7 Things That Surprised Me About Spain

Don’t expect to eat dinner until 9 pm

I’m almost two months into my digital nomad adventures in Spain and in that time, have covered ten cities so far. Apart from a lost wallet scare at the beginning of the trip (I got it back!) and a disastrous experience with BlaBlaCar, it’s been pretty smooth sailing so far. Here are some things that have surprised me thus far into my stay!

1. Dinners run very, very late

I’m one of those people who skip breakfast and call it intermittent fasting, which means I’m usually done consuming food by 8 pm. But that doesn’t play out too well in a country where restaurants don’t open until 8 pm and it doesn’t get busy until 9 to 10 pm.

I’ve had to adjust my meal schedule so that my first meal is much later in the day, so be prepared to eat late if you come to Spain! Although it was kind of a nuisance at first, I now find it endearing since this schedule is done to include a siesta in the afternoon and who doesn’t love naps?

2. People are very proud of their food (and culture)

If you’ve been to Southeast Asia, you know we pile on the spice. My taste buds were feeling a bit neglected here so I jokingly posted a video on TikTok lamenting about how Spanish food isn’t spicy. Let me tell you, people were maaad. They’re very proud of their food, with some commenting that garlic is spicy (it’s not) and some telling me to just effin’ leave.

Perhaps it’s my own fault for jokingly poking fun at their food, but jeesh — I wasn’t expecting such a strong reaction. If people were to tell me they couldn’t handle the spice of Thai food, I wouldn’t tell them to get out of my country…

But I suppose that shows how proud the Spainards are of their food and culture!

3. You don’t have to buy the six-pack, you can buy singles

If you go to a supermarket, you’ll see drinks bundled up in six packs. But did you know you can just take them out of their six-pack and buy them individually? Only want a can of coke? No problem. Only want one beer? You got it.

I love that you’re able to buy only what you want and not be strongarmed into a six-pack commitment. I think the US’ consumeristic culture that encourages overbuying could learn a thing or two from this.

4. Smaller cities are really affordable

Having adjusted to the cost of living in Thailand, I knew that coming to Europe was going to be a pricey endeavor. And that was certainly the case in bigger cities like Barcelona and Madrid. But as soon as I got out of those cities to smaller ones in the South like Granada and Córdoba, things were suddenly very affordable, even for me.

You can find quick meals for 5 Euros and drinks — let’s say a glass of wine — can go as low as 1.5 Euros. If you’re considering doing a digital nomad stint somewhere, add Spain to the list of considerations!

5. You can (almost) go without cash

Speaking of affordable, coming from a cash-heavy society, I was really excited to traipse around cashless. And that’s certainly been the case. Almost everyone accepts card or mobile payment with the card reader and even a one Euro purchase can be put on a card. While super convenient, I wonder about the safety of all this (but I’m shoving those thoughts away for now!).

The only times I’ve had to dish out cash are when riding the bus in smaller cities and tipping tour guides. So while you could pretty much go cashless, it’s nice to have a bit of spare change in your back pocket just in case!

6. It’s the slow life

Life in Spain feels slow and leisurely. It’s the Spanish way. For some reason, I expected things in Europe to be running on the dot and chop chop chop style. But here, especially in the South, things are chill.

No one at the restaurant will bring you the check when you’re almost done eating and tell you “whenever you’re ready” like they do in the US. If you’re ready for the check, you have to ask for it. Some people also joke about “Spanish time” and how Spaniards will show up late for any gathering. And of course, the famous siestas in the afternoon — who doesn’t love a midday nap?

Every now and then, it’s always nice to slow down the pace of life and just go with the flow, something we don’t seem to do enough of in our society that prizes productivity.

7. Everyone has been so nice

Maybe it’s just an internal fear of mine, but I was honestly a bit scared of how I’d be treated as an Asian. Some friends have recounted their negative experiences and run-ins with racism in Europe, so I wasn’t sure what to expect given my limited exposure to the region.

But surprisingly, everyone has been really warm and friendly. Yes, it’s sad that I find it surprising to be treated as a human being, but alas, that’s the world we live in. I know I carry a lot of privilege as I speak English and Spanish, so I’m curious to hear if others have a different experience not speaking the language.

Been to Spain or thinking of going to Spain? I’d love to hear your thoughts or if I missed anything!