Top 10 Things I've learned to love (or hate) about Spain!

With a new culture comes change and learning about different things people do that might be completely different than what you are normal to. I've been here for about 3 weeks now and there have been plenty of things that are different than the United States. Some, are genius, and some just don't even make sense. Here we go.

10. LA SIESTA
This is a very popular tradition in Spain, especially in Andalucia (the Southern region of Spain). EVERY DAY at about 2:30, the entire country stops, and goes home to eat lunch with their family and then take a nap. Can you say genius? I wouldn't complain if I was told to eat and then nap immediately after. However, because the entire country (or literally in Andalucia and Granada) COMPLETELY stops. Almost every store is closed, so even if you had to run some errands after your huge meal, you couldn't, because nothing would be open. El Corte Inglés is usually open, which is this giant shopping center/mercado/Macy's type store, but besides that and restaurants, there is pretty much nothing open. Everyone is on the streets heading home to eat or heading to a restaurant. Then after you eat, nap. Then go back to work, or your work is over for the day. Win.



This is the real Corte Ingles in Granada!


9. PAN
The food groups of Spaniards include bread (pan), ham, and wine. Bread is served with every meal. For breakfast, people typically eat a tostada (piece of toast or half of a baguette toasted) with butter and marmalade, or they eat a cracker type cookie. For lunch, it depends on what is made (and this is usually what my señora makes), but it is often ham or pork, vegetables (which usually is kind of a mix with some little pieces of ham in it) and a big basket full of pan (bread). I'm not complaining, my señora is a fantastic cook. But I think I have been offered bread at every single meal. When you go out to eat, tapas usually have some bread with them, or they bring bread out and it's usually free. Or, the tapas are bread and ham, and some sort of cheese. Again, delicious. Or the bocadillos (DELICIOUS sandwiches), are made on huge baguettes with a small amount of ham and cheese. Lots of bread, and lots of ham. If you look at my Madrid pictures, there is a picture of a ham store. These are very plentiful throughout Spain. "Quieres pan?" meaning, "would you like some bread?" is probably the phrase I've heard most since I've been here.


8. JAMÓN
The next food group in Spain is ham. My host mom is wonderful and I told her I like chicken and seafood alot so she has made it a decent amount, but typically, everything has ham. Some teachers try to trick you and think Spaniards eat a lot of seafood. This is not true. They eat lots of ham. (I'm kidding most people do eat seafood! Ham is just really plentiful). The most delicious type of ham I've ever eaten, and is extremely common here, is jamón serrano. This is cured ham, which is cut from a specific portion of pig, and then smoked and cured for a really long time. It's phenomenal. Jamón serrano is usually on sandwiches, on pizza, in peas and other vegetable mixes. Sometimes tapas are a slice of bread with jamón serrano and cream cheese, something else, and it is absolutely fantastic.

I would put a picture here but if people don't like meat I don't want to scare them.

7. SLEEPING IN


My host mom laughed when I told her that my mom wakes up at 5:15 every morning. People here sleep in until at least 8:30 everyday, even people with jobs. Most things don't really start going until about 930 or 10 every morning, so it's okay if people sleep in late. I am the first one up in my house on Mondays and Wednesdays when I have class at 9 am. I wish I could be sleeping too.

6. WARM MILK


This is probably one of my least favorite things to talk about because thinking about it makes me gag. I absolutely LOVE skim milk. Except, I am really picky about it and it has to be ICE cold. Not JUST cold -- IT HAS TO BE FREEZING or I won't drink it. However, most people in the United States are aware that milk at the stores is refrigerated at all times. When going to the supermercado here, the milk is simply in cardboard containers or plastic containers sitting on store shelves. Not refrigerated. I'm sorry but I'm not going to drink it. It is also rather thick and creamy tasting, another reason why I will not be drinking it. My host mom keeps it in the fridge, but most people I believe do not. I will be skipping out on the milk while I'm here.


