Slow down and Appreciate, by Charlotte Luddy

As I came to Spain, I was coming off of a pretty busy summer in which I was going to work everyday, interacting with family and friends and traveling a ton. I would often eat breakfast on the way to work, and just felt a constant sense of being “on the go”. As soon as I arrived in Spain, everything felt slow. From the pace of people walking on the street, to the times that places opened for breakfast, even to the lengthy meal times. I had grown quite accustomed to the immediate gratification of getting what I wanted when I wanted it. Everything here moves slower, though. At first, I was confused and perhaps thrown off by this. Why couldn’t things just be always accessible? Did this store really have to be closed on Sunday? Sure, a nice sit down meal sounds good every now and then but did every single lunch have to stop the day? As we talked about in class, perhaps the more individualistic mindset as an American can foster this sort of on the go stress that can be slowed down when faced with a shared meal with friends. My frustration soon turned into a deep appreciation for the slower pace of life. I did not understand just how rushed my mindset was when I had come into the semester, but gradually the Spanish culture wore on me and helped me to slow down, take a step back, and appreciate whatever was in front of me. Sure, there were still times when I wanted to get on with my day, or had to fly past some slower walkers on the street. But, overall, my time in Spain has really helped me to appreciate the little things in life and the value of taking it easy as I move through the things that I have before me each day. As shown in this article,https://www.alifeinprogress.ca/a-slower-pace/, sometimes asking “Do I need to be this stressed or am I on autopilot?” Is a good question.