Each Monday in my "International Management Class," my professor would pose to the class the same questions: “Donde fueron este fin de semana?” (Where did you all go this weekend) and “Como son la gente allá raros? (Are the people there strange or different?)
In the beginning of the semester our discussions centered mainly on the behavior of the Spaniards that we considered “weird” at the time. They eat at absurd times of the day! The stores have no real set hours! They have no qualms about “wasting two hours” with friends in a coffee shop on a work day! Virtually nothing gets done on a Sunday! They drink unrefrigerated boxed milk!
As the semester progressed, we had fewer discrepancies between our home culture and the Spanish culture to discuss. It wasn'’t that they didn'’t exist; it was that we took less notice in them. Things that initially seemed “strange” became part of the norm.
Adjusting to a different culture has definitely required an open mind and a willingness to be flexible. For example, the people of Barcelona have little concept of time, and this requires one to accept that it is not possible to have the rigid schedule one is accustomed to in the United States. People do not rush to do errands or to work but take additional time to stop and talk to friends without worrying about their “to-do list.”
Living in Spain and traveling throughout Europe has not only allowed me to learn about other cultures, but to look at my own culture critically. There are things that I have now come to appreciate about the United States and behaviors that I now question.
There are certain things that I believe the Spaniards do better. I believe their social lifestyle allows them to minimize their stress levels and appreciate things in life that many take for granted. I believe this reduced level of stress has many health benefits. Additionally, I think the fact that people are forced to take a day of rest on Sundays, as virtually every store is closed, has benefits on family life as people spend this day relaxing with their families.
There are quite a number of things that I have come to appreciate about my own culture as a result of my time abroad. I greatly appreciate now that American culture strongly values efficiency and productivity. Throughout my time in Europe I have witnessed dozens of strikes (even one that turned violent). I have also seen people in Barcelona living in abject poverty as a result of the 20 percent unemployment rate.
I have also come to appreciate the status of women in American culture. Spain remains an extremely macho society. Only about 35 years ago, it was illegal for women to leave the house or get a job without the permission of a man under the rule of Franco. Working women in Spain are not given the same respect or the same opportunities as in the United States.
As a result of my experiences with these cultural differences I will return to the United States in about two weeks with a greater understanding of Spanish culture and a better defined view of my own culture. I will welcome some American norms back into my life (especially the non-smoking laws in restaurants), but will miss Mediterranean food, the Spanish people, and the siesta.
Originally from West Islip, New York, Meredith English graduated from the McDonough School of Business in 2012 with an international business and finance double major and a sociology minor. She participated in JYAN during the fall of 2010 while studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
