Prior to coming abroad, I was told to be aware of my surroundings, avoid traveling alone and to
watch out for pick-pocketing and thieves. I had a misperception that this meant that crime would be
greater, people would be less friendly and my daily activities would have to be accomplished using the
buddy system. While it is important to always be cautious of one's surroundings I have found a great
appreciation for the kindness and respect people have for one another in Spain when comparing it to US culture.
People have a sense of social respect and duty as a citizen that people in the United States don’t
have. I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of times my wallet has fallen out of my pocket or
how my backpack has been unzipped and a bystanding stranger goes out of their way to help me. There is a sense of community and equality that I don’t always feel at home. At home I see people steal from grocery stores and malls all the time but would never think that I would be pick-pocketed. I assumed that people in Europe must steal way more but this is not at all the case. Something that has been shocking to me is the process of paying for food at restaurants. All around Europe it is common to find cafes and restaurants where the consumer is responsible for going up and paying for the meal. I have thought to myself, “wow it would be so easy to just walk out”. Spanish people wouldn’t even have to think about watching over their customers because they trust that they will pay. As wild of a concept as paying for what you bought might be, it shows a lot about the type of people that live here. Now that I am wapping up my study abroad experience, I have learned so much about Spanish culture and the people who are a part of it. I admire the way the community looks out for one another and keeps each other accountable, even if they are strangers.
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