Uber in Spain, by Hannah Ervey

One thing that I definitely did not expect to be different when I came to Spain is Uber. As an international company, I expected it to be standard no matter where you are. Although, as most of us have learned with KitKats or Coke, just because it comes from the same organization does not mean that it will be produced similarly everywhere. For Uber, the fundamentals are all the same, like the concept and the app’s function, but differences are seen in the superficial aspects.

The first time I used Uber here in Spain was when my mom came to visit and we used the service from the airport to her hotel. We found it interesting that our driver was wearing a suit and had a sleek black car. In the U.S., I’m used to being picked up by people in casual clothes and normal vehicles, so in this situation I felt like we were important arrivals getting a personal car service to our residence. However, as we took more Ubers throughout her stay, I began to notice that every driver was dressed to the nines, and even more surprisingly, everyone drove a black Fiat Tipo.

At first, I thought these differences were related to the fact that Spaniards generally take more pride in their appearances than Americans do. I did some research, and the vehicle requirements are pretty strict. All Uber vehicles must be black, less than 6 years old, and in perfect condition. These guidelines may exist to keep the taxi culture alive and help those drivers stay on their feet. This is a major difference than in the U.S., since taxi protests usually have no effect. Moreover, I’ve taken some pretty grungy Ubers at home, so we definitely do not have these same regulations and push to keep the taxi system thriving.

As for the suits, I could not find any requirement of this from Uber. This may well just be cultural. Perhaps they just believe that nice dress goes with a nice car. Maybe they want to feel more important. Whatever the reason, you will rarely see an Uber driver in the United States pull up in a BMW, sunglasses, and a sharp suit.

Bottoms Up by Grace Saban

The drinking culture in the United States is quite different than what it is in Spain. Both countries have certain stereotypes, but one is far better than the other. The first major difference is obviously the legal drinking age; in the United States you have to be 21-years-old, and in Spain you only have to be 18-years-old. This should be a major cultural shock for me because I'm only 20, but similar to most young adults in the United States, I've drank before. The main point I want to discuss is the stereotypes or assumptions that people have in regards to the countries differing drinking habits. In the United States, it is common for some young adults to drink with the intention of getting drunk. In the college culture, if you go to a party and blackout you probably won't be shamed for it for very long, some people may even applause you. In contrast, I've noticed that Spaniards drink much more casually and usually only in a social context. For instance, my host parents will have a glass of wine or Cruzcampo with lunch and dinner, and even offer one to a handyman coming over to fix a broken appliance. Then, when going out on the weekends and being in bars full of both Americans and Spaniards, it is easy to distinguish who is who due to how they are drinking. If the person is loud and excessive, they are most likely American. If the person is taking their time on their drink, not obsessing over it and enjoying their company, then they are most likely a Spaniard. Finding myself in situations where I can easily notice such things is disheartening to me. I wish that more of the people I've socialized with could respect their settings and try to fit in with the Spanish way-of-life. Although this topic may seem dull, it is probably the most shocking cultural aspect I've really had to accept. I also understand that since I am an American who chooses not to drink often, I may show a bias towards Spaniards.

Food and tapas in Spain by Jake Hopen

Coming to Spain, I knew I was going to expect a cultural shock. This does not surprise me as many students in Spain experience the same experience. I wanted to focus this post primarily on the aspect of tapas in Spain, and what I was not used to.

For me, I thought that the meal times and plates were the aspects that surprised me the most. In the United States, people eat at around 6 in the afternoon. While in Spain, people eat at around 10 at night. In addition, lunch time is later in Spain, while in the United States we eat at noon. This was a huge cultural shock to me, especially waiting for 2:00 PM to come when you are hungry at 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM. At the time that I was hungry, it was still time for breakfast. I had the option of eating bread with olive oil and tomatoes, rather than a typical American breakfast, such as bacon and eggs. Tapas are also common in Spain, where people eat mini savory snacks and share them with friends and family. I remember when I went to a restaurant for the first time with my friends, and tried so many different tapas. My favorite tapa is the patatas bravas. Everyone in Spain told me to try that dish, including my friends because of what they had heard. I was a fan of sharing small dishes and being happy rather than regretting what I had eaten. The good thing that I discovered is that if you are not a fan of one tapa, you can try another one without complaining. I absolutely loved how I could taste the authentic Spanish food instead of the huge portions typical of the United States.

Young Adult's Independence-A Contrast between the USA and Spain by Maria Mendez

 

Both Spain and the United States are considered to be WEIRD (Western, Industrialized, Educated, Rich, Democratic) countries, so it seems safe to assume that they share similar cultural values. However, even with countries that are considered on the same level, they differ drastically in terms of what they value and the societal expectations set by these values. During my time living in Spain, I have noticed that the expectations in terms of a young adult's level of independence are very different between these two countries. In the United States, young adults are expected to move out of their parent's homes the moment they have finished their educational endeavors, whether that be after high school at the age of 18 or after college at the age of 22. The level of independence expected from young adults seems to be much higher in the United States than in other WEIRD countries, such as Spain. In Spain, it is socially acceptable to live with your parents throughout your 20s given that it is the age in which most young adults are beginning to shape their career. The United States, however, has a strong stigma against adults who live with their parents. The stereotype views adults who live with their parents as lazy or regressed in the development of their life. I have found that Spanish households are much more understanding of the struggle of setting up a career and therefore try to help young adults by allowing them to stay at home as long as they need. Many college students in the United States pick a university that is far from home, beginning that transition of independence much earlier in their lives. Spaniards, on the other hand, tend to attend their local university making living at home a much more feasible and logical option. It also means that Spaniards tend to begin the transition of independence much later in their lives.

Social Interactions in Spain and the United States by Yovelys Alvarez Lara

During the few last months I have been in Spain, I have noticed differences when it comes to social life or social interactions in Spain in comparison with the United States. Spain is more of a social “going out” country while the United States is more of a conservative and “I need my space” country. One big factor for these differences besides culture could be the weather.

I have noticed how in Spain is trendy to always go out with friends and socialize outside the house. It is not likely for someone to go to a Spaniard house for a visit and spend time there. College students during their breaks get together with friend and go out to drink a beer and relax. They are even allowed to drink inside the institution as a casual interaction with friends. While in the United States this is not a common activity. People are more on their own and always on a rush and most of the time they just do not have time to socialize. The workforce plays a huge role in United States emphasizing how if someone is not running late for work, they are getting out of work, tired and wanting to go home to sleep after 8-15 hours shift or an overnight shift.

As well, culture is a big influence in these interactions. The European culture is more relaxing, everyone takes their time to places and just enjoy walking around, while in the American culture people are more on a hurry and always having to do many things at the same time. Most people are too busy to even interact with their neighbors. Finally, I would say that weather is also a big influence to these differences. Spain or Europe in general has a better weather than the United States. People are able to go for walks and hang outside the house more often because there is not snow or zero degrees’ temperature that can avoid it. Also, people are seen to be happier due to the amount of sunny days the country gets. I would say that snow, cloudy clouds and cold weather have a huge impact on Americans mood occasioning them to become less happy and preventing them from enjoying their outside or surroundings.

