From point A to point B - by Emily Bowman

 Moving to Spain for four months caused for an abundance of culture shock. Spain is traditional, and everything from food to social expectations can differ from the United States. There is an abundance of small differences in everyday life that make living abroad an eye-opening experience. One of these small differences in culture has to do with how people get around their respective cities.

Southern Spain is a very hot region, the summer months especially have people staying in the shade, slowing things down and drinking lots of cold beer. The hot temperature has several impacts on the culture including the slow pace of Spaniards. When walking down the street people tend to move at a very slow pace, casually walking and often socializing as they go. This I have been told is because of the heat, people do not want to speed up and expend excess energy, making them even warmer than the temperature allows for. In New England where I am from, the weather is quite the opposite of Seville. The winter is long and very cold, and snow covers the ground for at least 4 months of the year. When people do move outside they tend to hustle from place to place. Even when its warmer outside people in New England walk very quickly, on the street, in stores and wherever they go. This is in my opinion due to the usual frigid temperatures outside, making us run from building to building, or to our vehicles.

Coming to Spain there was instant annoyance when walking down the street, constantly bumping into the Spaniards walking at a much slower pace. This observation coupled with the extreme heat quickly made the Americans in my year abroad program learn to slow down and walk at a pace otherwise unthinkable to us. Moving a bit slower and sticking to the shade, made the extreme heat much more bearable. Moving slower allows for more socialization and enjoyment of the beautiful landscape. This accounts for the more laidback attitude of people living in Spain, often tardiness of a few minutes is accepted and even accepted. People take longer and are less hurried, while people in Boston are rushed and don't normally take time to walk at leisure, and schedules are earlier and more rigid.