Hola,
I have been living and interning in Sevilla, Spain for about a week now. There are lots of differences between US culture and Spanish culture. I miss America, but am really enjoying being here and learning the language, and immersing myself in the culture.
The first day was incredibly nerve-wracking and scary. I got dropped off outside this apartment in Sevilla and walked up to this apartment with my suitcases. My host family only knows a few words in English (as well as my co-workers), so I am trying to continue learning Spanish very quickly so that I can communicate better.
Some big differences I have noticed already are the meal times, where people live, cars and walking, smoking, work hours and work environment, and obviously, the language.
Here, my host family eats dinner at 9 pm at the earliest. We usually eat closer to 10. Also, we eat lunch around 2 or 3, after work, and then “tapas” before dinner. Here, everyone smokes. Also, there is less traffic here because most people walk or take the bus. Everyone in Sevilla lives in apartments. Often with their parents, the adult children (30-40 years old), and the kids. Most families only have one to two kids, if any, and all the dogs here are so small. There is no grass in Sevilla, but there are a lot of beautiful buildings. My favorite parts of the city are the River and the Setas. The Setas are these beautiful wooden structures that you can walk on top of them and have the most beautiful view of the whole city.
As far as my internship, the work culture and environment here are very different. It is extremely relaxed and not stressful. Work ends as soon as you leave the office. No one has a home office and no one brings their computer or any work home with them. Also, the hours here are very different. At my company, everyone works from 8:30-2:30. At other companies, people work from 9-3. Sometimes, people work from 8-12, take a siesta from 12-2, and then go back to work from 2-5. My host sister works from 9:30-6 but only Monday-Thursday. One of my co-workers told me that in America, people live to work, and work is their life. But here, they just work to live and support their lifestyle.
There have been lots of funny miscommunication conversations with my host family. For example, here paddleboarding is surfing, and kabobs are like burritos. There have been lots of laughs trying to understand each other.
There are lots of differences between US and Spanish culture. I love learning a new language, exploring Sevilla, and trying lots of new things. Interning abroad is an adventure, and I am so thankful for this opportunity.