“The Chinos” by Taryn Peng

Within ten minutes of arriving to Spain for the first time, an older white man passed me in the street and put his hands together, bowed to me, and said “Ni hao.” “Ni hao” is “Hello” in Chinese, and despite not knowing whether I was Chinese or not, or if I understood the language he was trying to speak to me, he still felt the complete and necessary urge to greet me the way he did.

I didn’t know what to do, so I didn’t do anything. But after talking to several of my other Asian American friends who had studied abroad in Spain previously, all the advice I had gathered was “This happens daily” and “Get used to it.”

This set a pretty accurate tone for my experiences with racism in Spain. It is embedded in daily life and no one thinks twice about it. For example, the little corner stores, or “alimentación” stores, are commonly referred to as “Chinos” because the people who own the stores are often Asian. However, again, these stores are called “Chinos,” regardless of whether the Asians who run them are actually Chinese or not. They also do not sell anything Chinese or even Asian—just basic things that *even* white Spaniards need. Without any thought of whether the people who own these stores are Spanish citizens, maybe born and raised, equally Spanish as white Spaniards, using the word “Chinos” to prejudicially call these stores and people without getting to know them only serves to contribute to othering non-white peoples living in Spain and never allowing them to be as Spanish as white people.

Adjusting to ‘Siesta’ by Kate Murphy

One aspect of the spanish culture that shocked me most as I was adjusting was the hours of eating or even more specifically, siesta. In the United States, I usually eat my meals a lot earlier, especially lunch and dinner. Adjusting to eating lunch at 3pm instead of 12pm and eating dinner at 10pm instead or 6 or 7pm, was a major alteration in my daily routine. Not only was this hard for me to modify in my schedule, but, I also had to adjust to shops and restaurants closing during siesta until they reopen again around 5pm or later. In the United States, I was certainly not familiar with this occurring mid-day and it was strange at first for me. Eating with my host family for the first time was tough because originally, I participated in siesta and took advantage of resting. Sometimes, I still do because it is relaxing to rest when having a hectic day. Likewise, it was very difficult for me to train my body to eat dinner so much later than I do in the states. At times, it is still very difficult for me to wait that long for both lunch and dinner. However, overall, I really enjoy having siesta because it is a great time for the spanish culture to come together to eat, socialize, and take a break from work to relax and be able to have a social life. I think the United States could use siesta because we are known for working too hard that we stress ourselves out, overwork, and therefore, live shorter lives. Having lived here for three months now, I can confidently say that I am finally in a daily routine within the spanish culture and feel like I am familiar and comfortable with both Seville itself, and its beautiful culture.

What the Social Life is Like in Spain - by Michael Medina

       
While staying here in Spain I was able to notice a numerous amount of differences in the social life here (going out to eat, going to the club, etc.) versus the social life back in United States of America, specifically Massachusetts. Here in Spain I noticed that when people tend to go out for a quick bite to eat it is associated a lot more with being sociable with the people that you go out with. Back at my home city it is a lot more common to go out and grab the food quickly and head back to your home to enjoy it there instead of at the restaurant. While looking at the small bars around every corner in Los Remedios I saw that they were usually full of life later at night, with people of all types of ages there and it was really something that caught my eye. The reason that I say so is because usually back home there isn’t many younger kids or older people out anywhere past 10 on weekdays where here it seems to be very common. Even my parents who aren’t that old wouldn’t be caught going out that late on a weekday to have something to drink or something to eat. So going out and walking around during the night to see young kids running around still playing on the playground as well as elderly people walking to go find a seat at a small café was definitely a sight that I needed to get used to seeing while staying in Spain. That was one of my first impressions of the social life here in Seville, and I think it was definitely something that I liked a lot more versus the social life back home in the States. Another aspect of social life that differs drastically from back home would be whenever people go out to eat and socialize. Going out with some of my Spanish friends I noticed that there is rarely any phone usage at the table unless it was used to show another person something relating to the topic of conversation. Besides that, I never really noticed anyone texting at the table or seeming to be attached to their phone, even amongst the younger generations where this applies more. Visiting a restaurant in the states it would be almost the complete opposite where everywhere you look you will be bound to find someone on their phone, not socializing at all and this is a lot more common in the younger generations. Those were really the two things I noticed most about going out for food that were drastically different from the social life that follows within the United States.

Moving onto Nightlife I noticed a plethora of differences from the night life in the United States. The Night life here in Spain starts later than the night life back in the United States, in Spain I noticed that when people are going out to the club they do not go to the actual club until around 1 am which in the United States at that time the night would be coming to an end. This was one of the major differences I saw and then one of the other things I noticed was that when kids my age go out in the US people do not dress as nicely normally as people do here in Spain. These two social events were the first things that caught my eye when staying here in Spain due to how drastically different they were compared to the same events back in the US

Playing at night by Delphine Bolduc

When I came to Spain for the first time, it was in Madrid. I arrived there during the night so I went for a walk. What I saw while walking in that city at night shocked me. The Sun was already down for a long time and children of about five years old were still playing at the park. I could not understand how. In Quebec, the french province of Canada, young folks of that age go to bed early. When one is around that age, he usually goes to bed at seven pm or so, because if a kid stays up later, he is way too tired to go to school, learn well, and do his homework properly. So eleven! For me, it was something inacceptable. But then, I came back to Spain to study. And after having lived here a few months, I now completely understand. I understand that I was being ethnocentric. The rhythm of life here is really different than the rhythm of life in Quebec. Here, you can take your time. Napping is not seen as laziness. Young people here seem to have so much more energy than the kids in Quebec, even at eleven pm. I now feel that it is completely correct to go play at the park at that time of the day. If they have the energy to stay awake later, why would they restrain themselves?

Smoking habits Spain vs. US by Lizzie Henninger

 Immediately after getting out of the cab that took me to my host stay once arriving in Sevilla, I was greeted with a gigantic puff of cigarette smoke to my face. As I assume anyone would be, I was shocked and quite frankly a little grossed out. Although, after spending around 3 months in Sevilla, I have come to realize that smoking in public spaces, homes and school grounds is more than common and accepted. This has been one aspect of Spanish and European life in general, that has been hard for me to adjust to. I can typically expect to breathe in large amounts of cigarette smoke walking to and from class, the store or even in the park. While smoking habits are also quite common in the United States as well, I feel as if it is more common for people of all ages to smoke even though they have been educated on the potential threats and harms to ones health. I have even realized that the bags that most of the nicotine is sold in has graphic pictures of lung cancer patients in the hospital on it. While my time in Sevilla is slowly winding down, I can say that I have gotten fairly used to the smoking habits of those around me, but am eager to return back to areas where smoking is not as widely accepted.

Schools in Spain by Julie Fitzpatrick

As an education major, I was very excited when the international center announced that there would be an opportunity to teach in schools here. I knew that they would be different than the schools/daycares that I had taught at in the United States, but the one difference I noticed the most was how much more freedom the children have here in Spain. Every day, I arrive at the school while the children are at recess. I often notice many kids climbing on things and doing things that would be corrected at schools in the United States. When there are kids climbing on the fence, I feel that I should tell them to get down because it seems dangerous, but the teachers are not concerned, and I have noticed that the kids don’t get hurt like I think they will. Another act of freedom that I have noticed is with the bathroom. In the daycare that I worked at in the US this summer, the bathrooms were in the classroom, and often kids had to be supervised in there, or have their diaper changed. At the school I teach at, all of the classrooms open up to a courtyard and the bathroom is across the courtyard from the classrooms. The children, although they are 3-years-old, are allowed to leave the classroom (with permission) on their own and come back when they are done. I think teachers in the United States need to trust their students more and give them more freedom within reason. It is interesting to see the degree to which the teachers trust their students and how different the classroom experience can be in another culture.

