Spanish Immigrant Shares the Awkward Life Experiences Upon First Arriving in Spain

    Spain Property Investment Immigration focuses on life in Spain: A friend who immigrated to Spain mentioned that when he first arrived, he was unfamiliar with the place and people, and he encountered many awkward situations in his daily life. His experiences were both amusing and frustrating to hear. Today, our editor would like to share some of the challenges this friend faced when he first arrived in Spain, in the hope that it may help others who are new to Spain avoid repeating the same mistakes.

 

 

Not long after arriving in Spain, this friend planned to follow the recommendations in a travel brochure and visit a famous local restaurant to enjoy a meal while watching a Spanish Flamenco dance performance. As it turned out, a similar "tragedy" occurred. He went at six o'clock, but the restaurant doors were tightly shut. He went to "inspect" it again at seven and eight o'clock, but the restaurant was still closed... It wasn't until ten o'clock at night that we, having already resigned ourselves to a quick meal at a fast-food joint, returned with a sense of despair. Unexpectedly, it was open! Good heavens, what kind of schedule do Spaniards keep?

Later, we met a taxi driver who spoke English, and we finally had an epiphany: it is said that Spaniards eat and sleep very late; having dinner at ten o'clock at night or going to bed at two in the morning is perfectly normal. My friend was quite puzzled: wouldn't they feel exhausted when they have to get up for work the next morning? The driver, speaking in broken English, said proudly: That is why we need a sufficiently long lunch break! My goodness, compared to the typical one-hour lunch break in the UK, the Spanish are truly fortunate.

Returning from this short journey, I must say: saying Spain is "different" is no exaggeration; at least compared to the rigid and disciplined British, they are worlds apart. Furthermore, the British claim to have a "work-life balance," which makes me blush for them—look at the Spanish, with their sunshine, beaches, music, and dance, living their lives happily and at a leisurely pace—that is what it truly means to know how to enjoy life.

Is this richness of nightlife similar to the situation back home? Not at all. After chatting with the local driver, the desire to walk along La Rambla in Barcelona (one of the most famous boulevards in Europe) became irresistible. One day before dinner, I took a friend along and learned to stroll down the boulevard at the slow pace of the Spanish—no noisy disco music, no crowds of people rushing by with briefcases; on both sides were ancient and romantic buildings, and before our eyes were all kinds of impressive street performances...

The above is the life situation in Spain as told by a Spanish immigrant. We hope you enjoy it!