The following blog was written by Global Gap Year Fellow Xavier Lopez.
October 10, 2024
It feels like I just got here, but then I look at the date and see that I have been here for a month. In just this month of living in Spain, I have already been able to identify so many cultural differences compared to life in the States.
For starters, people here do not have the “work above everything else” mentality. You can see that they truly value all aspects of life and strive for a good work-life balance. Secondly, although not a major or even important difference, the dab here does not exist. I learned this through a somewhat awkward experience in which I met another young person around my age and went in for a dab, but when I dragged my hand backward, the local gave me a strange look.
Another difference is what sports are valued. In the States, although there is passion for many sports, without a doubt, the most popular sport is football. However, in Spain, there is an overwhelming love for soccer. What gets many people through their work week is the thought of attending their local team’s match. I have had the luxury of attending a match of a local team, and the passion shown by Spaniards is absolutely amazing. I look forward to many more new experiences here in Spain.
Lots of love,
Xavier Lopez