I definitely had an upper hand when it came to Valencia. I come from a culture that has a diluted Spanish heritage. In Honduras we also eat dinner a bit later, we also say hi by kissing on the cheek, and we also have that loose interpretation of time and schedules that Anglo-Germanic people can't seem to comprehend (or stand). But, as I said earlier, it is a diluted culture. While we eat dinner later than in the U.S (at around 8 PM), it is not nearly as late as Spain's 10 PM dinner schedule. We also kiss on the cheek, but only once, not twice as Spanish do.
All this ends up giving me less of a culture shock throughout this experience, but that isn't to say that there are things that don't surprise me. Take, for example, the general work day. Brandon found this video that pretty much describes it perfectly.
Yep, that's it. Awfully stereotypical, I know, but also pretty much spot-on. We have found ourselves quoting this video every time we come across a relevant situation.
I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that the work day is much more different than in pretty much any country I've ever been in. Before leaving for work they just have a cup of coffee. Later on they have a larger breakfast at around 10 am, then a large lunch at 2 pm. After lunch they have their famous siestas, and then it's either off to work again or the end of the work day.
As strange as this might seem, it's actually a pretty logical schedule. It's so logical, in fact, that we have already adopted it as our own daily routine. Getting straight to work after getting ready in the morning means I can sleep in a bit later, and so I am better rested and less groggy in the morning. After having an hour to check emails and set up what I need to do for the day, I go out for the light mid-morning breakfast. After this, at my most productive stretch of the day (already well rested and fed), I can get in a solid three and a half to four hours of work. At two you get back to see your family, and save money by eating at home instead of eating out. After the large lunch you can curl up like a boa and sleep with a full stomach. Since you slept a bit more in the morning, you don't need a large two hour nap. You can just doze off for thirty to forty minutes and get ready for the rest of your day. By the time it's 8 PM you're not even hungry since you ate a large meal not even 6 hours earlier, so that's why dinner is pushed back a bit. See? Logical and civilized.
As far as language and communication, it has gone off without a problem. Since some of the mentors here don't speak English that well or at all, I have helped with the translation. I have next to no problem understanding what they're saying to me, and it seems like they have no problem understanding me. The accent doesn't really change much (other than to make them sound really, really cool and educated) and the idioms and phrases all seem to be almost identical. Obviously, you get short phrases that are characteristic to the accent, like "Vale" (If I had 5 cents of a Euro every time someone said "Vale" to me I could buy myself a nice country Villa by now), and the always funny sounding "Madre mia". But, and I say this with a bit of shame, it has already grown on me. I say "Vale" on a daily basis now.
In some of last year's blogs I read about unfriendliness and bad customer service, a sentiment that I have seen over and over again in American forums all over the internet. I think I'm gonna have to chalk that one up to American sensibilities because no one I have encountered has been rude to me. Everyone has a good demeanor as long as you say please, thank you and don't think that you're entitled to anything. I feel that's something I don't miss about the States. A general feeling of "I'm paying for this so I want it to be just the way I want." Over here you still have to behave kindly towards servers, and recognize that there are things that are out of your (and their) hands. I can honestly say that, as long as you're nice to Spanish people, they're gonna be some of the friendliest and most attentive people you have ever met.
Another relevant clip (watch from 0:40-1:40):
Like Vincent Vega said in that profanity-riddled conversation (tried finding a censored version, but there wasn't one. Oh well, it's a Tarantino script and it's very well written. Sorry mom.) it's all about the little differences. So throughout these last couple of weeks I've tried to keep up with the little differences that, while not obvious, are worth mentioning:
-Commercials on TV are bunched into one single 10 minute slot before the final bit of a show. It gives you some real time to move around the house and do stuff before the last five minutes of the show.
-Everything is small. Everything. They have little trucks, their elevators are like a square meter, little baking ovens. It's like living in Bilbo's house.
-Smoking is not stigmatized and almost everyone smokes. Men, women, senior citizens.
-Every now and then a sewer smell creeps into the window or during a walk. You don't know where it comes from, but it's there.
-When something costs 10 euros, you pay 10 euros. No taxes, no tipping. This is incredibly convenient, you can know right away if the five euro note in your pocket is gonna be enough for that kebab they sell down the street (and you'll regret an hour or so later).
-You can get a beer and a cup of wine next to everywhere. They sell them in the University's cafeteria at 10 AM if you want. You can get one in place of a cup of coffee at 9 AM (and I've seen them do it).
-They curse on TV. Openly. And not like little words, the big ones. And in creative ways.
-They curse on TV. Openly. And not like little words, the big ones. And in creative ways.
-And finally...this:
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