What has been your experience here compared to US?

One of the 15 year old students asked me this question on Thursday. A ver...

1. You know that thing "personal space"? Well, forget about it here, because you are talking face to face.

2. The siesta! At about 1430 hr, most of the stores shut down. Everyone eats lunch and then takes a siesta or lounges around until 1700, which is when everyone goes back to work. At the schools, lunch is from 1300-1500hr. Sweet, right?

3. The apartments are really small, but they fit so much stuff into them. For some reason in America, we need gigantic houses with loads of space.

4. Kids run way ahead of their parents when they are walking around the city. It seems safer in Logroño (not the bigger cities) than it does in Augusta. Kids would probably be snatched up there if they were to run 10 feet ahead or lag behind. :(

5. The food isn't cooked in fat in Spain. It's cooked in olive oil. I love olive oil, but I hate olives. Hmm...

6. Wine is very cheap since it is made right here. In the center of the city, a wine of glass is only 0,60 euros. It's cheap, but it's good quality. And no, I don't get drunk. I didn't drink at home at all. If I went to a bar with my best friend, I would usually drink cranberry juice and make her look like a "raging alcoholic". She misses looking like a raging alcoholic! When I do drink, I limit myself to 2 glasses. More than 2 will most likely lead to intoxication. Not really my thing...

7. Bars in Augusta, close at 2am, but they close at maybe 6am here.

8. The drinking age in Spain is 18 years old, but my 15 year old kids can still somehow drink when they go out on the weekends. :S

9. Kids are out with their parents until around 1am.

10. It seems like everyone on the corner of every street smokes. Ugh! Hello lungs!

11. Of course, my beloved lemon fanta is here.

12. The bus schedule is fantastic here.

13. Ham is every friggin' where.

14. I miss the milk from home. :(

15. I prefer a medium sized breakfast to a little muffin and some coffee.

16. Everything is "no pasa nada". That includes pay checks. Oh you're not getting paid on time? No pasa nada. For everything else, I love "no pasa nada".

17. The orange juice in cafes is made to order.

18. Spanish men are direct here. It can be very creepy sometimes... Well, it's not creepy if the handsome bus driver is direct. :P

19. Waiters don't depend on tips.

20. I like my bread soft. Not hard as a friggin' piedra. I mean...rock.

Pura vida!