What are the cultural differences between Spain and the United States? When you land in Spain for the first time, some of the differences might be predictable, but others might not. So, in today’s article we’ll share some of them, from our perspective when landing in Montana.
1. Kisses and more kisses
We never run out of kisses in Spain. We give two kisses to somebody who just met, we kiss our friends when we meet, we kiss our family, we kiss goodbye, we kiss goodnight… But in the US (Montana), that was a bit different. A daily dose of kisses a bit smaller!
2. American restaurants: tips and service
That was a bit shocking the first times when having dinner in the US. In Spain waiters don’t usually ask throughout the meal if everything is alright, how the food is, or if we need anything. Here, they might do it once, depending on the restaurant, but it’s not the norm. Read the article Tipping in Barcelona: To tip or not to tip in which we delve deeper into these differences.
3. It’s dinner time. And then what?
From all the differences between Spain and the United States, this was a delicate one. How is it possible going to bed without being hungry if you had dinner at around 7pm? The answer to the question came quickly: SNACKS.
4. Time to go out. Already?
It is well-known that we start to party past midnight in Spain. But you realize how late that actually is when, by that time, most of the bars start to close in Missoula. That was at least what happened in Montana. And I must say I ended up loving that schedule: going out right after dinner around 8pm and coming back home at around 1-2pm. That still allowed you to take advantage of the Sunday morning, instead of sleeping until midday.
5. 24/7 American restaurants
Nothing like going to Denny’s to feel like being inside an American movie. I remember going to Denny’s late at night, past midnight. Those curtains, those lamps, those menu cards… I still remember every little detail. We don’t have those 24/7 restaurants in Spain, and this was a difference between Spain and the United States that I was aware of but wanted to experience firsthand.
6. Going to the supermarket late at night
In Spain there aren’t “Albertsons” or any supermaket chain which is open 24/7. So this was another shocking difference, the fact that you can do the shopping at any time of the day.
The sense of community in Missoula, Montana was also shocking to me. They made you feel like you were at home far away from home. Not saying this is a general difference between Spain and the United States, but I felt like including this aspect also as a bonus to the list.
Do these cultural differences between Spain and the United States ring a bell? If you would include some more to this list, feel free to share them with us!