Spring is in the air! When the flowers start blooming, the sun starts shining, and the weather starts changing, it’s natural to feel compelled to make subsequent changes in your own life.   Now, I’ve never been a fan of spring cleaning (or any type of cleaning for that matter), so this year I’m proposing that in lieu of cleaning out our closets or actually purchasing a vacuum, we should instead put into action a couple of lessons I’ve learned from the Spanish in order to "clean up" and improve our lives in a different way.First, in ultimate spring cliché fashion -- stop and smell the roses. Between classes, intramural sports, student government meetings, spring mixers, and applying for grad schools, it becomes easy to stress ourselves out and lose sight of what is important. But when is the last time you sat outside with the sun on your face and enjoyed a good cup of coffee?
In Spain, it’s considered strange or even rude to order your coffee to go. Spaniards cannot fathom why anyone would be in enough of a hurry to refuse the opportunity to sit with friends or a good book and savor a cup of coffee. Set aside a little time each day to really relax and enjoy a moment without worrying about the million things on your to-do list. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel afterwards.
Next, be honest. The Spaniards are notoriously blunt, which is surprisingly refreshing. While it doesn’t feel great when I roll out of bed after a solid three hours of sleep, and my house mom tells me, “Tienes mala cara hoy,” or “You have bad face today,” there is something strangely comforting about hearing the ugly truth from someone who legitimately cares for you and is not trying to hurt you in any way.
It’s probably not the best idea to inform your friends every time they’re not looking their best, but honesty is a value that many Americans, especially girls, can easily lose sight of. We think we’re being good friends when a roommate asks for advice and we tell them what they want to hear, but this isn’t the case. It’s always better in the long run to tell the truth and say what you really feel.
Now that we’re being honest... PUT YOUR PHONES AWAY. In Spain, being on your phone during a meal is rude no matter where you are or who you’re with. Upon arrival here, my roommate and I felt like we noticed more “awkward pauses” in the conversation at meals. After a while, we realized that these pauses aren’t awkward at all; they are simply natural lulls in the conversation.
We have a propensity to say that everything is awkward, and we think we can use our phones to combat this awkwardness. But it’s all a cycle because our phones are the things that make us awkward! Seriously, just put them away and you’ll be amazed at the incredible conversation that ensues when you’re not simply discussing your likes to minute ratio on Instagram.
Lastly, start walking everywhere you go. The staples of a Spanish diet are bread, bread, and more bread, and yet no one in Spain is even close to being overweight. The only explanation is the ridiculous amount of walking that everyone does on a daily basis. Now that I’ve started walking so much, I feel so ridiculous for ever driving to classes or restaurants that are maybe a mile from my house.
The rewards of walking a couple extra miles each day stretch much farther than simply canceling out that extra piece of toast you had for breakfast. You instantly feel happier, healthier, and frankly more alive. There’s absolutely no better way to enjoy the warm, spring weather so get outside and start walking. ¡Ándale!