Time
Spain is six hours ahead of the East Coast. This does not, however, mean that Spain's schedule coincides six hours ahead of America's. Everything starts much later here. This is not to say that people do not get up early (in fact, my host father leaves at 4:30 am every morning to go to work). However, the standard business hours of 9-5 that we are so accustomed to in the States do not exist in Spain. As I mentioned earlier, shops, restaurants, and businesses close for a couple of hours mid-day for comida (lunch) and siesta (rest). School is no exception; there are no classes conducted from 3:00-4:30. Since the large meal of the day is eaten around 2:00-3:00 pm, dinner is eaten much later. We eat dinner around 9:00-9:30 pm! And while this might be disconcerting to an American, (you might be wondering how someone could possibly eat dinner an hour before bed-time) this is the norm in Spain. People do not go to bed at 11:00 pm. Dinner is fully digested before bedtime.
On the weekends, the younger crowd usually goes out around midnight. (Mom, you can stop reading). The hardcore Spaniards don't go out until 1:00 or 2:00 am! The "good" clubs don't get crowded until around 4:00am. An early night means going home at 3:30. A late night night means getting home when it is light out, around 7:00 am. Although this schedule has been somewhat difficult to adjust to, for the sake of cultural immersion, I have learned to adapt. If this means sleeping in until it's time for comida on Saturday, so be it! (Remember, I'm only doing it for the cultural reasons). I am enjoying this lax schedule now, as I know I am in for the rudest of awakenings when I return home. In case you forget about the time difference, don't fret! We are probably on the same sleep schedule anyway.
A Spaniard's concept of time is unlike that of an American's as well. "Meet at 5:00" really means meet around 5:00, but more like 5:15-5:20. Professors and students alike are often late for class. "Tranquilo" (calm) is the Spanish mantra. I must have some Spanish blood in me, because I have been abiding by this concept of time my entire life!
Food
This could be an entire post in itself, but I'll try to give the brief version. As I mentioned before, breakfast is a light meal that consists of toast, fruit, and coffee. Comida (lunch) is the largest meal of the day and takes place around 2:00-3:00 pm. Dinner is lighter than lunch and is usually around 9:00-10:00 pm. My señora, Lourdes, is an excellent, health-conscious (or so she assures me) cook. She makes nearly everything from scratch! A typical comida might be paella (saffron rice, chicken, and vegetables), a pasta dish (similar to lasagna), or a piece of chicken, lamb, or ham with salad. We also usually have chicken soup or vegetable puree with comida. For dinner, Lourdes often makes these delicious salads with oranges, apples, kiwi, pasta, and lettuce. Another typical dish is tortilla española -- an egg omelette with potatoes.
Some common staples in the Spanish diet:
- Ham
I hardly eat ham in the US, but the ham here is delicious. Plus, it is prevalent in many dishes, so I really have no choice! The Spanish obsession with ham does not stop at mealtime. Spaniards snack on ham, too. You guessed it, there are even ham-flavored Pringles here.
Okay, curiosity got the better of my roommate and me. We shared this canister of foreign-flavored Pringles, and I hate to admit it, but they aren't really that gross. Once you pop, you just can't stop (even if they are pork-inspired).
Okay, curiosity got the better of my roommate and me. We shared this canister of foreign-flavored Pringles, and I hate to admit it, but they aren't really that gross. Once you pop, you just can't stop (even if they are pork-inspired).
- Olive oil
- Bread
Another cultural difference lies in the concept of an on-the-go lunch. A Spaniard's idea of a bagged lunch is hardly that of an American's. Whenever we go on weekend trips, Lourdes packs us a "bolsa de bocadillos" (literally, a bag of sandwiches). This is not the brown-bagged PB&J lunch we are familiar with in the States. When we went to Madrid last weekend, Lourdes packed my roommate, Mallory, and me an obscene amount of food. Each bag included three sandwiches: one ham and cheese, one with grilled chicken, and one baguette filled with tortilla española (Spaniards don't do 'low-carb'). Lourdes also tossed in two oranges, two apples, and an entire sleeve of cookies. Luckily we only have bagged lunches occasionally or else I might need to book two seats for the flight home.
Oh, one other cultural difference: Clothes dryers! They are rare here. Because electricity is so expensive, most homes (including mine) do not have clothes dryers. Instead, they hang everything on clotheslines throughout the year. It has taken a bit of getting used to, but now I know that if it's rainy, it will take a couple extra days to get my laundry back. I have a new-found appreciation for soft clothes and soft towels! There is nothing like stepping out of the shower and drying off with a towel with the softness of an S.O.S. pad. Oh well, I'm not complaining!
A view of the clotheslines from my window.
Here's to celebrating cultural differences! I will come back to America running late, craving new foods, and raving about the marvel that is the Whirlpool clothes dryer.
