Life in Spain

            After spending ten days in Spain, traveling through Barcelona and Valencia, I have come to the conclusion that I could definitely get used to the laid back lifestyles that they live. The daily time schedule held in Spain seems to be more practical than what I am used to back in the United States and in Luxembourg. Because Spain has a warmer climate and great amounts of sun exposure, the culture has adapted their daily routines to make full use of the day. The Spanish and Catalonian culture is reflected through their daily meals and their customs such as the siesta. Geography is a major factor in the traditions of Spain.

            My first experience with Spanish culture and daily life was when we first arrived in Valencia with our group study tour. We stopped at a local restaurant for their largest meal in the afternoon. In Spain, families take time off during their day “siesta” and have a grand meal together and share one-another’s company. Our entire class, sat down together to do the same.  After driving by fields and fields of rice farms, I gained a great understanding of their most traditional food, Paella. Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the 1800s on the east coast of Spain. Rice farms are common throughout Spain because of its flat, swampy land. Rice grows in land that is very moist, so they are often located near lagoons. Paella is heavily influenced by seafood because of Spain’s access to the sea. Almost all of Spain’s land borders water and therefore seafood is common. Fishing off the coast of Spain dates back centuries and has been a rewarding job for many of the Spanish. It also reflects the countries deep maritime trading routes. Because of the mass quantity of rice and seafood, almost every course in the meal served to us contained one of the two or both. Luckily, because I do not like seafood, there was chicken and rabbit paella that I was able to try. I enjoyed my meal and after found myself very sleepy from eating too much!

            After enjoying a filling meal in Spain, I learned that most people tend to take a short “siesta” which is a nap in the afternoon. Since their work schedules allow for a few hour break during the day, it is a great time to get some rest. This tradition is more common in countries where the weather is particularly warm. Because of their southern location on the globe, they tend to need a break from the sun when it is at its strongest. As I noticed throughout my exploration in Spain, most stores and businesses clothes between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily for their siesta. It is very important to the people to have their time off to spend with their families. However, many of the tourists stayed out venturing the city during these hours. (Which was a high number of people in Barcelona) It took a little time to get used to, but I did not mind taking a nap or even just relaxing midday.

            When our daily siestas were over, my friends and I usually headed back to the beach. The man-made beach drew in many tourists from other countries who wanted to get sun. It was interesting to see all of the lower-class local people trying to sell things from beer, to doughnuts, to massages, to earn money for themselves. The part of the beach that we sat down at was difficult to relax at due to all of the locals bombarding you. It was also fascinating to see the different territories where these locals would sell their goods. They tended to hit up the most popular spots such as the beach, Las Ramblas, and other tourist attractions, even though it is illegal. The tourism gave me an insight on how the main population stays away from the main attractions during the day and enjoys their lives, where as the excitement is right in the center.

            The nightlife in Barcelona was the most drastic change for me in terms of time. Because everything is later during the day in Spain, people eat a restricting dinner around 9 or 10 p.m. and then the youth go out to the clubs at a later hour. We were shocked on our first night out in Barcelona when we went to this popular dance club at 12:30 a.m. and we were the only group of kids there. When we left at 3 a.m. and saw the line outside of the club backed up to thestreet, we quickly realized the nightlife schedule. The most interesting part of it all to me was that they were open till 6 a.m.! I failed miserably trying to live the Spanish club life. It helps that they get to sleep in later in Spain.

            Overall, I first-hand experienced most of the daily life in Spain. I was able to enjoy their traditional food, cultural habits, nightlife, and see all that the tourism brings to the country. I embraced their relaxed culture as best as I could. I also got a sense of how the geography of Spain, its land, location, and borders, are major influences in their daily traditions. Throughout my travels in Europe, I found the culture and traditions in Spain the most different.