in a large city.

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