I moved to Spain and was surprised at how social people are compared to Americans. Here are 3 other cultural differences that caught me off guard.

03.08.2023 - 12:11 / insider.com

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Morgan Duram, a full-time content creator who moved from Michigan to Madrid. It has been edited for length and clarity. 

A little over two years ago, I moved from Michigan to Madrid, where my husband and I have since opened our own dental practice.

Since moving here, I've experienced many cultural differences. There have been some small ones, like people here don't turn right on red, or they write their dates differently than Americans do. 

But there are some bigger differences that really surprised me. 

The meal times in the US and Spain are different. For example, here in Spain we might eat lunch around 2 or 3 p.m., which is considered late in the US. 

Or sometimes dinner doesn't start until 9 or maybe 10 p.m. here in Spain. This also comes up when trying to book a dinner reservation. In my experience, most restaurants don't open until 8 p.m. 

At first, I had the hardest time trying to adapt to the difference in meal times, it was also the biggest shock to me personally. 

In Spain, you'll also notice that the schedules here are a bit different. Oftentimes, people will work until seven, eight, or even nine at night. 

While it may seem late, we also have a siesta, which means "nap." Although not everyone participates in it, people will usually take time out of their workday to rest. This commonly happens between 2 and 5 p.m., which is also the hotter part of the day.

During this time, they might take a nap, eat lunch, or simply take a break from their work. Most stores are also closed at this time, to really encourage you to take a break.

I also noticed how social everyone is. They love being together, and they enjoy socializing. For example, I've been to multiple gatherings where weekend lunches have lasted over six hours.

In the US people are usually in and out, or Americans like to do things quickly, but it's not like that here. 

We also have what's called a sobremesa, which means "over the table." This is when after you finish eating your meal, you will stay for another hour or two and continue your conversation.

Spaniards also socialize after work. In the US, not always but commonly, people might come home from work, watch some television, eat dinner, and go to bed. But when I moved to Spain, I was surprised to see that wasn't always the case here. 

Instead, I walked down the street on a Wednesday night and was surprised at how packed the restaurants were. Spaniards love to be with people, and they are always out doing something.

In the US, vacation days are quite limited. For example, I worked as a dental hygienist in America and I had approximately seven paid vacation days to use throughout the year. 

And, in my experience, if you're sick