I found one of the best ways to begin to understand a new culture is through its gastronomy. After living in Spain for almost three months, I think it is fair to say that Spanish cuisine is vastly underrated on the world scale. It just doesn’t receive the same prestige as French or Italian food and its explanation is difficult. One thing I immediately noticed about Spanish food was its surprising freshness. Fruits and vegetables seem more crisp and to pop with more flavor than produce in the United States. In addition, food is incredibly affordable. It is hard to choose my favorite Spanish dish, so I will list a few of my highlights. A calamari sandwich (that’s right) is very typical in Madrid and is one of my favorite bites to eat. However, nearly every kitchen and restaurant in Spain serves Tortilla Espanola, or Spanish omelet which is simply an omelet filled with potatoes and onions. It is absolutely delicious. Many madres and abuelas make a dish called cocido, which is day long stewed beef and pork cuts served with garbanzo beans. And, I must mention the jamon iberico, or Iberian Ham which is known to be the best in the world. It absolutely melts in the mouth. Spanish gastronomy reflects in nearly 900 year long history beginning with the Roman colony, then a Moorish occupation from 711-1492 and ending in the Spanish Kingdom we know today.
Connecting with locals in Trujillo is incredibly easy. As long as an attempt is made at speaking Spanish, they are incredibly grateful. I found the Spanish to be incredibly warm and welcoming. Some of the best way to connect with the locals is to shop and dine at local businesses, attend local sporting events and go to the many fiestas held during the weekends. Also spending time with your host family is a great way to learn the language, and to get a better grasp of local customs and traditions.
My experience with my host family has been absolutely wonderful. I think having a previous knowledge of Spanish made it a bit easier for us to bond (they speak no English at all). My host family is incredibly warm and always makes sure I have what I need; that I’ve had enough to eat, that I am comfortable, and that I get to the places I need to be. I’m lucky that I was placed with a family who likes joking around. I think we genuinely enjoy each other’s company and we enjoy watching the news and game shows together.
A typical day in Spain is both very relaxed but seems to move much faster than the United States. A day in Spain starts and ends about two to three hours later than in the United States. Businesses are not really open until almost 11:00 in the morning. On a normal day, I wake up around 8:00 in the morning, have a bite to eat and start walking to class by 9:00. I have my first class from 9:30 until 10:45 after which there is a break for coffee. I should note that classes are held in a restored 13th century convent which was pretty surreal. At 11:15 I took my second class of the day until about 1:45pm. Following my second class I return home for lunch, which is the big central meal in Spain, like dinner to us, and then siesta, the post lunch rest. From about 2:00 to 4:30 or 5:00 pretty much every city in Spain grinds to a halt, work pauses, people return home to eat lunch with their families and have a rest, then they resume work from about 4:30 to 7:00 or 8:00 pm. During the beginning half of the semester I returned to the classroom for an afternoon class from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. After this, I returned home usually took a bit of a break, did my homework and either had family time until I went to bed, or went out with friends to restaurants in the town’s plaza mayor. Dinner is typically served around 9:00 pm and its very light; just something to fill your belly before bed. On the weekends, the Spanish stay out much later than we are accustomed to. It is normal to stay out until 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning when on the town. The Spanish schedule is very different than what we are accustomed to, but I found it easy to get used to, and it is now one of the things I cherish most about my time here.