Lunch at 2:30

One of my reasons for studying abroad was to experience the lifestyle of a different culture, and I've been somewhat surprised this week by how many differences there are between life in Spain and life in America.  I'm having the most trouble adjusting to the daily schedule, and specifically the eating schedule, which usually goes something like this: small breakfast around 8, huge lunch at 2:30, small dinner at 10.  I have yet to figure out how anyone can survive from 8 until 2:30 on one piece of toast, so my stomach is always growling loudly by the time our Spanish class ends at 2. A typical work day here goes from 10-2, then a three hour break for lunch and siesta, and then back to work from 5-9.

It is interesting to me that there are so many differences in the schedules that have developed in two different cultures. When we described the American work and eating schedule to my host mom, she immediately commented that it must be nice to leave work at 5 and have then rest of the evening off.  On the other hand, I spend my summer working in an office for 7 hours in a row every day, and I always felt like the day dragged on and on.  Perhaps it would have been better for my attention span to have a long break and an optional nap in the middle.


Here are some other differences I've noticed between life in Granada and my life at home:

• People here take "army showers," which means that you turn the water off while you are using soap, then turn it on again to wash the soap off.  There is a big drought in Spain, and the cost of water is very high, so people try to conserve as much as possible.  It's actually a great way to save water: I've been taking showers where the water is running for less than a minute. 
• People walk everywhere.  There are some cars, but the streets are so narrow that they don't end up moving much faster than the pedestrians who tend to walk in the middle.  The nice thing is that Granada is a small city so you can walk pretty much anywhere that you want to go.
• There is tons of nightlife.  The other night I happened upon an outdoor concert at midnight, and most of the people dancing were over 50.  The restaurants become busy around 10, and the clubs open around 2, so there are things to do at any time of the night.
• Going barefoot is not acceptable, even inside. 
• Kids live with their parents for much longer.  It is very normal for someone to live with their parents at the age of 25.  My host mom's 39 year-old son still lives with here.  This is partly due to differences in family relationships and partly due to the lack of jobs for young people due to the economic crisis here.

Foto del día:

I just can't get over how beautiful this city is!  This is from a walk through the Sacromonte neighborhood at sunset.  The neighborhood is known for its caves, flamenco, gypsies, and beautiful views of the mountains and the Alahmbra.

Palabra del día: Grathiath
Explanation: This is how someone with an Andalusian accent typically pronounces"Gracias", or thank you.  People here really can't pronounce the letter "S."  I'm determined not to develop this lisp, but I've already caught myself saying "grathiath" a few times...

Comida del día: Churros y chocolate!
My Spanish class went to eat churros y chocolate today, and they are delicious.  It is basically fried dough that you dip in hot fudge (the churros aren't covered in cinnamon sugar like they are in Latin America or the US).  Apparently this is also an acceptable food the eat for breakfast here!  But the best time to eat it, from what I hear, is early in the morning after spending the whole night at a discoteca with friends.