9 Shocking Things About Interning in Spain

9 Shocking Things About Interning in Spain

There’s a lot more to Spain than the siesta

1. Cafe con leche.

Forget Starbucks, your mornings will be fuelled by this bad boy: one part coffee, one part milk, 100% pure energy.

2. Walking to Work. 

In Spain and most of Europe, it’s much easier to walk or take the metro to work than drive. Public transportation in Madrid and Barcelona is super easy to navigate, plus you get to take in the sights along your daily commute while working off the patatas brava pounds.

3. Kissing.  

Giving two kisses on the cheek is a normal greeting in Spain, particularly for women. Don’t be surprised if your female colleagues go in for the double-kiss, but make sure to take the lead from the locals!

4.  Different work hours.

Spain operates on a different timetable to everyone else. In the summer you might start at 8am and work straight through to 3pm, ending the day early to disfrutar el verano!

5. Serious eating habits. 

Sitting down for meals is part of Spanish culture and eating while you walk is frowned upon. You might find yourself having two-hour long tapa feasts for lunch and then fighting off food comas while you’re back at your desk!

6. Mixing business with friendship. 

Spaniards like to know who they’re working with. Business transactions are built on relationships, so you’ll get further meeting up in person and following up with phone calls than just emailing.

7. Patience is a virtue.

The Spanish get things done at their own pace, and sometimes get irritated when you rush them. This cultural difference should not be confused with rudeness.

8. Speaking ONLY Spanish…

You may think that because Spain is in Western Europe, everyone speaks English. Not true. Even in the capital city Madrid, not everyone speaks fluent English, which creates una gran oportunidad para practicar tu Español! 

9. …And always getting help from your friends.

Spaniards absolutely LOVE when you try to learn their language and are happy to speak with you, always feeding you a word if you get stuck during conversation. Use every opportunity to hablar en Español and you’ll be perfecto in no time!

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