Observations

I just ended my second week at school here in Spain and while looking around, taking everything in, and trying to figure stuff out, I've made a few observations. Some are obvious and some are strange...

Fried ham anyone?

Spaniards eat so much ham, probably almost every day. I remember vacationing in Spain when I was about 15, and I remember going home and specifically asking for no more ham (for god sake)! Yesterday I thought I was being served pan fried chicken... no it was fried ham. Too bad ham is the one meat I could probably never eat again and be happy about it.

People here stare like it's their job. They will stare but they won't talk to you first. If you need help or directions, or even if you want to talk to locals, you have to make the first step. Everyone here has an attitude that screams, "not interested, nope, never, no how!" It just seems like they think they are so superior or something.

Dogs are hardly ever on leashes, even if they are being walked. And apparently owners don't have to clean up their dog's shit.

The Spanish are so damn relaxed. Siesta doesn't exist in the States because time is money and if you're closed for three hours in the middle of the day you're a fool. Not only that, but they are always late... that's the kind of stuff that can get you fired in America.

No one eats on the go, in the metro or in classrooms. I haven't seen so much as a person with a travel mug for coffee. I don't like that because I'm in love with snacking and coffees on the go.

When it rains (everyday in the winter) no one wears rain jackets or jackets with hoods, they just bring umbrellas everywhere.

No clothes dryers. Everyone hangs their clothes to dry, even in these cold/rainy winter months. Saggy pants syndrome will be rocked all semester. 

Possibly some time around 4 a.m. ?

And lastly, their idea of late nights are ridiculous. Nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m. and they party until 6 a.m. Last night and last weekend I was out until 6:30 a.m. and it's something that should not happen often for me. I wasn't even drinking that much, yet I still feel like I got run over by a bus because of how exhausted I've been all week and will to continue to be because of this never ending cycle of catching up on sleep.