Just as in any foreign country, I have noticed a number of cultural differences throughout my time here in Spain. I can´t believe this is my fourth week!! Some of these differences are more characteristic of Sevilla and Andalucia than of Spain in general.
Schedule and Meal Times
One of the most notable differences between Sevilla and the US is the daily schedule, especially regarding meals. When you wake up the morning, you have a small breakfast of a piece of toast and coffee or tea. Then later in the morning around 11 or noon, many people will go to a cafe and meet up with friends or coworkers for a
merienda, or snack. Lunch, known here as
la comida (which literally means "the food") is served between 2:30 and 4:00 p.m. It is the principle meal of the day. Dinner is not served until at least 9:00 in most households. Where I live we usually eat around 10:00, and sometimes even after 10:30. This is also a fairly heavy meal, although not as much so as
la comida.
Staring
Before I got here, I had read online that people in Sevilla tend to stare, especially at people who don´t look Spanish (i.e. me). I have found this to be true, but it doesn´t bother me nearly as much as it seems to bother some of my other American friends here. The staring is not malicious at all, and it is not considered rude to stare (as it is in America). It seems to be more about curiousity than anything else. I, personally, love to stare at people, so I have taken this as a free pass to stare at people whenever I want, even if I´m not wearing sunglasses (which is the only way you can get away with it in the US...).
Sidewalks
In Sevilla, many of the streets and sidewalks are impossibly narrow. With hardly enough room for a car to comfortably pass while you walk alone on the sidewalk, things get really complicated when there are more people involved. When you are walking along the sidewalk, minding your own business, and someone starts coming the other way, it's always like a game of chicken (here or in the US). Do you go right or left? Who stays on the sidewalk and who steps down into the street? Well, in my experience thus far, I am always stepping down into the street. Any attempt to stay put on the sidewalk will cause the other group not to move, but to either run into me or just stop and wait until I move. The only exception seems to be when the other is a male or group of only males. It seems to be somewhat of a courtesy thing - a guy will move for a girl, young people are expected to move for older people. But it is a little bit strange. I've taken to walking in the street to avoid these issues entirely.
General Pace
As somewhat of a speed-walker, I was initially very annoyed by the incredibly slow speed with which people walk here. It´s more of a stroll than a walk, actually. As time has gone on, I have embraced it and slowed my pace down a bit, taking time to look at what´s around me instead of just booking it to class. At home, everyone always seems like they are in a rush, but here, hardly any one ever does. It´s kind of nice to just take your time and not worry about getting somewhere the fastest. People in Andalucia are also notoriously late, so I guess it has something to do with the aimless strolling.
Although there have been some small differences, none have affected my view of Sevilla or the sevillanos in any kind of negative way. It is just a matter of recognizing and noting the differences and moving on. So when you come to Sevilla, be prepared to eat late, walk slowly through the streets, and get stared at a little, but feel free to stare right back!
Lounging by the Guadalquivir on a sunny spring day
