Why the Rush? by Olivia Corriveau

One thing that I noticed throughout my time in Spain is the way people go about life, with less rush and more relaxation. Particularly, I am referencing the way people walk on the sidewalks. Spaniards tend to walk slower than what I am used to. I am from the east coast in the US, which is very much business driven, focused on effectiveness and speed. People tend to walk very quickly, with a coffee in one hand, and many people get food to-go. In Sevilla, people take their time walking, usually conversing with friends or family with whom they are walking. It is very rare to see anyone with a coffee or food to-go because that is also usually consumed in cafes and bars. Therefore, these differences stood out to me when I got here. I’ll admit it; at the beginning of the semester, I became annoyed when I was behind people that were walking slow (especially if they took up the whole sidewalk) because I was holding onto my American culture and the thought that I have things to do and places to go. Also, I love coffee, and not being able to carry it to class or throughout the street was a struggle. However, now that I have spent five months in Sevilla, I conformed and adjusted my pace to that of Spaniards. Some of my fellow American friends even think that I walk slow. Someone told me this semester to not walk so fast so that life does not pass you by, and this gave me a new perspective on the Spanish culture, the culture in the United States, and on life in general. It is very true that you do not notice your own culture until you step out of it.