Cultural Differences
The biggest difference I saw in Italy and Spain was that the food and language is different. In general people don’t act too differently from how we do in the States – Young Professionals enjoy the nightlife and enjoy some of the same activities.
Another big difference I noticed is in the way different beverages are handled. Alcoholic drinks are a lot more causal than in the States and are typically ordered with most meals. I think that plays to the fact that food and meaningful conversations with other people are held in much higher regard and so spending more time or money on a meal is more socially acceptable. I also noticed that people don’t drink as much water (granted I drink like 10 bottles of water a day) and instead choose to get a glass of wine or beer.
I also noticed that everyone seemed to dress better. While in the States I might wear shorts and an oversized t-shirt to go get groceries or run errands, Europeans in general tend to dress better and make sure everything is of quality and matches. This makes sense considering fashion and rich cultural influence is such a staple of both the countries we visited.
Another big difference I noticed is in the way different beverages are handled. Alcoholic drinks are a lot more causal than in the States and are typically ordered with most meals. I think that plays to the fact that food and meaningful conversations with other people are held in much higher regard and so spending more time or money on a meal is more socially acceptable. I also noticed that people don’t drink as much water (granted I drink like 10 bottles of water a day) and instead choose to get a glass of wine or beer.
I also noticed that everyone seemed to dress better. While in the States I might wear shorts and an oversized t-shirt to go get groceries or run errands, Europeans in general tend to dress better and make sure everything is of quality and matches. This makes sense considering fashion and rich cultural influence is such a staple of both the countries we visited.