Living abroad for three months now has come with many lessons and personal reflections. One of the first things that I realized coming to Spain is, that my Spanish sucks!
Before arriving in Spain I was feeling pretty hot about my Spanish. I thought I would be able to have full conversations without stuttering, and understand everything the other person was saying. Within the first hour, I realized how wrong I was. I had terrible flashbacks to my first years of Spanish class where I had literally no idea what was happening.
I will not lie at times it has been much harder to practice Spanish than I thought. Many Spaniards know English and the first instant I would start to struggle they switch to English. It also does not help that my complexion gives away the fact that I am an American.
There was an introductory session with our study abroad company and they said, "When people back home said you would be fluent after your first month they lied." I would agree with that statement. Now after three months all my practice has been paying off. My spanish has improved and more than anything my confidence in speaking has improved which is half the battle when speaking.
FOOD
If someone asks, "what is the one thing I miss most about the states?" I would answer without hesitation, "The food." Spain has some amazing dishes. I love tapas, paella, and even gazpacho is growing on me. Unfortunately, the Spanish diet consists of olive oil, bread, olive oil, coffee, sliced meat, beans, and bread. The breakfast every day is bread and coffee and if I am lucky some fruit. Lunch is usually a Bocadillo (sandwich with copious amounts of olive oil). Dinner can really vary from fried food to soup and salad.
The other thing about the food, is when Spaniards eat. Breakfast is whenever you wake up. Lunch is usually around 1:30-2pm and dinner can be anywhere around 10-12pm. This is pretty brutal for most Americans because our stomachs are used to eating at our normal times. The other problem with this schedule is if you want to go out before 10 you will probably go home for dinner and then go back out which can be a pain.
From my experience spicy food is not a thing here in Spain. Back in the states I would not consider myself much of a spice guy other than a little hot sauce on some eggs. Here there is no spicy food, most people that I have talked to really do not like spice. For some even garlic is too much spice. If you are a spice lover be sure to bring a bottle of something.
Travel
Every student I have talked to or met here has been faced with the same dilemma with traveling. One must decide if they want to travel every weekend or hangout in Seville. However, some can't afford to travel every weekend but even staying in town can be expensive. The problem with traveling every weekend, is you do not get to know your spanish city very well or practice Spanish much. So that is a decision everyone has to make while they are abroad.
Cultural
Spaniards are lazy. I do not mean this as an insult, but it is true. Here are a few examples that surprised me. Around 1-4 everyday shops and restaurants close down for Siesta.
The other day I asked a cab driver to give me a ride and he turned me down because he was napping.
In the US there are many students who work and go to school, here in Spain that is unheard of. To work more than 8 hours a day is absurd here.
There is an insane unemployment rate for people 14-25 it is around 30-40%. When I arrived in Spain that was one of my favorite questions to ask locals and the common answer I got was that these people do not want to work. The wages are not worth the free time they would lose.
I look like a pycho if I take the stairs rather than the elevator.
The laziness, although can be bothersome, is not a bad thing it just conveys the difference in values. The worst part about it is that it is very contagious. I find myself waking up late going to three classes, eating dinner, then going to bed.