Summary

The author, Shawn Forno, has embraced 11 new Spanish habits since moving to Galicia, Spain, which have significantly changed his lifestyle, from eating late to enjoying coffee at all hours and hanging clothes to dry.

Abstract

In the article, Shawn Forno reflects on his transformative experiences after moving to Spain, detailing how the Spanish way of life has influenced his daily routines. He has adopted the local custom of eating dinner late, usually after 9 pm, and has grown accustomed to the affordable prices of food and wine, which make dining out and grocery shopping more accessible. Forno has also integrated Spanish phrases into his daily communication, such as the versatile "vale," and has embraced a car-free lifestyle, preferring to walk or use public transportation. His dining habits have shifted to favoring tapas bars where eating while standing is common, and he has adopted the Spanish coffee culture, enjoying coffee throughout the day. The article emphasizes the cultural differences in work-life balance, with later mornings and siestas being the norm, and the central role of bread in Spanish cuisine. Forno also notes the necessity of planning ahead for Sunday closures and has taken to drinking vermouth at noon, a typical Spanish tradition. Finally, he has adapted to hanging clothes to dry, a small but meaningful change in his daily routine. These new habits have not only altered his lifestyle but also provided him with a greater appreciation for the Spanish way of living.

Opinions

The author finds the late dining culture in Spain to be a refreshing change, rating it a 7 out of 10 for enjoyment but acknowledges it may not be a permanent lifestyle change.
He is pleasantly surprised by the affordability of food and wine in Spain, rating it a 10 out of 10 for the value it brings to daily life.
The use of "vale" has become a staple in his communication, rating it a 9 out of 10 for its usefulness in navigating conversations.
Walking has become his preferred mode of transportation, rating it a 10 out of 10 for convenience and health benefits.
The author prefers the Spanish tapas culture, giving it a 10 out of 10 for its efficiency and the enjoyment of eating while standing.
He appreciates the all-day coffee culture in Spain, rating it a 9 out of 10, despite the potential impact on sleep.
The habit of sleeping in is enjoyed by the author, who rates it an 8 out of 10 for the relaxed start to the day it allows.
Eating bread with every meal is another highly-rated Spanish habit, receiving an 8 out of 10 for its enjoyment and cultural significance.
The necessity to shop for groceries on Saturday due to Sunday closures is less favorable, rated a 4 out of 10 for the inconvenience it can cause.
Drinking vermouth has become a pleasant afternoon tradition for the author, who rates it a 7 out of 10.
Hanging clothes to dry is a habit he has readily accepted, appreciating the slower pace of life it represents.

11 Super Spanish Habits I’ve Picked Up After Just One Year in Spain

Moving to Spain will change you

If you fantasize about moving to Spain, be careful.

Because moving to Spain will change you.

You’ll probably eat more bread or develop a passion for olives, jamon, and tapas. You might even realize that good wine doesn’t have to cost more than €2.

Maybe you’ll start drinking coffee after dinner or take a nap in the middle of the day. You might stop to chat with people in the street that you’ve only met once.

Everyone is different.

But one thing is certain. If you move to Spain, there’s a really good chance that you’ll realize that the grind you’ve become accustomed to in the US isn’t the only way to live.

And once you do, it’ll be impossible to go back to the way things were.

Living in Spain this past year has irrevocably changed how my wife and I eat, drink, shop, sleep, work, and interact with people in ways that I never expected.

And I love it.

Here are 11 new habits that I’ve picked up since we made the move to Galicia, Spain in January 2023. And why I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.

I eat dinner super late now

I didn’t expect to like eating dinner after 9 pm. But when nothing opens before 8 pm, your body adjusts. I don’t even get hungry before 7 pm anymore.

We usually meet friends for dinner around 10 pm. And when we cook, we don’t usually sit down to eat until 8:30 — often much later.

Eating late is a big part of the pace and rhythm of social life in Spain, and once you transition to eating later, everything else starts to click into place.

Ex-pat rating: 7 out of 10. Nice change of pace, but it’s probably not forever

I’m shocked by “overpriced” food and wine

We’ve only been here a year, and I’ve already gotten so used to affordable food and drink prices that I wince when I see a glass of wine for more than €3.

It feels super overpriced.

The same goes for beer (it’s never more than €2), burgers (anything over €6 is a splurge), and coffee (€1.50 is my new normal).

My wife and I eat and drink like royalty for less than €100 a week (for dining and groceries), and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live any other way.

I’m pretty sure my head is gonna explode the next time I visit the States.

Ex-pat rating: 10 out of 10. You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a good life

I say “vale, vale, vale” all the time

“Vale” (which roughly translates as “ok”) is the only appropriate response in Spain.

“Only response to what?” you might ask.

Good question.

Everything. It’s the correct response to everything.

And you have to say it at least three times. Like Beetlejuice.

This Spanish cheat code has gotten me through dozens of conversations I didn’t completely understand, and I find myself using it more than I probably should.

If you visit or move to Spain, master the power of this linguistic Swiss army knife, and you’ll do fine.

