CULTURAL DIFERENCES AND STEREOTYPES 

One of the things that surprised me the most compared to Spain was the schedule. In my case, I had to wake up at 6 a.m. even though classes started at 8 on most days, because we had to leave home at 7 to take the tram to the high school. Also, as I already mentioned in the entry “Discovering School Life,” classes here last between one and two hours, and sometimes until 6 p.m. Since we had lunch at the school, we usually ate around 11:30 or 12:30, which was very new and unusual for us, as at that time we were used to having just a snack. Another thing that surprised me was the dinner time, which was usually around 7:30 or 8:30 on weekdays — much earlier than what we were used to.Anyway, as the days went by, everything became easier.

In addition, I also had the opportunity to see if some of the stereotypes about Spanish people were true or not. The first one I noticed that was definitely true was the volume of our voices when we speak. It is very true that most Spanish people talk, laugh, and express themselves at a louder volume than others, and I realized it especially at school, during lunch, the breaks, and even in the hallways.

These experiences have really helped me to open my mind, discover new cultures, and learn to adapt to them. Despite the differences, I am enjoying everything a lot!



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