Up Close and Personal, by Cora Thibeault

One of the first things I noticed when interacting with Sevillians was the way in which they held conversations. One of the first conversations I had with someone from Seville was with the leader of our program who has lived in Seville for many years. At first I was confused as to why she was standing so close to me and every time I stepped away she would move closer. I found out later that this was a part of the Sevillian and Spanish culture. This is something we are not used to as an American, as this is not necessarily part of our culture. When we have conversations, especially with someone we do not know well, we keep some distance known as personal space. When I was having this conversation with a Sevillian, originally I felt that my personal space was being invaded and I was confused, but now I know it’s just a part of their culture. This shows that they are interested and care about the conversation they are having. One of my professors explained to me that they thought it was strange that we were so far apart when we were conversating, and I found this interesting. It really shows how something so small can be different between cultures.

Dining Experiences, by Cassandra Delacey

Before coming to Sevilla, I had learned that it is customary in the Spanish culture for everything to run more slowly, however I have realized the extent to which everything runs slowly was more than I had anticipated. The biggest difference between the US and Spain in this respect is the customer service in restaurants. Because waiters are not working for tips, along with the inherent slowness of this culture, going out to eat can become an hours-long ordeal. Waiters take a long time to greet you, give you menus, take your order, bring out the food, and later the check. I have been used to waiters constantly checking up on me throughout a meal, and wondering what else they can bring in a timely manner. However here, I find myself having to try to flag down any waiter to get another bottle of water (that we have to pay for), or for the check. The slowness of eating out is sometimes preferable, in order to facilitate longer meals full of good conversation, however other times I would like to be able to eat and leave in a shorter amount of time in order to get on with my day. This has especially been difficult during lunches while visiting a new place, because my friends and I will want to grab a quick bite to eat before moving on and continuing with sight-seeing or other activities. We have been trying to fit so much history and culture into each of our trips, and we are often stuck sitting in the restaurant waiting until we can see a waiter that will be able to help us get the check.

I do appreciate how waiters here are paid enough to live off of that salary, because I don't think that people in the US should have to rely on tips in order to survive. I do believe that the customer service could be better in Spain, even if they are not working for tips. I don't think I can say which way is better, but it is a bit of a shock when you expect a restaurant experience to go one specific way, and it ends up being very different from what you had been expecting.

"Meaningful Mealtimes" by Ava Vanhelfteren

One cultural and psychological difference I have noticed in Spain is the meal time and meaning. Though at home I always have a sit-down dinner with my family, it is nothing compared to the Sevillano host family evening meals encountered. While it makes little sense to me to eat so late into the night (22:00) when you've been hungry already for hours and while you don't need much sustenance to sleep, la cena here is more of an event or excuse for socializing. Dinner here is smaller, logically, and the timing provides ample conversation opportunities. There is a long sobre-mesa, speaking after having finished eating. In the US, of course, people go out to eat and chat for hours, but it is typically at an earlier time, and more so with friends or colleagues than with family at home. I have become extremely fond of this habit in my homestay, as it is a chance to laugh and communicate with my "siblings" and it comes at an hour when many are giggly and slightly tired but still willing and able to share the entirety of their day. As with the longer lunch, dinner provides a way to discuss the highlights of your daily experiences and end each day with a lively conversation and a jubilant state of mind before bed.

¿Hablas inglés? By Finya Swai

Being a native speaker of a language consisting of over 1.5 billion speakers (360 million of them being native speakers), I have never felt the urgency to learn a second language. There is no expectation for Americans to master any language other than English, as it is considered to be a universal language and the most important language to know. An English speaker could point to nearly any place on Earth and he or she would most likely be able to find at least a few people there with at least a conversational knowledge of English. It is very rare to find anyone in the United States who has mastered a second language purely from studying the language in school. Most Americans who speak a second language fluently are simply taught at home by speaking regularly with family members.

When telling my friends and family that I would be studying abroad in Spain, most responded with excitement for my decision to explore a new country. Few jokingly asked if I could even speak Spanish (which I cannot), but no one had any genuine concern about my ability to live in a new place where I did not speak the language. This is because English speakers have the inherent expectation that anywhere we go, we could probably find an English speaker, so we’ll probably be alright. It was not until my arrival in Spain that I realized that there was a large amount of hypocrisy in that expectation—why was it that it was okay to assume that Spanish people could probably speak English, but it is not normal to assume that Americans can speak any language other than English? When speaking to my host parents on this topic (both of whom speak English), they told me that it is because English is considered an important language to learn, and that the Spanish school system prioritizes English language learning much more than, say, the American school system prioritizes Spanish language learning.

When asking someone on the streets of Seville for directions, or ordering from my waiter, when I don’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish I often ask “¿Hablas inglés?” to which most Spaniards respond, “a little.” However, if I were to ask Americans if they spoke Spanish (assuming they are not Hispanic), the answer would most likely be “uh… no?”

Burger King in the USA vs. Burger King in Seville by Mateo Rueda

Before coming to Spain, I promised myself that I would do my best to experience the culture here; this means doing whatever I can to immerse myself in the people, history, cuisine, and other aspects of the quotidian life in Seville. However, even though I resisted the pull of fast food chain options easily found in the U.S. for a few weeks, I eventually caved and went into a Burger King that is only a few blocks away from my residence.

When I entered there was a familiar feeling of being in any Burger King in the U.S.. Even though I don’t frequent Burger King, it is still my go to late at night or on road trips if there is nothing else around. What I immediately noticed was that the prices were higher and that the menu options were a bit different. For example, in the U.S. you can’t get an egg on your burger anywhere if you’re at a fast food place. Even more surprising is the ability to get a beer on tap to go along with your Whopper. However, for the most part the vibe was the same and these small deviances in what I expected didn’t make it much different than one of these restaurants back home. I thought to myself, maybe Burger King has been able to break the paradigm of slow service etc. that is characteristic of the Spanish.

Although I may have been fooled initially, the well-oiled fast food machine that I’m used to at home seemed to have not been taken care of in Spain. When I got in line I immediately noticed that the five people in front of me were incredibly frustrated with how long they’d been waiting given their snarky comments and body language. This was exacerbated by having only one man on a register who kept running into the kitchen, where nobody even used gloves, to exchange jokes with one of his coworkers. In fact, the process of ordering alone felt even longer to me than going to a regular restaurant for tapas. While I understand that people aren’t rushing around as much it felt almost like a practical joke was being played on me. I honestly couldn’t tell that if the start juxtaposition was what had me thinking everything was taking so long of if I was in fact waiting an inordinate amount of time.

