Some Differences

After nearly a month back, I should comment on some of the everyday differences between the culture of my birth and the adopted culture of my heart.

Things I miss about Spain daily, in no particular order:

• Global workers who already feel like coworkers/friends.
• My Spanish family/friends who are like family.
• No tipping culture! The cost of your meal is the actual cost. Punto.
• Two-plate long lunches. Bread. Dessert. Fruit. Gazpacho Andaluz. (although I just figured how to make a semi-decent version, so that makes me happy.)
• Decent, non-Starbucks coffee wherever you roam.
• Late nights and long conversations.
• The sound of familiar hymns in another heart language. (Try listening to a Spanish congregation singing Holy, Holy, Holy without misting up. It's impossible.)
• Lack of a sense of rush. Maybe it's there and I don't see it, but I haven't gotten a sense of the "rat race" in Spain.
• A culturally-sanctioned daily wander-about

A few things I enjoy in the United States:

• Fast customer service and free/cheap refills
• Being completely (well, mostly :-D) understood in a language
• My church/job at Tenth Presbyterian
• Clothing thrift stores (do they not exist in Spain?)
• Ample parking space
• Philly/Pittsburgh friends like family who understand "this whole crazy Spain thing"
• Growing access to Spanish cheeses/cuisine (though this comes with sticker shock, eek.)
• My cat, Juan, though maybe he'll be a traveller yet