After speaking to many Spaniards, I realized that they do not sleep during this time. It is a time for relaxation and building relationships. Americans perceive this as a way of being lazy and not working, however, Spaniards see this time as an essential part of their daily routine. I have also come to embrace this time of day as one for collecting my thoughts and spending quality time with people.
I am accustomed to the “GO GO GO” mentality of the United States. I live by my calendar and am adamant about my punctuality. Being in Spain has been a shift in my pace of life, but I am enjoying every minute of it. This experience has allowed me to learn to focus on myself and my relationships. Not everything has to be structured and precise. It is important to prioritize your relationships and leave work to when work is assigned. This perspective of living life is much less stressful, and I have found time to think more clearly and reflect more patiently. I do not feel the intense rush to move onto the next thing as I used to. We can all take a page from the Spaniards and learn to relax and enjoy our lives in the moment.