What I still can’t understand about Spanish culture is the incredible slow pace everyone moves at. While I can appreciate that back home people may say everyone is too stressed out or moving too quickly, in Spain it feels like the bottom line must get impacted by the general ambivalence people seem to have in doing their jobs. The good thing about fast food here is that you pay up front, the bad thing is that you get less food than at home and the prices are twice as much. In a culture where everyone is set on moving slowly and relaxing, I don’t understand the place that “fast food” has in the culture, especially when it is not even more economical than going to a local bar or restaurant for drinks and tapas.

Lazy Sundays by Nelle Allen

I have always thought of Sunday's as a day of errands. They were the one day a week that my family would all be together. As a result, we often would spend much of the afternoon shopping for groceries or whatever else our house needed, and occasionally, going on other outings in our town such as getting a haircut or going out to dinner and the movies. Regardless of what we did not have time for that week, we knew we could rely on Sundays to get it done. I quickly realize I would have to reevaluate my ideas of Sundays when I got to Seville, Spain.

My first Sunday I woke up with a list of tasks I hoped to accomplish before my first day of class. I planned to buy notebooks, fix my phone plan, and have the opportunity to explore the streets of Seville. To my surprise, everything was closed. It was almost as if the whole city was deserted for the day. At first I wasn't sure if it was a holiday I didn't know about, but as more Sundays passed by, I realized that this was the norm. It continues to surprise me that every store, even the large ones such as El Corte Ingles, close. However, I have started to enjoy my lazy Sundays and appreciate Spaniards focus on family time and the ability to rest for one day a week.

Racism in Spain: Alive and Well, By Patrick O'Brien

Upon having my dinner one night I turned on my Spanish television hoping to gain a little insight into the culture that surrounds me. Aside from the usual cooking or talk shows I typically come to see, I kept on searching for something different. All of a sudden my remote stopped when I came upon a channel showing several men in typical “African” garb, dawning faces painted much darker than the rest of their bodies. I was left mouth agape as I saw the show unfold, a bunch of men in blackface moving in stereotypical “African” tribal dances.

Being such a liberal minded society at times, I expected the mindset of Spain’s people to reflect that same political ideology. However, the more I look around me in Seville the more I see blatant racism pouring out from every street corner. One of the biggest fashion trends apparently for these Spaniards is Native American headdresses and outfits. Even on nationwide commercials for supermarket behemoths, you see children and often times adults frolicking around in this stereotypical wear. It’s also interesting to note how the Spaniards were one of the first people to come into contact with these same people who they’re impersonating (And also interesting to note how they quite literally were the cause for the demise of most of the population, but that’s a story for another time).

Even some of my personal companions who were born and raised in Morocco have come into contact with some of the snobbier attitudes of the Spanish people. It’s important to note that from 1912 to 1955, Morocco was occupied by both Spanish and French Imperialists, holding in and repressing the national identities of the proud, African people. My close companion, دوا (Douaa), has told me that in several instances, she has been victimized by Spanish people who seem to be stuck in the past, still seeing the Moroccan people as lesser, inferior to them, rather than equals within the first world.

Even though I cannot be one to criticize knowing that my own country is not exactly the safest haven for race relations, I still do my part to make sure that I bridge the gap between cultures to better my understanding and relationships between people of all different races. I’ve always seen Europe, even Spain too, as a more free-thinking society, free from constraints in the past of race and superiority within the Imperialist mindset, but clearly there is still some ingrained distain towards people who Spain once used to control and exploit. I pray that movements in the future with the new generation take place in order to negate this terrible mindset that lingers within the mindsets of the Spanish people.

Sharing a bottle of wine, by Emi Gomez

The first weekend of April, four of my friends and I decided to take a trip to Paris. Paris is one of the largest cities that attracts millions of tourists every year and my friends and I definitely took advantage of all the tourist hotspots. On our last night there we decided to go have dinner by the Eiffel tower so that we could see the pretty lights. Afterward, we sat behind the Eiffel tower on some grass to relax for a while and as soon as we did these two guys approached us with a bottle of wine and at first, we thought that they were trying to sell it to us since there were many street vendors selling alcohol. We were wrong, these two guys genuinely wanted to sit with us and share a bottle of wine. It took a while for us to get comfortable because we didn’t know what their intentions were but as soon as we started talking with them we were able to enjoy a good conversation about sharing culture. Our new friends were shocked to discover that in the United States we are not used to sharing our food with strangers especially in a public setting. It is not “normal” for one to approach a group of people and share food with them without expecting something in return. One of the guys even said that the difference in our sharing culture deterred him from wanting to visit the U.S because he loves being able to meet new people.

I never thought about the culture of sharing until I traveled abroad because in the U.S everyone can be selfish with their belongings. We reserve our sharing to family and friends and usually, we tend to expect something back from this interaction. Here in Spain and in France sharing seems to be very big especially around food. In Spain, tapas are small appetizers that people tend to share with a group of friends and no one ever really orders a plate for themselves. In France, I was able to share a bottle of wine with two strangers without them expecting anything in return. I have never had a picnic in the U.S but so far I have had three in the past four months. This experience of sharing has really helped me realize how selfish we can be as Americans, we work hard for our belongings and sometimes I think that we get caught up in our own social bubbles and don’t attempt to branch out. Sharing contributes to the building of relationships, to new conversations, and to new and unexpected friends.

Lava-se las manos, by Aline Santos

Everywhere I go there is no soap, no rolls of toilet paper, just overloaded trash barrels… do Spaniards care less about germs than Americans? I realized that America is huge on marketing especially when it comes to health related products. When I go to super markets, I can’t help but notice that the hygiene section is significantly smaller than in the US. For example in Spain, I could find all or maybe most of the hygiene products I need in an aisle or two. Whereas in the US, shampoo, conditioners, soaps, female products and cleaning products have their own aisles because there are so many hygiene and cleaning products to choose from. I’ve encountered several moments where I would go to the bathroom and there was nothing for me to clean myself. It became tiring and pricey for me to buy tissues and I came to the realization that I always have to keep tissues on me (or steal napkins from hotels and restaurants because you know, I’m a broke college student). When I go to the bathroom at UPO, I’ve had awkward glares with Spanish students who leave the stalls and walk right out the bathroom without considering to wash their hands… I’m just wondering why? Is it because they don’t use their hands to greet each other? In the American culture, we are accustomed to greet by shaking hands and in Spain they kiss on both sides of the cheeks. It was definitely a cultural shock for me because in the US, there are several rolls of toilet paper and loads of soap in the bathroom. I would often see a chart in of latest maintainer who worked in the bathroom but I haven’t seen one in Spain. I’m not one to judge, but I prefer to stay as clean as I can by having hand sanitizer and loads of tissues/napkins. For me hygiene is key. I grew up in a Latino community and all throughout my years in school, there were posters all over the bathrooms and hallways saying “wash your hands” or “Lava-se las manos” to avoid the spreading of germs because the flu occurrence was really high. School officials wanted to spread awareness about the importance of hygiene. Going from a Latino based school that promotes hygiene to a school in Spain where the students could care less about it was a culture shock to me. It’s not like I don’t see the maintainers, but I would have expected the students to have a higher level of cleanliness because in my opinion, they dress nicer than American students.

