Submitted by Marissa Kissinger on the 2017 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
When I first landed in Spain and met my “mom”, I was a little nervous. My Spanish isn’t perfect, I don’t know much about their culture and I had no idea what to expect. Turns out my host mom is like a real mom. I think this has a little bit to do with how strongly people here value family time. At home in the United States more than half of the time, my family doesn’t eat together. My family sometimes just goes out too, to make it easier. It is the exact opposite here in Spain. I eat every meal with my host mom and we sit and talk for an hour minimum. At home, if I am not home in time, my family eats without me. However, here in Spain, my host mom waits for all of us to be here at the same time so we can spend time together. This has helped me get accustomed to the way of life here and is also making me feel very at home. I have really missed home cooked meals and genuine time just spent talking with my family. Meals in Spain are a bonding time for families and are so important that businesses close from 2:00 pm-5:00 pm so that families can enjoy lunch together. I hope to bring this piece of Spain home with me so that I can enjoy family time with my family back home in the United States.