I had caught myself in the classic competitive American lifestyle and while my routines may have sounded simple, it was far from that. Constantly being burnt out and feeling like I needed to be doing more to get ahead had been catching up to me for my last year. I was set to graduate during the Spring Quarter but decided to do something spontaneous such as signing up for a month abroad. That way I could have the opportunity to take full advantage of my education and still gain insightful experiences.
The reason I emphasize the Spain lifestyle in my title was because the culture was around their day-to-day lifestyles. In America we are always urged to wake up early, the early bird gets the worm after all right? Well, in Leon it is customary to wake up later in the morning pretty much early afternoon (around 12-1 p.m.). Then they eat a nice Brunch, go out to the cafes to meet up with friends and family, have drinks, smoke a cigarette, and head back home around 2-3 p.m. to take a nap. You must be thinking… okay so they like to work at night… nope not the case at all. In fact, stores and shops close during certain hours of the day to take a break for themselves as well, and while the sun is still out to almost 10 p.m. during the summertime, everything closes for the day around 8-9 p.m. The few places that are open include restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. Once again perfect for leisure time with friends and family. Mind you after the mid-day nap, elders, couples, and children are seen once again at the outdoor cafes and restaurants meeting up for good conversation, food, and drinks to end the night.
An important aspect to note is that this is not a normal weekend, this is the routine 7 days and week. Now in America, I can’t speak for everyone’s experience but from my own going out to get food and drinks with friends and family is a luxury once a week or once in a while deal. Also, In America, it is quite rare to see elderly couples out at bars or clubs. I’m not talking about 50-60-year-olds, I am mentioning the 70-80+ year old couples and individuals fully enjoying their lives and thriving at these ages. While I cannot say there is not a working-class, of course, their economy moves every day with jobs, money, etc. My one fundamental comparison would be how much people revolve their lives around their work. In Leon, it was difficult to distinguish who made more money than the other based on neighborhoods since everyone lived in similar apartments scattered throughout the city. I remember learning from locals that it was hard to work your way up and have your own rich lifestyle as the government taxes the rich quite heavily. In America, it is seen how the rich are not taxed as much as the working class.
A big takeaway was the simple life, THE REAL SIMPLE LIFE. This means walking everywhere to get to your destination, working at a bar with people drinking wine all around you, drying your clothes on a clothesline with no dryer in sight, genuinely enjoying your life, and not being worried about accomplishing things 24/7.