How To Look Like An American 101, by Brooke Adamchak

Back in the United States people tend not to really care about their looks and the way they are dressed before leaving their house. Most people like to wear workout clothing or clothes that are just simply comfortable. For example, a lot of people like to wear sweatshirts and sweatpants together and call it their outfit for the day. But if you were to do that here in Seville you would most certainly get all types of looks by everyone that you pass because people here in Seville like to look presentable. When I first arrived in Seville I remember that a goal of mine was to blend in with the crowd. By wearing the right style of clothing and dressing up the same way like everyone else. From what I have personally seen, it seems to me that everyone wears either jeans, business shirts, pants with stripes or a tile pattern on them, casual dresses, plain colored sweaters along with a heavy jacket because it is “cold” (65 degrees Fahrenheit) and all the women wear some type of style bootie shoe or heels while men wear sneakers or dress shoes. 

No matter how hard I try to blend in, I still catch people looking at me due to my poor choice of attire. At this point, I have given up trying to blend in with the crowd and just wear what I want and also comfortable in. I came the conclusion that most Spaniards can tell right from the first glance if you are an American. So instead of blending in, I figured I would share the process of how to look like an American. Here are some simple steps that you need to know in order to look like an American in Europe!

Step 1: Wear any type of sneaker that you own that has a brand like Nike, Under Armour or Adidas

Step 2: Wear either long or short yoga leggings or a pair of sweatpants that has some type of sport name or college written on it. Something along the lines like this.

Step 3: Find any type of shirt or jacket that clearly says what college you attend or like. For this picture, I choose a soccer jacket to show off what sport I play, what school I go to and the brand name because why not advertise more! Now it is known that I am an American college student-athlete.

Step 4: Put it all together and what do you get?

The PERFECT outfit that just screams out “I AM AN AMERICAN!” Well, there you have it, folks. If you ever want to travel to Europe and let people know that you are not from around there, all you need to do is dress up like you are a college student ready to go to do a workout and BAM the locals will know that you are most certainly not from around here. If you want to top the look off, all you need to do is add a backpack to the outfit and then you will also look like an American tourist!

Restaurant Culture Shock by Ryan Sklar

As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for nearly four years, I would consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about this particular subject. For this reason, I was really astonished upon my arrival in Seville once I observed the cultural differences between the US and Spain within restaurants and cafes. First, tipping is a practice that is essentially nonexistent here, and when people do tip, it is hardly ever more than spare change. Meanwhile in the US, a server’s wage is almost entirely dependent on their tips since they are paid an hourly below the federal minimum wage. Consequently, servers in the United States have a very volatile income, opposed to those in Spain who have a stable salary. Next, Spanish waiters seem to have a lot more control when it comes to the employee-consumer dynamic. They take great pride in their occupation and seem to be treated with respect. On the other hand, servers in the US seem to be at the mercy of their customers, often being talked down to and treated very poorly. I believe this particular difference can be attributed to the fact the US culture has a more individualistic mindset than that of Spain. While diners in the US feel they have some control over their server since they decide their tip, diners in Spain don’t possess this form of power. Lastly, the pace and atmosphere within restaurants is considerably different between the two countries. As a result of the slower pace of life, it is not abnormal for guests to spend hours at a restaurant in Spain, and you would certainly never see a server rushing guests. In the US, restaurants strive to serve as many guests as quickly as possible in order to maximize profits, resulting in a fast-paced and often chaotic environment. Undoubtedly, restaurants in Spain and the US operate in quite distinct ways. Therefore as a server myself, when I go out to eat in Seville I have to remember to take a breath and relax while enjoying the surprisingly slow-paced atmosphere that seems so foreign to me. No matter how hard I try though, I still can't seem to dismiss the idea that I am always obliged to leave a tip, and continuously find myself leaving a few euros when I dine out, a server’s dilemma I suppose.

Aggressive or Direct? Spanish Communication, by Liz Dohrn

After living for quite a while in Spain, I've come to notice that Spanish communication styles tend to be a lot more forward than what I am used to. For example, when walking into a shop, I'm used to being able to just browse for a little while before the store owner finally asks, “How can I help you?” In Spain, however, I’ve noticed that store owners will notice you immediately (especially if their shop is empty) and start with, “Dime.” It’s less roundabout than what I am used to and-for a lack of a better term-blunt. Shop owners get right to the point and ask what a person needs in their store before going to help them.
This trend seems to continue with regular conversation. When talking about “sensitive” subjects, Spaniards seem to get right to the point. If someone is fat, they’ll just call them fat. If they think a government leader is corrupt, they say so. Even the men when trying to catcall or flirt with ladies on the streets will say exactly what they want from the ladies rather than trying to “woo” them first. A foreigner may find this style very aggressive. Instead of treading lightly or being careful about other’s sensibilities, a Spaniard may instead just broach the topic immediately and continue on from there. A lot of Spaniards may even talk over one another to try and get their opinions in. Though this seems aggressive to many outsiders, I believe this communication style is more direct rather than “aggressive”. A majority of Spaniards simply wish to get to the point of the conversation so that they can either best help you or figure out what you would like to say. They don’t spend extra time on formalities.
Some may wonder why does this happen? Why is it so much more common for Spaniards to speak so directly? It could be because of the type of culture they live in and how their language functions. Spain as a whole is a blend of an individualistic and collectivist culture. While it definitely leans more towards individualism, the collectivist aspects come out with Spaniards focus on family. Because of this focus on family along with the individual, Spanish culture tends to be more informal on the whole. Instead of putting a barrier between oneself and the store owner, a store owner may instead treat you like a friend and use the informal version of you, tú. The fact that Spanish as a language has this distinction between the informal and formal language makes it easier for a speaker to get across their intent. Thus, Spanish communication isn’t “aggressive”. Rather, it’s simply a more direct style of speaking that focuses on getting to the heart of the conversation rather than muddling through pleasantries.

“Gordita” Culture Shock, by Cassie Olszewski

As a student studying psychology and a lover of travel, I am well aware that people from other cultures will interact differently than what I am used to in the United States. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for what I would encounter when living in Spain for five months. From differences in fashion to sleep schedules, I knew I would have to be open-minded and understanding when trying to embrace these differences for my time abroad. However, when my friend had invited me to dinner with his host mom in February, I was terrified. I do not speak much Spanish beyond “no hablo español” and “café con leche, por favor” so the thought of sitting at a dinner table with a woman who I was told was “opinionated”, “strong-willed”, and “loved to talk about politics” made me uncomfortable to say the least. In America, we tend to avoid confrontation by never talking about controversial topics (in person) and always trying to please the people around us rather than saying what is on our minds. Perhaps it is due to the individualistic ways on the United States; we all know we are different and chose to interact solely with goals in mind without having to know the specific values and beliefs of our companions. Therefore, if a conservative and liberal have to interact to get a job done, they would ignore their beliefs for the time being and focus on their work. Or if a wife asks her husband “does this make me look fat?” he would obviously say “of course not!” whether or not it was true. I instantly knew this dinner would be awkward, based on the cultural divide and language barrier, but I did not expect it to be the first thing that happened as I walk in the door.

