Culture Shock - Day 8
At this moment, I'm watching rain clouds lure closer and closer from the view of the bedroom window. Sleeping on the top bunk has its advantage of a better window view. It's the first time it's rained here in Mira since our arrival.
We arrived on a Saturday evening on our third day in Spain. The trip itself was easier with the company of small dogs on our laps as we saw the rolling hills of the landscape pass by. Mira itself appeared much larger than we had originally imagined. The village extends from one end of the valley, bordering the rocky slope of a large hill, and ends at a roadway.
It's beautiful here. I don't know if it's in my blood as a Puerto Rican with family in a small town also separate from the world that makes me feel so comfortable here, but I feel safe. I feel I can breathe. It may be the non-polluted air talking, but it's wonderful nevertheless. I can walk the thin streets and paths in the village with the other girls and feel that no harm will come to us. There's also no crime here, from what we were told, so that helps too.
Our classes are separated by the siesta hours of the afternoon. We attend one class at ten in the morning and the other at six in the evening. The hours of business themselves are a challenge to understand. In the United States, most businesses are open consistently from early in the morning to late afternoon or evening. In contrast, the businesses here are closed during the siesta hours, which normally extend from 2 in the afternoon to 5 or 6 in the evening depending on how everyone feels, I believe. It's difficult to get used to the relaxed, fluidity of business hours. The difference in how relaxed and uncertain life is in comparison to the United States is a little nerve-wracking. And that's only a small portion of what's been felt so far.
The amount of emotions felt within the first week has been nothing but a roller coaster. I cannot begin to describe to you the feeling of overwhelming positivity and have the next day plummet to the point of tears. That's not to say that it's good to feel this way in a strange country and get to know yourself better as you experience the ups and downs of a different country. It's more the acknowledgement that you cannot control everything. It's that lack of control in a place you have little connection with that makes you truly reflect on your reactions.
I'm still new to it all, therefore, I am still learning. I need to give everything a little more time and patience to completely immerse myself in the country and the experience.
We arrived on a Saturday evening on our third day in Spain. The trip itself was easier with the company of small dogs on our laps as we saw the rolling hills of the landscape pass by. Mira itself appeared much larger than we had originally imagined. The village extends from one end of the valley, bordering the rocky slope of a large hill, and ends at a roadway.
It's beautiful here. I don't know if it's in my blood as a Puerto Rican with family in a small town also separate from the world that makes me feel so comfortable here, but I feel safe. I feel I can breathe. It may be the non-polluted air talking, but it's wonderful nevertheless. I can walk the thin streets and paths in the village with the other girls and feel that no harm will come to us. There's also no crime here, from what we were told, so that helps too.
Our classes are separated by the siesta hours of the afternoon. We attend one class at ten in the morning and the other at six in the evening. The hours of business themselves are a challenge to understand. In the United States, most businesses are open consistently from early in the morning to late afternoon or evening. In contrast, the businesses here are closed during the siesta hours, which normally extend from 2 in the afternoon to 5 or 6 in the evening depending on how everyone feels, I believe. It's difficult to get used to the relaxed, fluidity of business hours. The difference in how relaxed and uncertain life is in comparison to the United States is a little nerve-wracking. And that's only a small portion of what's been felt so far.
The amount of emotions felt within the first week has been nothing but a roller coaster. I cannot begin to describe to you the feeling of overwhelming positivity and have the next day plummet to the point of tears. That's not to say that it's good to feel this way in a strange country and get to know yourself better as you experience the ups and downs of a different country. It's more the acknowledgement that you cannot control everything. It's that lack of control in a place you have little connection with that makes you truly reflect on your reactions.
I'm still new to it all, therefore, I am still learning. I need to give everything a little more time and patience to completely immerse myself in the country and the experience.
I love that you are writing about your experiences! Please keep sharing!
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