Things I’ve Learned Since Living in Spain:
The Culture Shocks and not so Culture Shocks
- Learning to be more comfortable with being alone.
I came to Granada with friends, and immediately got to know many more from being in a residence hall, my orientation group, and classes. That being said, during the week, it can be hard to hang out with others between conflicting class periods or schedules. I‘ve really gotten to get comfortable being alone, in a good way, where I feel fine doing the things I enjoy without having to wait for someone to join me. Tuesdays have become my favorite day of the week because I have no classes after lunch. Because my friends have classes, I’ve enjoyed spending my time going on solo hikes in the mountains or getting lost and exploring new places in the Albaicín neighborhood.
2. The cost of living
Since day one, I was shocked at how cheap the cost of living in Granada is (that is, if you don’t have to worry about finding a place to live with the housing crisis). I had originally budgeted $100 per week for food, but after seeing the prices of everything, my weekend meals and daily snacks barely hit $30. To put things into perspective, here are things I have bought that shocked me the most:
Memory foam pillow= 15€
Deodorant= 3€
Single can of soda= 0.55€
A glass of wine= 3€
Bottle of wine= 3-8€
Full-sized bag of chips= 2€
*Also, the best thing about the cost of things is that Granada has FREE tapas with your drinks, and the cherry on top is that you don’t have to tip.
3. Unleashed dogs
Granada is full of dogs, and almost all of them are SO well behaved. It is very normal for dogs to be walking with their owners unleashed on a street, even busy ones. They always stay by their owners, and I‘ve seen very few bark at each other. Compared to the USA, it is very surprising to see dogs with their owners inside restaurants and stores.
4. Granada and its narrow streets
Granada, specifically, was not built for cars, so when walking around, I’ve gotten very accustomed to cars squeezing by on the streets. Cars can be a few inches to a foot from hitting you, but they go slow due to the foot traffic and small streets themselves. When I first got here, it was something that really freaked me out, but now, I barely give it a thought.
5. Weather: Spanish temperature changes
I thought Michigan had bad bipolar weather, but Spain might be worse. Maybe because I am in the mountains, but the range in daily temperatures here is wild. In winter and early spring, the mornings can be as low as 30°F, and by mid-morning, when the sun is out, the temperature can be up to 73°F. Due to the drastic change in temperatures, I either layer many clothes or change my outfit after my morning classes. My leather jacket has become my best friend.
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