When In Spain, Do As the Spanish Do

Today is my 7^th day living in Spain, and I’ve gotten over the shock of Whoa-I’m-actually-in-Europe long enough to make some observations of daily life here in Ávila.

Mass

Probably the thing I’m most thankful for here in Spain is that I live about 2 minutes from a little parish named San Antonio. Not only is it nearby, but it’s also run by Franciscan friars and has a 8pm Mass every day!!! I think I may stay here in Spain JUST FOR THAT! It’s been a great blessing to go to daily Mass though I’ve noticed some interesting differences:

•  Communion lines are a fiasco! There is no organization whatsoever. Whoever gets out of his pew first, gets to the front of the line!
• Most people stand during the consecration and whenever the Blessed Sacrament is in procession. Thus, I’m not really sure why they have kneelers.
• The Apostles Creed is recited instead of the Nicene Creed.
• No chapel veils! I assumed that because Spain is a primarily Catholic country that most women would wear mantillas, but I haven’t seen one yet!

Churches

The churches here are gorgeous! My favorite, architecturally, so far has been the cathedral in Segovia. It’s an absolutely huge Gothic beauty of a church! There are probably 15 or so chapels and churches here in Ávila along with the cathedral, and not a single one is a minimalist, modern atrocity! Of course, any building containing Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is a place of prayer, but it’s so much easier to pray when you’re surrounded by lovely mosaics and statues rather than abstract modern art or blank walls.

la catedral de Segovia

Food

The staples of the Spanish diet seem to be bread, meat, pasta, rice, and more bread! Every so often, I’m blessed with some fruit, yogurt, or ice cream, but most of the time I’m eating bread and meat. Thank goodness that I walk almost everywhere; otherwise, I’d bloat up like a balloon!

 Clothes

I’m living among very stylish people, which makes me wonder if I stick out in a crowd. Even the elderly are dressed well. I can’t tell you how many old gentlemen I’ve seen sitting on park benches, dressed in suits and fedoras, smoking pipes or cigars with a cane in hand. Most of the young people wear the latest styles, though I’ve seen some to which I’m not accustomed (harem pants).

Streets

The streets here are very narrow and often cobble-stoned. It’s often difficult to walk side-by-side with someone on the sidewalks because they’re also very narrow. Something that has become a great frustration for me is that the names of the streets are found on plaques connected to buildings. Instead of having a street sign at every corner or intersection, you have to search for the street’s name on the surrounding buildings. I’ve gotten lost more than once because I couldn’t figure out which streets I was on!

Bars

Something that’s reminded me of home is the prevalence of bars and taverns. Each barrio (neighborhood) has at least a couple, but I’m beginning to loose count of how many there actually are in this city. The bars are also different from those in the U.S. You can order a coffee, a beer, a shot of liquor, a sandwich, or all of these in one bar!

Coffee

European coffee is so much better (and a heck-of-a-lot stronger) than any American coffee, but people drink it differently. It’s usually served in a small mug and saucer with a tiny spoon for mixing in sugar. There are no refills! You can have it with milk (café con leche), which is very creamy and resembles an American latte – but better! I’ve also taken it with ice because it’s very hot and dry here in the afternoons. You simply mix in the milk and sugar into the mug and dump the mug’s contents into a glass with ice.

Beer

I haven’t tried any beer yet, but it amazes me that people will drink alcohol at any time of the day! I usually have a cup of coffee at the local bar around 8:30am, and there are people who come in for a shot of liquor. I have another cup of coffee around 3pm, and there are people enjoying a beer. I walk past a bar in the evening, and there are people having a couple beers or bottle of wine. I asked a friend about it, and she explained to me that alcohol here in Spain is often cheaper than water, so if someone’s thirsty, alcohol’s the way to go!

 Bathrooms

I’ve already experienced the great injustice of paying to use a public restroom in Italy, but I didn’t realize that the same occurs in Spain until a couple days ago. Imagine my outrage when, upon finally finding the aseos, I learned that I needed to scrounge up some change! How inconvenient, especially for something as necessary as that! What are these Europeans thinking? This would never fly in America, I can tell you that! There would be rioting in the streets!

 Weather

The climate here in central Spain is very dry. It’s only rained once since I got here, and there aren’t many other chances for rain according to the weather reports. It becomes very hot (80-90 degrees Fahrenheit) during the afternoons, but because there’s no humidity, it feels much more comfortable than you’d think. Still, most people sit in the shade or nap during the hottest parts of the day.  

People

I've only been here a week, but I'm definitely observing some differences. Probably the most notable difference between Americans and Spaniards is that Spaniards are much more comfortable with physical touch. For example, upon meeting someone for the first time, you kiss both cheeks (beginning with the left). You also do this with friends and family members - even just people you happen to know. I see people do this all the time! From the point of view of a primarily German-no-touching-American, it's a bit bizarre, and I'm still getting used to doing it myself.