It’s the little stuff

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When I started college, I knew I wanted to study abroad, but that was about it. I didn’t realize I would end up adding a Spanish major, living in Spain for five months , and making some of the most incredible memories of my life on the coast of the Mediterranean. I didn’t know what to expect or how to live abroad, even though I thought I had a pretty good idea. But the thing about the study abroad experience is that you won’t have the knowledge until you’ve gone and done it. When I look back, I wish I would have spent the five euros to have gelato one more time (or fifty more times), not freaked out to the point of feeling like I was about to be taken when I was running late for the train, or clung so tightly to speaking English and eating peanut butter and all my other American things that I felt homesick constantly. I think of all the things I'd do differently now, but to tell you the truth, it just took living it.
 

I remember reflecting that the culture shock came mostly from the compounding differences in the small things. Of course, you're expecting everyone to be speaking Spanish and that you'll stand nearly a head taller than most of the men in the country and you'll see topless moms hanging out with their kids on the beach (I know it's a different culture, guys, but man. So much saggy mom boob.) But it was the more insignificant things that no one thinks to tell you before you study abroad that caught me off guard. Here are just a few of those that I learned*:
 

*This is so specific to my little corner of Alicante, with my particular friends and my program and such, so please keep that in mind. Even though I thought I was doing sufficient research beforehand, I couldn't get a full picture of what Spain would be like until we landed. So, too, will you only get a partial picture from a source other than your own experiences. I only lived abroad for five months and was extremely lame in comparison to most European travelers, so you're getting a pretty limited and biased glimpse into what Spain is. Someone in another country, or even just in an apartment in a different part of Ali with a different background or personality would have an infinitely varied experience.
 

1. If you’re hoping for Mexican food, you'll be sorely disappointed.
 

Okay, maybe everyone but me knew this, but it was not Chipotle every night over there. In fact, the closest Chipotle was in London. But to my palette, Spanish food was not all that flavorful. The paella looks so bright and exotic, but I've seen them make it, and it's just a whole bunch of powdered orange food coloring. It was not easy to find a jalapeno to spice up our meals when we were really craving some chips and salsa.

That being said, FORGET the Chipotle! You can eat pounds of it when you get home. You're not going to get that quality of tapas anywhere else in the world, so even if it looks weird, try it. Try a different kind of tapa. Try a different restaurant. Order dishes with ingredients you can't even translate or pronounce. You're going to miss your PB&J, of course. It's the most comforting snack with a tall glass of milk. (Don't even try to recreate this American delicacy. Most of the milk comes in unrefrigerated boxes and the peanut butter is dry and crusty. Gross. And very disappointing.) But I promise you, you won't regret trying new things.
 

2. Water and Wifi are NOT FREE.
 

Even if there is a massive “Free Wifi” sign above the door, do not be fooled. Living in southern Spain is cheap for a study abroad student, but don't expect them to just give you limitless ice and cold filtered water or easy access to their bathroom. Gas stations and McDonalds across the United States have spoiled us Americans, and this was something I sorely missed while abroad. Most bathrooms are locked with a code, so expect to buy something and keep the receipt if you need to use the facilities. You will pay more for water than you will for a glass of beer or sangria in most cafeterias and restaurants. It's delicious, but dehydrating.
 

And for goodness sake, just buy a data plan. It is worth it. I don't care how much you pay for it; I guarantee it will be a good use of your money. You WILL get lost and you will NOT have 10 euros to drop for a bocadillo you don't actually want just to get the frustrated sigh/glare from the man behind the bar because you awkwardly ask him for the Weefee password again.
 

They want your business, they don't want you to hang out and use their network to post pictures to your special study abroad Instagram (but do, because you will thank yourself for documenting every minute later). It was a constant struggle and a huge regret to try to live with no data. I was hopelessly lost, losing my mind and thinking it was the end of all things probably thirty times, and I couldn't read a paper map if my life depended on it. You don't know how much you need Google maps in the heart of Venice until it's gone.
 

3. You're going to want to pet the dogs, but don't.
 

Not a lot of Spanish couples have children, but when they do, more than likely their child is of the canine variety. TONS of people have dogs, and since the city life requires frequent time outdoors for these pups, they're out and about everywhere you are. This is not an invitation to kneel down and mumble to the dog in baby-talk English, though. It can't understand you, anyway, seeing as it understands Spanish...

I would say in my experience, things are different stateside—people are a little more easy going with their pooches making friends. But I got some pretty harsh 'DO NOT TOUCH' glares from dog owners.
 

4. You’ll have the best naps of your life--take advantage of it!
 

Siestas are real. This is not a joke. I repeat. THIS COUNTRY NAPS EVERY DAY. If you’re able to doze for an hour or two in the afternoons, move to Spain now. You can stop reading and pack your bags.
 

I slept so much during my semester abroad, and I don’t regret one second of it. You will only have so many opportunities to take a break at the same time as everyone else around you. It’s warm, the whiny mopeds finally quiet down for a bit, you don’t have to worry about homework or jobs or running errands. You can nap on your couch or at the beach or full on in your jammies in bed. This is a unique and special cultural experience that I highly suggest.
 

Don’t plan to visit your local fruteria between 2 and 5pm, though, because your friends there will most likely be napping themselves, and you won’t have fresh avocados for dinner. The whole city seriously shuts down--it’s awesome.
 

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Of course, these little things can be brushed over. They make up such a small part of the study abroad experience, but it’s still part of making life..well, life over there. You’re going to be confronted with the fact that, even when you’re in a magnificent and magical place, the mundane still exists. Learn to love it. Take the nap. Buy the pastry. Go on the trip. And laugh at the little stuff.