Through my university's unique program that involves living with a host family, I have been exposed to a wide range of typical Spanish dishes and eating habits. I am currently studying in Madrid, the busy capital city of Spain, but I have also had the opportunity to travel to other regions, including Valencia, Tenerife, Extremadura (Mérida and Cáceres), and Galicia (León and Santiago de Compostela). In each place, I have found that Spanish food represents the people's history, pride, and local products.
One of the biggest culture shocks for me was the eating schedule in Spain, as it is much later than in the United States. For example, lunch is between 2:30-3:30 p.m. and dinner does not start until 9:00-9:30 p.m. However, my host family and I often do not finish dinner until 10:30-11:00 p.m. because after eating we have something called la sobremesa, which means time to sit around the table and talk, enjoy each others company, or even watch television together. Usually, though, everyone chats (chalar), and it is the best opportunity for me to work on my Spanish.
