Of course, technically it is, but Catalans see their region (Barcelona), culture and heritage entirely unique to that of the rest of Spain. Spanish is spoken everywhere, but Catalan is still the official language of the city and most maps, signs, advertisements and menus are in Catalan.<\/p>\n
2. Eating hours change once you cross the Atlantic.<\/strong><\/p>\n Lunch is the largest meal of the day and the time when most Spaniards want to sit down to a three-course meal, followed by a nice siesta when shops are closed from around 2-5pm. Then dinner is typically from 9 to 11:30pm. If your stomach can’t hold out till then, it’s common to snack throughout the day on little sandwiches and coffee.\u00a0It was definitely hard to get used to at first but I\u2019m really starting to enjoy this lifestyle.<\/p>\n 3. Iced\u00a0<\/strong>coffee doesn’t exist\u00a0<\/strong>*<\/em>gasp*<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It’s true folks. Ice coffee is not common this time of year. If you order “caf\u00e9 con hielo”\u00a0<\/em>in Spain, you are served two glasses: one with coffee and the other full of ice. It’s up to you to pour your coffee onto the ice cubes.<\/p>\n \u00a0And taking it to go is true American fashion.<\/strong><\/p>\n Spaniards are in no rush. It is traditional to sit down at a cafe and enjoy your cup of coffee over a long period of time. With that being said, they call it “take away” coffee here, which only exist in certain chains like Farggi, and is frowned upon.<\/p>\n 4. Eating out can be hard on the wallet especially with today\u2019s euro exchange.<\/strong><\/p>\n To avoid this, you can find off the beaten path neighborhood cafes that have daily deals. For 2 euros you can get a light meal of a sandwich and coffee or for 10 euros you can get bread, a glass of beer, a starter dish, an entree, dessert, and coffee.<\/p>\n 5.<\/strong>\u00a0Blending in is hard, but confidence is key.<\/strong><\/p>\n Barcelona is a main tourist destination, and almost every Spaniard speaks English.\u00a0Once they figure out you’re American, you are almost immediately treated differently. As if on command, they will speak to you in English, or hand you a menu in English without really giving you a chance to try out your Spanish. It’s a little discouraging\u00a0but once I start to blend in and improve my language skills with confidence, I\u2019ll get the hang of it and feel like a Spaniard in no time!<\/p>\n One week down, so many more amazing to look forward to.<\/p>\n
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