Culture Shock (noun) - a feeling of confusion that results from suddenly experiencing a culture with customs that are not familiar to you
It's been half a decade since I moved to sunny ol´ Spain (and I'm pinching myself as I write this because how can it be 5 years already??? It still feels brand new!!!) but funny enough, the culture shock seems to not be ending! Although, nowadays, I just take some of it lightly and even laugh it off, I'm writing this entry in honour of my old panicky self and thank her for hanging in there - despite all the confusions and unearthly moments she had to endure after moving to another continent without knowing a single soul.
So in this post, I'll be reliving all the eyebrow-raising, L-O-L moments that made my first few months in Spain felt like a mashup of the Lost in Translation movie and a quirky romantic comedy. Without further ado, here are my top 10 Culture Shocks/Surprises/Confusions when I moved to Spain as a mid-20 Filipina expat:
#1 - That Laid-back Spanish Lifestyle:
Spain is known for its laid-back lifestyle but no one can actually prepare you for how laid-back it is until you get here. When I moved to sunny Barcelona in the winter of 2019, I came fresh from the concrete jungle that is Dubai. As you know, Dubai is a rat race, fast-paced city hence moving to calm and sunshiny Barcelona felt like I've been whisked away to some kind of a slow-mo movie. I remember walking along Passeig de Gracia and seeing many people just chatting over a cup of coffee or reading newspapers by themselves on a Tuesday morning, and muttering to myself ¨Don't these people ever work?´ Later on I fell in love with the calmness of it all but NGL, in the beginning it was just a shock to me.
#2 - They eat late (!!!)
In Spain, the dining schedule is really different from what I was accustomed to. In the Philippines, we typically have lunch around 12:00 noon (similar to the lunch times in Dubai although sometimes it could go as late as 1 PM) However, in Spain, lunch is typically enjoyed between 2 to 4 PM, while dinner is served around 9 or 10 PM. Coming from a place where 10 PM is considered (almost) bedtime, getting used to the Spanish mealtime was quite ... a feat?!? It took me a few years to adapt and thankfully now, having dinner at 9:30 PM feels normal-ish!
#3 - They put Olive Oil Everywhere and Every time they can!
Considered as Spain's liquid gold, they put olive oil every time and basically everywhere they can - on salad, bread, different kinds of viands, meat...
I quickly learned that in Spain, olive oil isn't just a condiment but a lifestyle. Based on all of its health benefits, it's no surprise why Spain has been positioned as the healthiest country in the world, according to the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index 2023
#4 - They party until sunrise
Spain's nightlife is truly something else. I remember during my first few months in Barcelona, my friends invited me to go clubbing and albeit I was happy to receive the invitation, I got appalled when I learned we will only be meeting at 12 AM to go to the club. ´But what time are we gonna be finished then?´ I asked incredulously. They chuckled saying they leave the club around 6 AM. I facepalm-ed!
If you're a newcomer wondering when nightlife begins in Spain, it's essential to note that it usually starts between 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM and the party scene often lasts until 7 AM (at sunrise lol), hence some people go directly for churros and hot chocolate before heading home to sleep.
#5 - It´s a Dog Heaven:
Forget about people-watching; in Spain, it's all about dog-watching.
This is the cutest thing but I remember it used to give me anxiety when I first moved here. I used to have cynophobia (a fear of dogs and canines in general) so seeing dogs everywhere (in the parks, in the beach, in the stores, in the restaurants, in the mall, in the metro!!!) was a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, Spain had cured my cynophobia after a few years so now I already pet dogs that I see randomly in the streets. Unless they´re big and they look at me, then I still get... petrified!
#6 - People Walk a LOT!!!
Thank God for all the nice vistas (pleasing views), walking 5-6 km to get from point A to point B turn up to not be tiring!
Spain is one of the world's most pedestrian-friendly countries and it shows. I kid you not, before coming to Spain, I barely walk. When I was in the Philippines, I would ride the jeepney (and in Dubai, the metro) to get from point A to point B even though it´s only a km (or half of a km) away. But it all changed when I moved to Spain. Madre España made me fall in love with walking that now it turned into a lifestyle. As per my Apple Watch, my average steps in the whole of 2023 was 9k+ That´s almost 7 km, every single day! My old self will be so shocked.
#7 - Where are the malls at?
Unlike the Philippines or Dubai, mall culture in Spain is not too strong. Don't get me wrong, there are still gorgeous shopping malls in the cities but people seem to hang out outside more!
Blame the gorgeous weather but people here prefer to hang out outdoors over indoors. They would often meet out for coffee or beer in the plaza or have picnic in the park or play volleyball in the beach. It might be a shock if you're a mall rat (like I once was) but soon you'll be soaking up the sun instead of fluorescent lights. And that's healthier, right?
#8 - Most stores close as early as 9 PM and every Sunday:
If you're used to the convenience of 24/7 supermarkets, Spain might have you panicking when you realize stores close as early as 9 PM! I remember getting annoyed during my first real grocery shopping in Spain. I left home close to 9 thinking I have a couple more hours to grocery shop only to see a closed store. I desperately wanted to get in as I know stores are closed on Sundays but the security guard just told me they´re closed for the day.
#9 - Holidays on Holidays on Holidays
Work-Life Balance is #REAL in Spain. We have a month of paid vacation plus (usually) 14 bank holidays so that´s a month and a half of holidays plus the weekends! Most companies don´t push you to take your holidays too so you can work during the bank holiday and take your holiday whenever you please! This is one of the main reasons why I get to travel and explore the country and even all of Europe a lot!
#10 - High Quality of Life
To be honest, this was the most shocking part for me.
When I was researching all about moving to Spain from Dubai, I had so much hesitations as it is not the country with the most job opportunities in Europe (in fact, the unemployment when I came here in 2019 was at an all-time high) and I was scared for my life that I will never find a job! But seeing how people just live happily (and with so much contentment!) was truly a nice surprise.
Spain is not as expensive compared to its neighbouring European countries but the life it offers is so much better than most countries in the European continent and the world as a whole! It´s been voted as the best country in Europe and the second-best in the world for expats in 2023 and there´s no wonder why. They have free healthcare, the transportation is cheap, well-connected and all-in-all amazing, the food is fantastic, the sun is always shining, the people are happy. Coming from cities where everyone is rushing every second of every day to get into the next thing, living in chilled Spain was truly something so foreign for me.
So, there you have it – my top 10 culture shocks when I first moved to the beautiful country of España! There's still so many things to tackle but that's gonna be story for another day. What's the culture shock that you can relate to the most? Did you also move to another country and had the same experience? Let me know and let´s talk about the fun, the meh, and the ugly side of culture shocks!
Salud!
I really love everything about Spain