Europe

We're in a smallish seaside town named Torrox. I say smallish because that is the impression I got while driving in but, in reality, we haven't wandered from our base in an apartment on the beach. The home was exchanged with a nice Spanish couple who will be visiting my in-laws home while we are visiting here.

Although this seems like it may be a place that some Europeans come for holiday (because there are United Kingdom, German and French flags flying below the flag of Spain) I get a sense that we are not the typical visitor. For one, folks who speak English are not the easy to come by. We use the limited Spanish we know, along with Google translate, to do the best we can when ordering food. The locals are kind but maybe also a bit put off by our limited knowledge of Spanish. I sometimes, although it could be my imagination, feel as if we're being watched as something out of place.

I've pondered this a bit and believe this is a good thing for us - to feel as if we don't necessarily belong and to be a bit out of our comfort zone. It forces us to work harder on learning Spanish, because we can't rely on English speaking waiters. It forces us to observe and respect our surroundings because we don't want to look rude, be disrespectful, or, quite honestly, find ourselves in an unsafe place. And it forces us to accept that not all cultures are like America and that's ok.

Consider these things: eating dinner at 9 PM is the norm here. The locally owned grocery store closes early so that the owner can be with his/her family in the evening. It is not uncommon for stores to close in the middle of the day. We don't need to tip the waiter because he/she is paid a living wage. The waiter won't provide you the bill unless you ask for it because your meal, and your time with friends and family, should not be rushed. It is impolite to order too much food and then simply throw it away after the meal. All of this, except maybe eating dinner at 9 PM, could be applied in America and maybe we'd be a little less rushed, a little less stressed, and a little more appreciative of people and relationships because people and relationships are where life is really found.Read more