American Woman Moves To Spain And Shares 17 Ways She Experienced “Culture Shock”
Dinner at 11 p.m.?
Spain can feel like a dream from the outside, but daily life there still comes with plenty of surprises for newcomers. Morgan, an American content creator who moved there in 2021, found that out fast.
She and her spouse planned the move after meeting in the United States, and the transition brought a long list of small but memorable culture shocks, from dinner timing to holiday traditions. Some differences were easy to love, others took a little getting used to.
Now based in Madrid, Morgan has plenty to say about what life in Spain really feels like, and her list of 17 surprises keeps getting attention.
1. Public healthcare is good and free.
morganinspain2. Fair wages for service industry workers
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4. Late dinners...
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5. Tax is always included in the price, but that's because everything is taxed.
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6. Until the sun comes up
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7. In Spain, women love to go topless on the beach.
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In 2017, before the pandemic transformed the tourism industry, Spain was the second-most visited country in the world, with 81.8 million international travelers, behind only France (86.9 million) but ahead of the US (75.9 million), China (60.7 million), and everyone else.
The late dinner schedule was the biggest culture shock for Morgan.
"The one 'culture shock' that has probably impacted me the most is the late dinner schedule," Morgan said. "It's insane!""In the US, it's normal to have dinner around 5-7 p.m. In Spain, they don't even think of eating until after 8 p.m. (and that's considered early). It definitely took some time, but I'd say I'm pretty much adapted now and don't have dinner until at least 9:30-10 p.m."
It also reminds me of the Reddit debate on planning a solo Europe trip after a partner cancels.
8. Caga Tio - Christmas in Catalan...
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9. Just want a single soda? No problem!
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10. Teachers can be addressed by their first name
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11. Let's eat some grapes
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12. Shops are closed for siesta
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13. Nativity scenes in Spain are... different.
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14. Be careful when you eat.
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15. The holidays continue...
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16. El Gordo - Christmas lottery
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See the video here:
Morgan is currently based in Madrid, Spain's capital and most populous city. It's home to more than 11,500 American ex-pats.
Morgan can't say if Spain is better than the USA because they are different. "There are lots of things I miss about the US," Morgan said.
"But there are also many things I don't miss." She enjoys every minute spent getting to know her new home.
We can't wait to see her next video.
Want more culture shock with consequences? See how Trump halted all trade with Spain.
