Back in late August, on the long flight from Boston to Madrid, I had some time to reflect on reality. After over two years of waiting and setbacks (thank you, coronavirus), I was finally able to study abroad in Seville, but for most of the planning process, it just did not feel like reality. I think taking off in that plane really helped solidify that this experience was truly happening, and it was from there that I could begin to think ahead to what my experience abroad would be like. What would my host family be like? Would places be open for visits - would I be able to go out with friends? What classes would I take? What would I do in Sevilla?
Back home in the USA, I would say my family has a more relaxed attitude towards drinking - but is not common other than for social gatherings or celebrations. But in stark contrast, being a college student in the states often leads to exposure to a culture of binge drinking regardless if someone is actively participating or not. It is the “college cliche” to push the boundaries of alcohol, or at the very least attempt to drink beyond “drunk”.
However, since arriving in Spain, I learned the drinking culture is very different than what I was used to seeing in the States. Here, the legal purchasing age is 18 but the reality of the drinking age is more dictated by family life and cultural expectations, as drinking at gatherings is more common for younger teenagers. In contrast, on the federal level in the States, the legal age to purchase and drink alcohol is 21.
The biggest difference I noticed was the purpose for drinking here - where there was a time and place of drinking to get drunk (such as discos), the people of Spain drink more often but in a social way - a cerveza or tinto de verano or two with tapas while spending time with friends. However, while drinking in Spain is a common social activity, public drunkenness is considered unacceptable behavior. This reminded me of Kroeber’s interpretation of viewing culture, as the “norms” of a culture are more often implicit and that it is usually easier to recognize what is culturally unacceptable than what is acceptable.
However, I learned in my Spanish Culture and Civilization class that Botellóns are becoming increasingly popular with Spanish youth, which is a form of public drinking illegal in Spain. In fact, in late September, this came under national scrutiny because over 20,000 students participated in one in Madrid despite COVID regulations. This is an interesting shift from the accepted norms of Spain, or perhaps an element of youth subculture in response to the expensive costs of going to a traditional bar to drink.