My friend studies Spanish education and has been my translator for most of this trip but I do know enough words to make sense of what people are saying without knowing every detail. He said he had shown his host mom a photograph of me from the summer in shorts and a tank top. So when I walked in the door in “hibernation mode” wearing layers of all of my sweaters to keep warm, his host mom made the comment (in Spanish) “Oh, she looks larger in person!” To which my friend replied “Yeah, she is taller in person” but no, she did not mean “alta”. “No, ella es más grande” was said a few times and I know enough Spanish to understand she called me fat as soon as I walked in the door, my friend’s roommate even laughed uncomfortably. This experience was lighthearted and funny, though, and not meant as an insult. She then went on to give her opinion about how “chubby” or “gordita” women are the most attractive, make the best wives, and whatnot. So, it was intended as a compliment, not an insult like my American cultural ideals would lead me to believe. In the United States, that would probably be the most offensive thing to say to a young woman, but in Spain it turned into a compliment with a side of culture shock.

Head in the Clouds by Natalie Martin

As I did my usual walk to the gym this morning, I again took in my surroundings, surroundings which still awe me. I could hear the birds chirping with the hope that today Spring will finally begin to show. As I experience this little bit of peace, something creeps in to take it all away, the smell of a cigarette being smoked on the street. At home, in the States, I used to hold my breath each time I had to walk past someone who was smoking. Not only did the smell make me feel nauseous, but I had been conditioned from years of DARE and health classes, that while smoking was bad so was second hand smoke. As I walk down the streets of Seville, I can not go one minute without seeing someone smoking a cigarette. At first it baffled me, but I have grown more and more accustomed to this particular part of Spanish culture, with each passing day that this city becomes my home. If I can become somewhat accustomed to walking past people who are smoking, without having the urge to hold my breath and walk faster, in just two short months, then how is it for those who grow up in this culture? Is smoking just a modern day normal? Are they not conditioned the same way in which we are in the United States?

The most effective weapon to slow down life in Andalusia by Berit Wiebel

There is one thing Andalusian life is not made for: rain. When it started raining two weeks ago, streets started to be empty all of the sudden. Walking through the streets at 10 a.m. on day of Andalusia in Sevilla was strange. There were barely any people on the streets… Arriving in Ronda, it was the same. Only unlucky tourists were on the streets that were flooded: rivers were flowing down the hills and even a little waterfall poured on the street below. There was nothing to do in Ronda that was not outside except drinking coffee, so we did.

Back in Sevilla in the evening there were still very few people in the else so lively city center. I already started missing the people having a great time on the streets walking slowly and talking loudly. Even more, I missed the musicians and artists on the side of the street. They have stopped working due to the rain until today. Hence, an essential part of Sevillan city life, I fell in love with, is still missing. I am just hoping the rain is going to stop soon, so Sevillan life can go back to normal.

Sadly, there is not much to do in Sevilla inside. People love to be on the streets in Andalusia. There are many cafés only owning outdoor space. It must be a disaster for them. In addition, one professor told us in the first days of rain that we should stay inside and have fun watching movies. Over a week has passed since then. But let’s be honest: no-one can watch movies for a week!

At some point I started wondering if this weather is normal for Sevilla, so I asked one of my Spanish flat mates. He told me it is very unusual, just the wind that is going along with the rain is normal. This supported my thesis that it must be a hard time for all Sevillans, perhaps for all Andalusians. Without a gigantic umbrella they cannot leave the house and even having a coffee is difficult because you just do not leave the house when it is raining if you do not have to. Sevillans take good weather and a lot of sun for granted because rain is unusual! No-one would have predicted that this period of rain will hit Sevilla so hard…

So please… let out the sun and “Make Sevilla great again”!

Sevilla or Betis? by Tori Walter

By the end of the semester, I have learned that “Betis” is not only a great street for drinking on the other side of the bridge, but it also happens to be one of the two main soccer teams in Sevilla. The perpetual debate between which of the two teams is best, is something that seems to divide friends and family here in Sevilla. I thought this was funny, for the reason that when I meet people for the first time, after asking the normal introductory questions like “what’s your name?”, “where are you from?”, etc., I am immediately asked, “So, Sevilla or Betis?”. I thought fans took football seriously in the United States, but I was clearly mistaken. Here, it seems that the fans live and breathe their team, whether it be Sevilla or Betis. I think it’s very charming to see such passion for a sport that I grew up playing myself. I was lucky enough to attend a Sevilla Football Club Champions League game earlier in the semester. Despite the fact that I much prefer tequila to beer, I even managed to drink an entire Cruzcampo whilst watching the game. Que flama.

Soccer

One of my favorite experience here in Seville was going to a Betis game with all of the friends that I have made. This was fairly early on in the trip and I had never been into soccer aside from watching the World Cup years ago. Basically, I needed to go and have a European soccer experience. I had not even known that there were two Sevilla football teams and honestly was slightly nervous that I was supporting the wrong team. On a side note, while in Sevilla I also learned that it is very offensive to Europeans to call it soccer. Otherwise, I was so I was surprised how many fans they were! The line to walk into the stadium was huge but created an heir of excitement throughout the entire stadium.
The game itself was amazing. I filmed a few of the goals, and doing the wave in a foreign country while winning made the night even better. The only thing I regret about it is that we left too early and missed one of the goals. However, the overall stadium experience was amazing and I am so happy that I had this experience abroad with the new friends that I made.

Pictures of food

This day in age, in America, it is very common to take a picture of the food that you are eating and post it onto some sort of social media. Why is this? It is because we want to make others jealous by what we are eating? To show people amazing food you get to indulge in? Is it just a trend? Whether you are at a restaurant, ice cream shop, café, or even at home, everyone at one point or another is guilty of doing this. I admit, I do this pretty frequently. I guess the reason why I do it is to show people the amazing food I get to eat, but let’s be real, no one actually cares. However, coming to Spain, the reason I took photos of my food changed a little bit. I began taking picture of my food more for myself than for other people. I do it because I want to look back at my photos from my time here and see all the things I have done…and ate. Even though this is a common occurrence in America, it is not very common in Spain.
My host mom cooks me very good food and presents it very nicely at the table. I decided that I wanted to start taking pictures of the food that she makes so that I can remember it after studying abroad, and possibly attempt to cook it while I am at home. She did not appreciate this. She was okay with it the first couple times but then she started to get annoyed. She would always ask me why I felt the need to take photos of her food. I would tell her the reasoning and she thought it was very strange. She never understood the concept. She would say, you taking pictures of my food is equivalent to you giving a presentation in front of your teacher (given that she knows I hate presenting). I did not see how it was the same or what the big deal was. She explained to me that she does not come across Spaniards doing this and it is not something she is used. I did eventually stop doing this because she really did not like it at all

The best deal in Europe by Sam Danford

One euro? Seriously!? Perhaps the best deal in all of Europe happens to be at our fingertips right here in Sevilla. Back in the U.S people love their cheap beer and are willing to pay anything for it. At a bar in the States, I’ve seen a tall-boy (16 ounce) of Pabst Blue Ribbon sold for 3 USD. That was considered the cheapest deal at the bar. At a measly price of one euro, you can purchase the same tall-boy (16 ounce) can of ice cold Cruzcampo to kick off your night. Here at the bustling Kebab shops of Sevilla, we are spoiled by affordable beer. I purchased a bottle of water at the same shop for one euro and twenty cents, therefore paying more for a water than for a Cruzcampo. Why is the beer so cheap? Perhaps it’s because the ancient Cruzcampo factory is located here in Sevilla and is consistently pumping out cans on cans on cans of ice cold deliciousness, while it only rains once every 3 months. Water is scarce, booze is not.

