Author: kstenson

Having completed my time in Spain, I am filled with both an appreciation for being home and a desire to explore more of the world. Though the challenge of facing an entirely new culture and environment on my own makes me welcome the comfort and familiarity of home, it’s also whet my appetite for the excitement of exploring new cities, the fun of trying new foods and experiences, and the charm of wandering around narrow cobblestone streets filled with local shops and houses. While it was difficult to begin a program without anyone I knew, it also offered the once in a lifetime opportunity to make friends from Germany, Sweden, Brazil, and all over the U.S. Although it was rewarding to feel like my Spanish was improving, it was even more satisfying to gain a sense of confidence and independence being on my own and to expand my personal experience beyond my own hometown. 

 While at the end of the day, I felt like there were actually many things in common between Spain and the U.S., I think the differences I did notice helped me recognize elements of American culture that I maybe hadn’t reflected on much before. In fact, it was at times perhaps a bit difficult for me to articulate what American culture was beyond the stereotypical generalizations. Noticing the things that surprised me in Spain (or in conversation with people from other countries) was one of the first times I’d really paused to think about aspects of American culture — not to compare which culture was “better” or “worse,” but simply to consider how different elements impact daily life. 

Overall, I am so grateful for this experience and proud of myself for pushing beyond my comfort zone to try something completely new. Thank you to the CSLC for an unforgettable time!

Now that I’m at the end of my time in Spain, I think it’s interesting to reflect on the differences between American and Spanish culture using these specific indices. When I first arrived, I didn’t feel like I experienced much culture shock and actually thought the differences I observed were relatively minor. However, studying them in the context of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions helps me better categorize and articulate the underlying differences that influence the behaviors I’ve observed. 

To start, I think the U.S. (unlike Spain) would fall more on the achievement side of the achievement – nurturance index. Though I didn’t have a job in Spain, the general work-life dynamic strikes me as a large difference between the two countries. In the U.S., there seems to be a lot more emphasis on working hard to reach a particular goal, such as a promotion, award, or certain level of income (which might enable you to afford certain personal goals). People tend to work long hours during the work week, and it’s not unusual for people to even work on the weekend depending on the industry. On the other hand, compared to the U.S., I think Spain would fall more on the nurturance side of the spectrum. There seems to be a more leisurely attitude towards work, with the days often organized to allow for a break in the afternoons. Instead, the priority seems to be personal pleasure or enjoyment. For example, my teachers told me it’s quite normal to go to a local bar with your colleagues after work regularly, and people go out to clubs all throughout the week instead of just Fridays and Saturdays. The general mindset seems to be to fit work into your life, rather than life into your work as often happens in the U.S. I don’t necessarily think that one is better than the other, but it’s interesting to see the difference. It also might overlap with the short and long term time orientation index, as work in the U.S. is often oriented towards future goals or benefits, whereas life in Spain might be more focused on enjoying the present moment.

In addition, I think Spain would fall further on the indulgence side of the indulgence – restraint spectrum than the U.S. would. Based on my experience, there seems to be a greater openness in Spain to express in public what would be considered more private emotions in the U.S. (In past blog posts, I’ve discussed my experiences with frequent PDA and an acceptance of staring that surprised me). 

I think both of these differences might help explain the general stereotypes that people in each country seem to hold about the other. For example, I believe that Americans are often seen as workaholics in countries that might be more nurturance oriented, but I think this simply reflects different priorities among different cultures and variations in the way people seek satisfaction. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time in Spain and the ways it’s allowed me to experience a different culture!

One day a few weeks ago, I was riding an elevator with my friend after getting lunch. It was just the two of us and one other couple – a man and woman who were holding hands, standing very close, and eventually kissing (rather intensely) right in front of us. As the only other people in a relatively small, confined space, my friend and I were kind of uncomfortable and tried to look away politely. 

It took me a while to tune into this (this particular incident was in my third week of classes), but public displays of affection are much more common in Spain than in the U.S. In fact, in this same day, my friend and I had at least two more interactions in which a couple was making out in front of us, seemingly unbothered by our presence (or anyone else’s). My initial reactions were usually of discomfort or even a bit of distaste, waiting for someone to tell the couple to “get a room” as they would in the U.S. 

However, I think this particular example simply reflects a larger trend toward openness in Spanish culture, with less of a division between public and private. In fact, a couple weeks later, I went to the beach with friends and was surprised to see so many women completely topless on a pretty crowded beach. Reflecting on the moment in the elevator, I can see how it does encapsulate this broader aspect of culture. Having been raised in the U.S., I’m accustomed to a slightly more private culture, where certain things (like physical romantic affection) are generally accepted to be inappropriate in public. If anything, it’s usually only teenagers who engage in PDA, whereas here, I’ve witnessed couples of all ages. Having thought about it more, I realize that my expectations were just misaligned for what seems to be a more relaxed, open society. 

While I haven’t yet verified my interpretations of public affection specifically, I have heard the same reaction from other Americans in Spain, and it’s consistent with my earlier experience (one that was confirmed by my teacher) where I learned that people here are also much more comfortable with staring. While I might not mind a few more boundaries between what you do in your own home and what you do in public, I think it’s beneficial to recognize and accept this openness in Spanish culture (in all of its manifestations), as it greatly influences many aspects of life.

Though I was always excited to learn about Spanish culture and meet people from other countries, I didn’t expect to have such a strong opportunity to learn about life in a country I’ve never even been to. My closest friend that I met in my first couple of weeks was from Germany, where she’s currently in medical school. Though she unfortunately was only in Spain for two weeks, I really enjoyed getting to know her and learning about her life in Germany, its similarities and differences with the U.S., and the impressions someone my age might have about college students in the U.S. 

When I asked her idea of a typical American university student, she mentioned several aspects, including the fact that everyone lives in dorms, higher education is quite expensive, fraternities are very common, and each school has a very strong sense of pride for its sports teams. On the whole, I think her impression was relatively accurate. Some things might be slightly exaggerated depending on the school, and it might reflect the influence of movies portraying the strong American college sports spirit, but nothing was unfounded. I also don’t think her comments carried a positive or negative connotation, but simply reflected aspects of American universities that might differ from German ones. 

I think most of my autostereotypes would align with her reflection. I might add that to me, college in America is often a time of new independence and personal growth and maturity. Also, it’s a remarkably eye-opening experience – while the majority of students might come from the same country, the diversity within the U.S. means that many different cultures, perspectives, and life experiences can interact and connect. 

This is the first time I’ve really had the chance to experience how people from other countries might view Americans, and I think it’s been very interesting to get this wider perspective. It almost parallels with starting college this past year, when it suddenly became easy to meet people from all different backgrounds. Instead of most people being from the same county as me, they were from all over the country. Now, that view has expanded even further to a situation where most people are not even from my country, but rather from all over the world. It’s offered the chance to explore beyond just my own home or even the place I’m visiting, and to truly broaden my perspective and understanding of the world.