Cultural Treasures

12-3-19

There are many parts of the Spanish culture that I have found very valuable. The people here are SO nice and welcoming. This has been a tremendous help! Although, Barcelona is different from other Spanish cities--it has rich Catalan roots as well as Spanish. Barcelona is the capital city of the Catalan region, which was once a thriving nation all on its own. The Catalan region was not always part of Spain as it is today. It wasn't until the late 15th century that the region was considered a part of Spain. Therefore, there are two official languages spoken in Barcelona; Spanish and Catalan.

My host family shared with me that it is likely for the adults to take a siesta (nap) after lunch each day. The work day in Barcelona usually starts around 8 or 9 in the morning and ends around 6 or 7 in the evening, with a one- to two- hour lunch break after 2pm. Dinner is also usually eaten from anywhere between 8 to 10pm at night. Thankfully, my host family eats a lot earlier due to having young children. As for eating out at restaurants, tipping is not necessary like it is in the US. Although, some people still tip if they feel the service was impeccable.