The Spaniards don’t seem to recognize this deal in the same fashion that my friends and I do. When discussing the price of beer here, the locals are pretty ho-hum about the issue. They aren’t bee-lining for the Kebab stores or Chino shops (where a 40 ounce Cruzcampo bottle can be purchased for only 1 euro and forty cents, absolutely the greatest deal on the Spanish market) with the same enthusiasm as the gringos here. Drinking is part of the culture in Spain, as engrained as Starbucks is to white girls in college. No one bats an eye at a cheap beer here compared to in the U.S where there would be traffic jams for miles to get these deals. It all comes back to the wet culture vs. dry culture, and in Spain they have it figured out. A beer with lunch? No pasa nada. A beer with lunch (in the U.S)? You raging alcoholic. Being exposed to a “wet” culture the past four months has allowed me to discover the real reasons people drink as opposed to the black-out mania that occurs in the U.S. Rest easy 1 euro Cruzcampo, I’ll be back to see you soon.

 

Very Little? by Cara Kelly

When I made the final decision to come to Spain to study I was, by no means, relaxed about the situation. I would consider myself a pretty relaxed person but change is something that puts me on edge. I'd be leaving literally everything I knew for over 3 months across an ocean. My friends, my and anyone else I'd want to contact would only be available through Facetime....if they were even awake. One of the major reasons why I was so nervous about coming here was because of the language barrier. I would consider myself to know very little Spanish...some, but still very little. And I would tell that to Spaniards when they asked me. What I've come to learn here is that my definition of little and Europe's definition of little is very very different. I've met so many people in Seville who I've asked if they spoke any English. Their reply is almost always the same... “Just a little”. Meanwhile their having 5 minute conversations with me and using full and complete sentences. Some professions I can understand why they would need to know a second language. If you're in the customer service industry and in a touristy area, then yes, but their English is still very good! Other professions I'm completely taken back when they speak to me with so much ease and then say they they're not very good. My friend Julia and I were taking a weekend trip to Paris and had just landed at the airport. We were trying to get to our hotel and the bus was one of our only options. We didn't speak French and didn't know the area so we were having some trouble figuring out if we take the bus, if so which one, and for how long. We're convinced we figured it out and we step onto one bus. Immediately the man driving says something to us in French. The mix of looks on our faces and awkward silence, the man figured we were American. He spoke again only this time in English asking if we spoke English, with which we reply yes. He then proceeded to tell us that we needed to get off of this bus, head to our right and then take another left at the end of the building to get onto the metro. He even told us how long we need to stay on the metro for and what stop to get off at for the street of our hotel. At the end of his directions he turns to Julia and I and apologizes for not speaking very good English. We were both so shocked at his statement! There was no point in time during that entire narrative where I had trouble understanding his sentences or choice of words. This was one of the most surprising things for me in Europe thus far. Having people tell me that their English isn't very good and then speak better than I do. Not to mention how many different languages people speak in general. I don't think I've met a person here yet that hasn't spoken at least 2 languages. And here I am barley getting by with my very broken Spanish. It just amazes me how much more diverse people in Europe are than I would have thought.

Constantly Fighting? by Alexandra Moran

Having two younger sisters all close in age, there is certainly never a lack of things to argue about. We’ll argue about random things like who wore what shirt or get caddy about who has more social media followers, but normally these little spats are directed between us and rarely result in full on screaming. The same follows for my parents. I have absolutely had my differences with both my mom and dad and there have been plenty of confrontational conversations between us. Yet, I can only remember maybe one or two times that voices were raised to the point of yelling. My parents are very kind and loving but hold high expectations for behavior and so the few times I fight back to them it usually results in me apologizing for being disrespectful. Although I know families who argue differently, in my experience, arguing is something that takes place in private and is more of a conversation than a screaming match.

When I moved into my host family, I was thrilled to discover the family had a 19-year-old boy and 18-year-old girl. It has been such a wonderful experience living with Spaniards my age and learning all the little things about Sevilla that only a local would know. Yet something I noticed right away and felt uncomfortable with was the way in which they speak to each other and their parents. The first time I was sitting at the dinner table and the son and mother started yelling at each other, I immediately felt so awkward and in the way, as if I was intruding on a private conversation that I shouldn’t have known about. I talked to my roommate about it and we both agreed that it was very strange for us to be sitting silently at the table with what seemed to be very intense arguments happening between everyone else. Multiple other times, I would walk out of my room to the daughter yelling, literally yelling, at her mom and I would only assume the worst. They would turn and smile at me and then continue their argument, each one talking over each other and making their voice louder each time.

After each confrontation, I expected dinner that night to be awkward or for there to be residing tension because in my mind something really important must have happened in order for the family to seem that upset. But when I went to the dinner table, everyone was smiling and laughing as if nothing had happened. I was and still am somewhat confused, but I learned to go with it. Although there were many conversations that I would consider fights, my host family has the ability to forgive and forget and that is something I want to bring back to my own family. I think this experience is related to the idea that Spanish people are more passionate and emotive. They want to be heard and aren’t afraid to speak their mind forcefully even in the presence of a stranger. Or maybe it’s because they consider me part of the family. Or maybe they’re just like any other stubborn teenager.

(In)dependent Cultures by Madison McCormick

Being from the United States gives a certain pressure on questions such as: what I will be when I grow up, who will I marry, or how am I going to afford to live on my own? The culture in the United States puts pride in independence which I truly realized once I stepped foot into spanish culture. Rarely do students in the United States after graduating college move back in with their parents for more than a couple of years or so. People frown upon young adults, averaging the age of 25 and older, if they are still living at home with mom and dad. Americans see this as lazy, unproductive, or even embarrassing. I have found one of the greatest culture shocks to be that a spaniard in his or her 20’s to 30’s that lives outside of his or her parent’s home is extremely rare. Spaniards remain very dependent on their parents until an age far later than in the United States. Many american students often go to a university outside of their hometown and even out of their own state. I have learned that in most cases, spaniards go to a university in their own town that they usually have lived their entire lifetime. American students who live on campus usually do not go home for weeks at a time whilst spanish students see and speak to their parents at least once a day. Every day I learn more and more how many aspects of american culture which I thought to be “normal” are actually just a part of the culture I live in. Understanding other cultural values and ideas gives me a broader understanding of the diverse world we live in, and a better appreciation for other cultures.

