Hello,
Some of you are probably wondering what life abroad is like. It is usually fun, but let’s be honest, adapting to new things isn’t always a piece of cake. In this post, I’d like to comment on some differences that I have observed between Scotland and Spain so that when you go…you’ll kind of know what to expect.
I thought that the most striking one would be weather. I thought I’d be able to wear shorts, be tanned and take sunny pictures all the time. Despite googling ‘winter in Spain’, I still felt like I’m going to a tropical paradise. My expectations were high and the truth is that Spain didn’t disappoint me. At least not when I arrived in September. It was boiling and during the night it didn’t get any cooler either. It felt like being in sauna 24/7. Therefore, be prepared, during those days you will be exhausted from the extreme heat. However, the closer it gets to winter the more it feels like Scotland. Cold and rainy. Although when it rains here, it literally pours. Three seconds outside and you’re completely soaked. Head to toes. Free shower yaay. My suggestion would be to take some winter aka water-resistant clothes with you no matter where you go. You might want to travel somewhere and need it, you never know. Luckily, I brought a warm coat and a fluffy scarf with me… but forgot my waterproof shoes. Stupid brain.
Here’s a picture from my second day here. I’ve never thought I’d say this but I miss the unbearable heat.
I adore animals. Still can’t believe that pigeons in Seville ate straight out of my hand… ah, a truly memorable experience for me. It’s like squirrels in Scotland. I will never forget either of those events, feeding pigeons and squirrels. What’s better than a wild animal coming up to you?
Spanish food. When you eat out, the prices are more affordable than in Scotland. You can enjoy a nice meal including a drink without having to rob a bank (for about €10). There are cheaper places, there are more expensive ones. Obviously, this depends on where you go – city centre vs suburbs. If you feel like cooking, you can get fresh veggies and fruits from the market and the prices there are just…wow. I absolutely advise you to go there. The other day I bought 2 kilos of tomatoes for €1 and a kilo of avocados for €1 too. Crazy world. Just make sure you eat them soon because they go bad really quickly. When you go shopping for food in the supermarkets, the prices are similar to those in Scotland, not a huge change. The only thing I’d complain about are stabilisers. The quantity they use in one single product is unbelievable, even in things where it’s absolutely unnecessary. For example, in products stuffed with salt or sugar – which are natural preservatives. Jams, canned kidney beans, chickpeas… There is no need to add anything extra. Every time I read the label and the product contains only salt or sugar I feel like as if I had just won the lottery. Conclusion: if you don’t like chemical sh*t on your plate, be prepared to pay extra for organic food.
Thanks to Larisa’s hatred for being photographed (see how she’s covering her face? EVERY single time), the photo is GDPR friendly. I paid about €8 for this pizza from what I reckon (on Plaza del Arenal – the city centre). The crust was crispy and overall the pizza was delightful (and vegan of course). The smell was so strong it even attracted 3 homeless people. Beware, they will come to your table and they will ask you for your food. If you refuse, you’ll be told you’re the worst person in the world in Spanish slang. You choose.
And Spanish eating habits? Similar. They eat with hands and use the cutlery. However, all their meals are about 3 hours postponed to my standard. They are used to eat their dinner at 10pm which is fine for them because they normally go to sleep past midnight. I’m a baby and go to bed before 11pm so I have my dinner early.
A wee note for all the coffee addicted – it’s a bargain. An americano costs approximately €1 and a 200g package of ground organic coffee €2.
Btw – make sure you try Gazpacho – a cold soup, basically a veggie smoothie. It may sound disgusting but it’s actually really refreshing (I’m Czech so I had to accompany it with beer). And Churros – deep fried pastry which you dip in melted chocolate…not so healthy but truly soul-filling.
After eating such a calorie-dense dish, the next stop should be the gym. If you’re an athlete, you don’t have to worry. Spain’s got you covered. There’s a great variety of gyms you can join and sports clubs too. The price is not as good as the gym at UofG, but it’s not too bad either. I chose McFit Jerez because it’s got everything I need – TRX, functional, pumping, stretching and cardio zone. On top of that, it was on a deal. The enrolment fee cost me €30 and now I’m paying €1 each month for the first 6 months and then €23.90 for the next 6 months. Oh and the gym’s located right next to McDonald’s…a bit odd. Weird strategy.
Fun fact: There’s an enormous banner right next to McDonald’s saying ‘McFit’ and Larisa thought it was just a new ‘Mc’ burger.
There’s also an athletics stadium. It’s super green and right next to horse stables. Relaxing and conveniently situated for a morning jog.
Spanish people? Friendly, warm, welcoming, easy-going, not hurrying anywhere. Everyone I’ve encountered so far I could only describe with superlatives. The same I would say about Scottish people, so not much of a difference there. The only thing I’d mention is the lack of respect for personal space. Whenever you meet someone they kiss you on both cheeks. I’m used to shake hands and still can’t get used to kissing. When they talk to you, you can even guess quite accurately what they’ve eaten – yes, that’s how closely they approach you.
With regards to their language, the accent here is similar to Glaswegian – too fast and mostly incomprehensible. They swallow terminations of words so you never know if they say ‘más’ or ‘mal’, if they’re being polite (hablan de usted) or not (tutean). You usually get it from the context, but not always. It’s like when I first came to Scotland and wondered if people there even spoke English, because to me it didn’t sound anything like it. I don’t know why I always choose the worst places to study a language. Nevertheless, if you understand people here (and in Scotland), you can understand anyone.
News:
Remember when I recommended you to join societies that meet up regularly to practise Spanish (link here)? I downloaded an app called ‘Meetup’ and went to one last week. It was incredible. Everyone was so cordial and open, it felt like as if I’d known them for ages. It definitely wasn’t my last time there! 10/10
The other one was to talk to your neighbours. I just got a new one, a Spanish guy who teaches maths. Looking forward to practising Spanish with him. What’s more, our friend Alvaro (the owner of the athletics club) and his girlfriend are moving to our place in December too. Can’t wait to knock on their door every day.
That’s it for today. Any more queries feel free to drop me a message on Facebook or Instagram.
This article was originally written for the University of Glasgow and published on their blog.
Have a good one,