Ex-pat rating: 9 out of 10. Vale, vale, vale…

I walk everywhere

We don’t own a car in Spain. And we don’t have plans to buy one.

Because you don’t need a car to live in most Spanish cities.

I just got back from a short walk to the local (free) hot pools and grabbed some fresh bread on the way home. And I’ve gotten used to that level of convenience.

We walk to so many things that I forget that driving (or taking a cab) is an option. Or we catch a local bus or Spain’s fantastic high-speed train network for farther destinations. It’s super easy and affordable.

Ex-pat rating: 10 out of 10. Owning a car where we live would be a hassle, not an asset. And speaking of being on your feet…

I love to eat standing up

I’m not a fan of restaurants.

I worked as a waiter and bartender for 15+ years, so it’s safe to say that the “magic” of dining is lost on me. So you can imagine how stoked I was when I discovered that dining out in Spain is nothing like the US.

In Spain tapas bars, the waiters don’t introduce themselves or tell you the specials. The bartender just says, “dime” (tell me) and then brings you a small plate of whatever tapas and a €2 glass of wine.

And you eat it standing up. Like a boss.

When you’re done, you order another plate, or you pay and leave. No muss, no fuss.

Spanish tapas culture is fast, efficient, and delicious. And now that I’ve experienced it, I can never go back to waiting for a table at Applebees.

Ex-pat rating: 10 out of 10. No, I don’t want to hear about the specials, Chad

I drink coffee whenever I want

I’m a big coffee drinker; 3 or 4 cups a day easy. So I’m a huge fan of the fact that many Spaniards drink (very good) coffee all day long.

In Spain, you start your day with a coffee, take a midday coffee break, have an afternoon coffee in the plaza, and often end your dinner with a coffee — even if it’s 11 pm.

And it’s fantastic.

All-day coffee suits the rhythm of Spanish life, which is key because I’ve started staying out later and sleeping in.

Ex-pat rating: 9 out of 10. I know drinking coffee at midnight is a bad idea, but I don’t care.

I sleep till 10 am

Getting up early just isn’t a thing in Spain.

Thanks to Spain’s very strange timezone, it can stay light until 11 pm in the summer and usually doesn’t get light until after 9 am during the winter. And no one wants to go to school or work in the dark.

And I’m here for it.

Even if you are an early bird, Spain is still awesome because you’ll have the place to yourself if you go on an early hike or hit the streets for a morning run. And if you’re a writer like me, you won’t have a bunch of people pressuring you to get up early and go for a hike or a morning run.

I’ve fully embraced the late mornings here in Spain without any of the guilt about not being a “go-getter” I’d feel in the US.

Ex-pat rating: 8 out of 10. Getting stuff done is overrated

I eat a ton of bread

Every meal in Spain (or at least Galicia) revolves around bread.

Bread is served with every meal (whether you ask for it or not), and most people use it like a fork or other utensil.

And I’m all about it.

The Spanish have multiple phrases and idioms that show how central bread is to a happy life with sayings like:

Más largo que un día sin pan = “longer than a day without bread”
De toma pan y moja = “take bread and soak it” (basically it means something is so good you have to use bread to soak up every last drop)

My wife and I always have a fresh loaf of local Cea sourdough bread locked and loaded on the cutting board. Because in Spain, carbs are king, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Ex-pat rating: 8 out of 10. Give me my daily bread

Panic grocery shopping on Saturday

Most businesses in Spain are closed on Sunday — including grocery stores and many restaurants. And if you’re not prepared with food in the house, you can have some pretty lean Sundays.

We usually grocery shop several times a week at the local markets for fresh produce, but I’ve experienced the exquisite panic of realizing that it’s Saturday night and you don’t have anything to eat tomorrow.

Ex-pat rating: 4 out of 10. Convenience can be nice sometimes.

I drink vermouth

Noon in Spain is officially vermouth hour, which means you can kickstart your afternoon if that’s your thing.

Which it sometimes is for me.

Café culture in Spain incorporates late-night coffee and early vermouth, and somehow it just works.

Ex-pat rating: 7 out of 10. I regularly raise a glass to my new Spanish habits

I hang my clothes to dry

I’ve already forgotten that dryers exist.

We hang our clothes to dry like everyone else in Spain, and while it takes longer, it’s nice to realize that a lot of modern conveniences just aren’t necessary when you’re not in a hurry.

My favorite habits I’ve picked up since moving to Spain

Our first year in Spain has been a bit of an adjustment, but it’s also been the best part. Because travel is all about learning how people around the world do the same things differently.

If you’re lucky enough to spend time in a new place, you won’t just learn how different people live.

You’ll learn about how you might live differently.

And that’s exciting stuff.

Shawn Forno is a very left-handed travel writer with 20 years of travel writing experience for clients like Lonely Planet, Tortuga Backpacks, and Matt D’Avela. Sign up for his newsletter or check out his YouTube channel, Days We Spend, for videos about living in Spain.