Going the extra mile… or eight by Rachel Barrett

Since getting to Sevilla, or Europe for that matter, I do not think I have ever walked so much in my life in the matter of one day. Every night before I go to bed, I check my “Health” app on my iPhone to see how many miles I walked that day. As time went on, my mile count would go from around four miles at the beginning to now at least eight miles. Sometimes during lunch, I would check my steps as well and see I have already done three miles and be confused. Usually whenever I would walk around I would be out of breath and dripping in sweat. I am very athletic to the point where I barely even workout so walking a mile or two was a lot for me. In Sevilla, the metro only runs to certain areas so you usually have to walk at least a mile to where you want to go, so you obviously need to walk that mile back. I honestly love the lifestyle. After a long day of travelling and sitting on a train, bus or plane for how many hours makes me want to go for long walks once I arrive at my destination. Also, being in a city like Sevilla, I feel as though there is always something for me to do and always people on the street. It feels very comfortable here and like home. Walking around has made me feel less bad about all the tapas and Cruzcampo I have consumed since being here. When I first got her, my program directors told us not to feel bad about having two slices of toast in the morning for breakfast every day because with the amount we would be walking, we would burn it off in no time. I definitely was skeptical but now internalized it to be true. I do not know how my life will change once I get home considering I live in the suburbs and to walk into town would take me at least an hour and a half. I will miss the lifestyle of being outside and walking everywhere that is a huge aspect of life in Sevilla.

Body Language by Kiah McElroy

The restaurant is filled will noises of “Que tal?” and parents talking to their little ones so rapidly I can barely hear myself think. Suddenly, I come back to reality to the voice of the waiter saying “quieres la cuenta?”. At this point I had only been studying in Spain for about a week and could barely understand any Spanish, and yet I knew to answer with “sí” because I was ready to pay. I thought to myself, how is it that I know how to respond, with out being able to actually understand him? Body language. It is a powerful thing that all humans do with out necessarily realizing it.

Something I have realized here in Spain is how fluent their body language/gestures are. Whether you know Spanish or not, the fluidity in their movements allows you to somehow have a clue as to what their saying. Here in Spain however it goes deeper than the fluidity of their movements while talking, it’s carried out through all the actions they engage in. Dancing, singing, hanging out with friends, they are all translucent with the way they want to appear. I find this incredibly admiring because in the states I feel that sometimes people will say one thing, and mean another expecting for you to decode what they ACTUALLY mean. Here, in Spain there is no confusion rather direct communication. This is just one of the cultural differences I have fallen in love with.

My Waiting Room Experience, by Hannah Higgins

        I have been sitting in the waiting room of a clinic for about an hour now. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make this post about, but I think it would be fitting to write about the fact that it’s so loud in here that I am having trouble writing anything. The more I think about it, the more I realize how truly strange this situation is. There are probably ten separate conversations going on around me, all at a regular talking volume. The conversations on the phone are even louder. I’m not sure why people don’t just talk at a quieter volume so that you don’t have to talk so loudly to be heard, but I realized that doesn’t happen here a long time ago. Something else that everyone seems to be doing is not noticing how much it sucks that we have all been in this room for a long period of time, waiting. Even though I don’t understand a lot of what is being said around me, I honestly don’t think very much of it is complaining. I’ve heard quite a bit of laughs too. Several people have even said “buenas tardes” upon walking in to the room to everyone here. No one seems as thrown off by that as I am, and everyone that has greeted the entire room has received several responses.
        As strange as this waiting room experience seems to me, I think I prefer it to what I would normally experience waiting at the doctor’s office in the U.S. Normally, it would be expected that I be as quiet as possible in order to not disturb anyone around me in any way. There would also be an understanding among the room that the situation sucks. I can’t even imagine someone coming into a room and saying “good afternoon” to everyone. I don’t think the response would be quite as positive and natural as the response it receives in Spain. Overall, I think people in Spain have a much better and more pleasant attitude toward waiting rooms than we do in the U.S.

Stay Thirsty? by Kaitlin Lewin

One thing I have noticed since I came to Seville, is how much water I drink. Going to school, I carry a personal water bottle that I refill 2-3 times throughout the day. I didn’t think anything different about it until I realized that during meals with my Spanish host family, I was refilling my glass 5-6 times and they weren’t even refilling theirs twice. In America, people are constantly reminded to “drink water” as it is considered a sign of health. At most American restaurants, you are given a free glass of water as soon as you sit down that is continuously refilled throughout your meal. In Spain, I noticed that if you want water you must ask for it, and even then you get at most a small bottle. I noticed another instance of this in one of my classes taught by a Spanish professor. He commented that all American students carry their own big personal water bottles. He made a joke, saying that we couldn’t go 10 minutes without drinking water. This struck me as odd as drinking water is supposedly good for your body, especially during the warmer summer months. However, I joined a gym here in Spain and they have a special scale that tells you the percentages in your body. According to the scale, the percentage of water in my body was over what the suggested level was. In other words, I drink too much water.

In the Seville shops, they have the huge water bottles that I have purchased for myself before. However, I’ve received weird looks from Spanish families who watch me drink it by myself, whereas they are sharing the same size water bottle amongst 4 people. I do not know where the idea that one must constantly be drinking water throughout the day originated in America, but I assumed it was a culturally universal idea. In America, there has been an increasing push towards “living healthy”, and perhaps constantly drinking water is the easiest way to live up to the American expectation. It was interesting for me that something I considered so innate such as drinking water changes from one culture to another.

A Spanish “Run” by Linsey Santos

There is a lot of new food to try here in Spain. I came to Spain to fully immerse myself in the culture so I have to try all of it, obviously. Also, we can’t leave out drinks. There are endless wines to try and each glass of sangria is a little different, so I also must try all of those. While I am doing more walking here in Sevilla than I was doing at home, I wanted to make sure I was working out here in Spain so I stay in the habit, and so all the bread my host mom serves doesn’t add up too much. As a solution my friends and I began to workout in Maria Luisa park a couple days a week. While in the park we would often see people running, biking, and even a few group exercise classes. After observing these individuals exercising I assumed that Spanish people engage in more physical activity than Americans, on average.

Well, this past weekend I participated in The Color Run with four of my friends. We were excited going into the 5k, as it seemed like a fun event that promoted healthy habits. When we arrived at the start around 8:30am the first thing I noticed was the age of the participants around us. Most seemed to be in high school, probably less than 15% of university age, and less than 5% above university age. In the U.S. the majority of organized run participants are over university age. Now, while I did not expect this to be a competitive event in any way it is called The Color “Run”, so I expected people to be running.

All the participants gathered in a crowd at the starting gate, the announcer counted down from five and everyone took off running. They took off running for about 50 meters. Then with exception of maybe 20 people, the entire crowd began walking. I was so confused. We had gone less than a half kilometer. This “run” was something we all paid to participate in so why were people walking? I had assumed, because of what I had observed in Maria Luisa park, that in general people here were rather active.

After returning home from the race I thought further about the run and my assumptions. When I originally made my assumption about Spanish cultural exercise habits I was in a park. This is probably a location that is very common for exercise. Therefore, basing my assumption of all Spanish people’s exercise habits on the people in Maria Luisa park was not an accurate sample. After reading some research online I found that studies show that approximately 44% of Spanish people do not engage in any form of exercise, while 36% of Americans do not engage in any form of exercise. So, in fact Americans are more likely to be active than Spanish people, contradicting what I originally thought. Although, this does not mean that Americans are healthier than Spaniards overall.


It was interesting to reflect on how quickly I made assumptions about Spanish exercise habits without realizing it. I wonder what other wrong assumptions I have made about the Spanish culture.

Nearly half of Spaniards never do any exercise

1 in 3 Americans Never Exercise: Study