I know it's the culture, but GAG. I'm sorry. I don't mean to offend but I just can't do it.


5. LACK OF CENTRAL HEATING


Although Granada is in Southern Spain, about 40 minutes from a beach, the lack of central heating in MANY Spanish homes does not make it seem like the city is near a beach. Many apartments, including mine, do not have central heating. Either it is quite expensive (utilities are really expensive here!) or the buildings are too old and don't have it. Because my apartment, and the apartments of many others, do not have it, I think I am yet to feel truly warm since I have been here. It's okay because you learn to wear a ton of layers and socks and a robe and walk around holding blankets, but it is a hard thing to get used to. Most people who don't have central heating have space heaters to keep the rooms warm, but it is still pretty cold. The nice thing is that even though I say it's freezing, its in the low 40s, so realistically that is nothing compared to Illinois which is always freezing. It's pretty warm so we're lucky, but usually it comes off as being freezing.



4. BRASEROS


With the lack of central heating comes one of God's greatest gifts to the Spanish people - braseros. Although we don't have one (they are actually kind of dangerous), we sometimes make makeshift ones, and everyone who has one raves about it. Basically a brasero is a table with a space heater underneath it, covered by a massive blanket. You sit at the brasero/table and put the blanket over you and get warm. Unreal. You can sit and do homework or eat or have coffee or whatever and you are so warm. We don't have one, so my host mom puts a giant blanket over the space heater and we take parts and sit underneath it. It's dangerous, but the warmth is unreal.



3. TAX IS INCLUDED IN EVERYTHING AND YOU DO NOT TIP WAITERS


Talk about the smartest idea ever. Tax here is called VAT, and whenever you see prices on the menu, that is exactly what they are. The only time they charge you more in a sneaky manner is when they bring out pan and the pan is not actually free (bread). Happened once, and now we know to always ask if the bread is free. When you see 10 Euro at a store on a pricetag, you can whip out a ten euro bill and not have to worry about rummaging through your purse to make up for the extra thousand taxes that tend to find their way onto American receipts. Also, waiters here are paid a full time salary. Tipping is not a common thing to do unless the bill is about 10-50 cents off and you don't want to wait for the change. I LOVE NOT HAVING TO TIP!! It makes everything so much easier. SO smart.

2. TAPAS GRATIS


This is a tradition in Granada. Tapas are common ALL over Spain, and they are basically just small appetizers or portions of things that you get and can share with other people, eat before a meal or whatever. Granada is the only place in Spain where tapas are FREE! Yes that's right FREE (gratis). Whenever you order a drink (which can usually include soft drinks), you get a tapa. If you are with someone else, they get a tapa as well. The type of tapa can vary, and every time you order another drink, the tapas get better and better. One place we went to gave us a piece of baguette with cream cheese and jamón serrano (delicious). However, another place gave us burgers and fries. Some places you get to choose your tapa, but most places they just bring you some. The deal is a drink and tapa, between 1,50 and 3 euro (usually around 2). Total. Win. You can make a complete meal out of tapas by ordering drinks and getting tapas and never having to pay to actually eat dinner. Phenomenal. I love Granada.



1. LIVE TO WORK OR WORK TO LIVE?


People in Spain say Americans live to work, but they work to live. Most people here don't have crazy jobs where they are working all the time trying to make money. Most people tend to have pleasant jobs that they can make money to live on, and have what they need and enjoy life, but don't go crazy trying to make as much money as they possibly can. It's an interesting way to view life, because people here take their time walking places, take their time looking at things, and in general, have a much slower pace of everyday life. They aren't in a rush to get somewhere or aren't trying to be the very best person at this or that. They are simply content with living, and don't need to purchase tons of things to be happy. They are perfectly fine going for a walk by the river or watching TV in the afternoon instead of going to buy the most expensive thing. They enjoy getting drinks with friends and laughing and eating all day, and don't need to work all the time. Coming here made me remember what it's like to have time to yourself and not be busy all the time. And I kind of like it.