Things that are different in Spain

I am reading a book my dad sent me, "A Home called Your Own" by Steve Hanna, and he has so many little observations about Spain that remind me of my experience with my host family in Argentina and my first time out of the country. This reminds me in turn of all of the small things I haven't thought to write about but which would be interesting to read about from a computer desk in North American. So here is a list of "Things that are different in Spain", big and small.

1. There is no central heating here. Not in any house I have been in. In Andalucia or Madrid. Most places don't seem to use heat except at night, during the winter, keeping the doors closed to each room.

2. Water heating is done by bombona, a propane tank. It remains off unless you need to take a shower, in which case you hold down the spark thing and twist the knob and slowly transition it to the 'on' position, a technique that takes practice.

3. Spanish apartments seem to all be built around the same pattern of a door that opens into a hall that has rooms off of it. So in our apartment there is one long hall, the kitchen is a room with a door, the living room is a room with a door, etc.

4. Apartments almost always come furnished, with everything from tables and sofas to towels and cups and cleaning supplies. There is generally one of two decor styles: a) Decorated 25 years ago by grandma and has never been updated. b) Decorated recently, and as cheaply as possible, with kitschy stuff from the US equivalent of dollar store decorations.

5. Everyone dries their clothes on the clothes line.

6. No carpets anywhere. Tile floors fo dayz.

7. If you go out in the rain without an umbrella, the whole world is concerned with your health. If you get wet, you will get sick. Without at doubt.

8. 50% of people say you can drink the tap water here, the other 50 say no. I drink tap water 50% of the time. Seems logical to me!

9. Teachers scrub it up. T shirts and shorts and sneakers, etc.

10. Teachers change classrooms, not the students.

11. Many classrooms just have blackboards, and as the teachers change rooms, they don't decorate them. So most classroom walls are blank.

12. It thunders here so much that even though there was an enormous thunder and lightning storm going on outside a class full of bored 13 year olds, not a single one looked outside when there were huge claps of thunder. I, on the other hand, was extremely distracted.

13. Breakfast is a 11:30am, lunch is at 3-5pm, and dinner is from 9-12. No joke. I've had dinner here at 1am. Followed by coffee.

14. There are two types of coffee here. Cafe con leche, or cafe solo. Coffee with milk or espresso. Period.

15. The classic breakfast here (again, eaten a bit before noon) is cafe with a tostada, which is a 6 inch piece of white baguette toasted with tomato paste and olive oil.

16. If you order drinks you get olives, at most places. I have learned to like olives.

17. Gyms close during siesta and over the weekend. Annoying.

18. People call and hang up before you pick up to confirm something, to avoid being charged for the call.

19. Roasted chestnuts are on about every 5th street corner.

20. You always kiss people on both cheeks when you greet them.

21. Teachers take and pass a test when they finish school. According to how they did on that test, they are put on a list of available teachers, with the best grades at the top. You get placed in your region when your turn comes up, so teachers have little control over the cities they live in.

22. There are a lot of strikes here.

23. That is all I can think of for now, next update: a day in the life. I bet you're on the edge of your seat!! I don't blame you!