So, you are about to move to Spain. You could be a study abroad student, an urban professional making a move with your company, an English teacher or even a job-seeker. No matter who you are, before you board that plane, there’s something you need to know: Spain is different.
There’s a reason that phrase was an actual tourism slogan, and it’s reflected in Spain’s proud and uninhibited culture and people. Here are five of Spain’s differences that you’ll want to keep in mind as you transition to life in here.
1. The concept of “mañana.” That famous little word means “tomorrow,” and that’s the attitude of many people here: if you don’t get something done today, there’s always tomorrow. This translates into the fact that people in Spain are rarely in a hurry. You’ll see it illustrated in post office lines, visa processes, even walking down the sidewalks.
While this can be frustrating for a driven, hurried American, it’s actually a nice custom to adopt in an appropriate context. While you don’t have to slack off on being efficient, there is a certain amount of relaxing that we could learn to do from the Spaniards.
2. Another concept of time: do not pack your schedule. In the States I feel like we are used to running from one thing to the next, and we see our “success” as how much we can cram into a day’s time. Not here.
Meeting someone for a family lunch one Saturday? Don’t think of a one-hour trip to Panera. I’ve been at meals that have lasted six hours and more on certain occasions. This rule will vary according to the person, but do not plan on scheduling things as tightly as you might in the States. Make time for margin and enjoy being with people and communing over coffee, food, whatever!
3. Don’t expect to be as “productive” as in the States. When I last lived in the States, over the course of two or three hours, I could make it to the post office, the video rental club, the grocery store and maybe even fit in some leisure shopping. Here, getting ALL those things accomplished may take various attempts, especially if you’re working a full-time job. Forget about Wal-Mart. While discount stores are on the rise, if you’re living in a downtown area or a small town in Spain, you should plan to go to two or three different stores just to get ingredients for one meal.
Again, at first this was frustrating–but the benefits are the quality of buying a product from a specialist and even the chance to build relationships with store owners in your neighborhood. You don’t have to be in such a rush if you keep this in mind and plan well.
4. Yes, you can live without your American products. This goes for food, cosmetics and more. Yes, you will probably spend more money on those things here, or you may not be able to get them, but if you’re really looking to dive into the culture, shop like a Spaniard! The only non-negotiable for me has been deodorant (which I still manage to get from the States periodically), which I do recommend bringing, but others have adapted to the products here just fine 
5. Space is a premium. We’re used to seeing Land Rovers drive down huge six-lane highways in the United States. Here, you’ll see Smart cars and any other number of tiny vehicles specially designed to fit down tiny European streets.
We’re used to buying gigantic houses complete with front and back yards. Here, people buy tiny apartments for ridiculous amounts of money, and children play at local parks instead of the neighbor’s yard.
Lack of wide open spaces in Spain (and Europe) can be a shock, but the beautiful result of being squeezed together with thousands of other people in your city or town is the community that develops. You learn to share more–the road, the local park, the sidewalks, everything! And along with that sense of community, you’ll also learn to consume less (be it gas, food, furniture, etc.) because you don’t have space for excess. that is a great lesson I know I needed when I moved here.
These are just a few of the bigger things I’ve learned since moving to this side of the world. Any adopted Spaniards out there want to add something? Feel free to respond here.
