Observations about Madrid

Hey all,
I am keeping my own pseudo journal and writing in this blog too is too tedious of a task, so instead I will just be posting random and interesting entries instead of boring day-to-day journal entries. And here is the first. Well, as you may or may not know, everyone tells you when you are planning to go abroad, "it is such an experience, and you get to see a different culture first hand." Initially I thought that this was just a bunch of hallmark generic bull shit. I also was under the impression that Europe was very similar to the United States and nothing could be as different from my culture as what I have already seen in South America. After spending only two full weeks in Madrid I would like to tell you that I was all wrong. While it is true that the fashion rather similar, and Spain is more or less technologically on the same page as the United States, I have noticed a HUGE difference between the US and Spain and they are listed here:

1) There is dog crap everywhere on the streets and what seems like an uptight law in the US is actually rather necessary. (on that note: never and I repeat never step into the square dirt areas in the sidewalks where trees are planted)

2) Spain's Metro and bus public transportation system makes those in the states seem like a Jackson Pollock painting

3) The work ethic here is less than half of the drive in the US. I thought we were lazy. This quote sums it up the best, "Spaniards work to live, but Americans live to work"

4) Movies like Animal House and Van Wilder give off an impression that Americans party hard, but trust me no one parties harder than Spain. There are parties every night, they don't go out until midnight, things don't get really going until 1 a.m., and it is very acceptable to come home at 6 a.m. when the Metro starts running again.

5) Due to observation #4, a siesta is a very important part of the day. Contrary to popular belief though, the siesta is not a popular thing among adults, however it is more common with kids under the age of 25.

6) The intention behind going out in the US is completely different from Spain's. In the US college kids go out with the intention to have fun, get trashed, and above all to hopefully meet someone and get laid. In Spain this is not the case. Here the object is to go out and get drunk, but to be entertained more than anything, and 90% of the time come home alone. The night is not a sexual pursuit, but instead a huge show.

7) Now you would think, based on the last one, that encounters are less sexual then, but you would be wrong again. For example, the average couple will split up during the night and go to separate places. The guy will pinch other girls asses, flirt incessantly and then turn a girl down when she finally dances with him. The girl on the other hand, has to fend off pulpos (which means octopus but refers to Spanish men who seem to have eight hands constantly grabbing girls) and will not dance with a guy even if she is single and likes him until he asks six or seven times. (I am not exaggerating). And remember that all of this is in fun and they still usually go home solo.

8) Spaniards are more immature than Ameican believe it or not. Like most of Europe, families are very close and live in the same house. Well, this is also true and translates to the fact that the average kid will live with "mom and dad" until he or she is at least 25 and as we all know, in the states a 25-year-old living at home is extremely frowned upon.

Ok, I am sorry this post was so long, but judging by the length of the list so far in only two weeks, it is clear that I was very wrong in my assumption that Spain is similar to the US, and I will also be saying to people "going abroad exposes you to a new culture" when I get home.