Within a few weeks of living in my homestay and seeing the social culture at restaurants throughout the streets of Spain, I have noticed a variety of social customs and cultural aspects meant to help individuals slow down and enjoy life. I tend to be an individual who commonly overthinks and stresses about activities I have ahead. I never like to be late, I struggle to sit down by myself and enjoy one task at a time, and as somebody just over 5 feet tall I walk faster than every person I know including those over six feet. Why? Sevilla has helped me understand that I do not take the time to slow down in an effort to do as much as possible and never have something go wrong due to time during the day. In Sevilla I have noticed all individuals walking slower on the streets, waiting for the light to turn green at crosswalks (at least more than Americans), and taking time to enjoy meals with loved ones. As somebody who only spends one meal a day eating with family or friends, I have loved eating every meal here with my host mom and roommate. I can tell that slowing down to enjoy this time is very important in Spanish culture. There was one specific day when my host mom was running late from an activity and had to miss lunch that she had prepared for us. She texted us many times apologizing and when she returned home, continued apologizing for missing a meal with us. This was not because of the food itself, for it was already prepared, but instead, she felt guilty because she had not gotten to sit down and eat with us. My roommate and I were shocked, for many people in the United States miss meals or eat on the go from location to location. We had to assure her it was okay to miss a meal together, and she should enjoy the activity. However, I ldo ove this culture of taking 30 minutes out of the day, which in the grand scheme of the day, is not very much. Also, I still struggle to adapt to slower walking speeds in Sevilla, I know that I need to learn from the Sevillians. By speeding through from place to place, I’m sure I miss so many surroundings around me. Therefore, here in Sevilla, I have been trying to prioritize slow walks and exploring the park in Sevilla, journaling about the day, and enjoying meals with my host family.
The article explains that the common differences in these values of how to spend each day can be explained as time as a cultural concept. Americans tend to be more future-oriented, whereas Spanish individuals focus on the present moment. To achieve this present-oriented mindset, the author takes breaths throughout the day to notice everything around them before rushing onto the next activity or place to be. In doing so, overall brain chemistry and mental health can improve, according to the author. I think this culture of Spain can also be explained by cultural differences in achieving happiness. In section 3.3 we discussed that happiness is gained through positive feelings, life satisfaction, and having no negative feelings. Perhaps, these broad umbrellas extend across all cultures, however, what individuals in Spain vs. the US consider to bring them all three aspects is different. The differences could be between individualism vs. collectivism, work styles, etc. I hope when I go back to the US I can bring back aspects of this culture and implement some practices, for I think many will be beneficial for me to enjoy life, stay healthy and happy, and connect with loved ones.
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