Week 1 by Sofía Munguia-Arias

From the food to the customs, nearly everything in Spain is different in it’s own way compared to the United States.  Throughout this past week, I have gotten lost multiple times not only around the city, but in conversations with the people native to Spain. The accent that Spaniards have compared to people from Mexico is completely different and it was difficult at first for me to communicate with my host family, or anyone in general.  After this past week, I have been able to understand the language better as the time goes by.  Besides the slight language barrier, I have had an amazing time in Spain. Trying new foods has been a fascinating experience for me.  Not only are the portion sizes much smaller than back in the United States, but the timing of the meals is also diverse.  Spaniards eat something small in the morning, a big meal for lunch and a lighter meal for dinner much later in the evening.  In the U.S. people eat basically whenever they want to.  This relates to my photo attached to this prompt.  The coffee here in Spain is a shot of espresso, with milk if you choose. This is peculiar to the U.S. because they usually drink 10x the amount of coffee in one serving and sometimes even add a shot of espresso. Spaniards also drink coffee any time throughout the day when Americans usually only drink it throughout the morning. As previously noted, my experience in Spain has not been like anything I have ever experienced before.  I am enjoying everything to the fullest and I cannot wait to see what the culture shock will bring.