John Kryl The reason I chose the topic of lifestyle is because I think it says a lot about a country and their overall philosophy on life; I don’t believe Spain to be any exception to that rule. Although it is not possible to group the entire philosophy of a country into one ideal, especially one with seventeen autonomous states, by learning the lifestyle and culture of a community we are able to better fit in and experience what can be considered traditional Spain and not a foreign land to which we go for only a brief glimpse.
At the beginning of our journey, while still in the classroom, I knew very little about the country of Spain and even less about the lifestyle lived by those who occupy it. My professor told me of a “work to live” mentality held by many of the citizens that juxtaposed one commonly held by Americans. I knew the country had a later eating schedule than many other countries and often continued even later into the night at the bars and night clubs. I was told a fact that on average, Spaniards get forty-five minutes less of sleep per night than the rest of the world, but would make up for it with a two hour break in the middle of their work day for lunch and a “siesta.” In short, I knew what I considered basic facts, however I also knew that these few bits of information meant nothing until I actually went and experienced this new take on time.
Most of the Information that I researched about Spain ended up actually being politics and history of the country. I thought that through knowing the past and how the present is governed, I could get a different look into why lifestyle took the shape that it did. This information helped me ask the tour guides more useful questions regarding the people’s opinion as a whole, along with finding out different sides of arguments and how modern opinions are effecting the way people live.
As I figured, lifestyle in Spain was completely different when I experienced it then when I read about it. The biggest difference between Spain and America was the times in which events took place. Yes, the food was later than I was used to and bars stayed open past the usual hours, but even things that I hadn't thought about, like the starting time of football games, was later than most Americans could stand.
Along with later meals comes larger amounts of average alcohol consumption. It is very common to partake in drinking alcoholic beverages with both lunch and dinner, but also very common to drink into the night at bars or night clubs. With beverages like soda and water being in the same price range as beer or cider, it seemed more cost-effective to have an alcoholic beverage with your meal.
One of the first things you notice though, before you even have a chance to experience the change of cuisine, is the massive amounts of motorized scooters and motorcycles that take over the street. Not only are they zooming in and out of traffic, but they are parked everywhere from parking lots to sidewalks. They seem to be used as a faster mode of transportation since it is easier to get around objects and people, but also as a more efficient way to get around since they have better gas milage.
Ways of cutting down costs are very important to most people in Spain. Talking to some natives, I found out that the average wages are slightly less than what is made in America. Although not as much money is made, there are other aspects of their culture that don’t cost as much. Things like cellphone bills and car prices aren’t as high, and money is also saved thorough choices to buy more efficient cars and pay less for things that aren’t necessities. I found out that not many people pay for texting, but instead download a phone application that you can use to text for free.
In conclusion, I love the Spanish lifestyle. Spaniard’s way of life is something unique to only Spain, and offers a fresh new look on life as a whole. Between the bustling crowds hurrying off to lunch at two, to the relaxed demeanor of pedestrians in the plazas, the mix between work and play is something that keeps the beauty of the Spanish lifestyle something to be admired and envied by all who don’t have it.
This was cool! I didn't really take notice of the mopeds and bikes the way you did, but you're right, they're everywhere! If you stop and think about it and don't take them for granted, its definitely indicative of the money saver attitude. I didn't even know the thing about texting apps as opposed to service pro iders either! It all makes sense with the state of their economy. Nice essay, John!
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Marina
1/29/2015 04:37:39 am
This was very interesting to read! I love the Spanish lifestyle as well. By reading this, I realize that there were a lot of things I didn't take notice to but were clearly evident. Oh, and I definitely opted for the alcoholic beverage every time too!