When I first went out to dinner in Madrid, I was still confused on tipping situation and had to Google if I should tip in Spain. In that way I found out that this isn't common practice here. In N.Y.C., it's really rare for strangers to to be affectionate, so I faced cultural shock when I met Bisola's boyfriend and he kissed me directly on the cheek! Mouth on cheek, not cheek on cheek! I didn't know him, so I was shocked and wasn't expecting it. I was so worried Bisola would be upset with me or him until I noticed this was a common occurence and that everyone here acts like this towards one another, even with complete strangers. Talk about culture shock.
Above all, I learned that there's not better way to integrate into the culture than by going out and exploring! There were many times where I went out by myself just because I wanted to get to know every aspect of Madrid. Then I would people watch and see what people were doing to get a better understanding of what Spanish culture was like. Just watching closely and paying attention has taught me so much!
