First impressions 1-month after moving here from Chicago
I’ve been living in Madrid for a little over a month now. After living all of my life in the United States, I’ve experienced some cultural shocks since moving to Spain.
Disclaimer:
This article is entirely based on my own personal experiences and is not meant to reflect all of Spain or others’ experiences living in Madrid.
I also do not intend to perpetuate or affirm stereotypes because every culture is complex and can never be interpreted through one person’s reality.
That being said, here are my genuine first impressions of living in Madrid vs. Chicago.
What I Like:
- The walkability
Madrid’s center is so walkable! During my first week there, I walked literally EVERYWHERE from one side of the city to the other and back, and it was rather enjoyable because of the charming, winding streets and beautiful architecture along the way.
Unlike American cities, which are designed using the grid system to maximize walking efficiency, European cities are more curvy and allow for leisurely strolls with no specific destination.
- The food quality
Europe simply has better quality food than the United States.
Stricter food regulations mean less artificial shit and greater cultural emphasis on sit-down meals rather than eating on-the-go means a greater attitude of respect toward food.
- The “menú-del-día”
During lunch hours, many restaurants offer a “menu of the day” that includes a starter, main course, dessert and drink for an affordably set price, usually around 15 euros.
It’s pretty great.
My menú del día lunch at an Italian restuarant in Lavapies
- The social atmosphere
Whether at cafes, bars, restaurants, or parks, it’s always social hour in Madrid.
I enjoy the lively atmosphere while walking around the city, even if I’m solo.
- The accessibility and affordability of travel
The amount of places you can fly to under $60 is crazy – coming from Chicago where you’re going to pay at least $200 to go anywhere worthwhile.
Side note: why is it 3x cheaper to fly to Morocco than France???
As someone with an adventurous spirit, I love that I can just hop on a bus or a train virtually anywhere and have an adventure — uninhibited by needing a car.
- The cleanliness
Again, coming from Chicago, one of the first things I noticed about Madrid is how CLEAN the streets and public transit are.
Not seeing litter piled up in the gutters and not smelling weed everywhere you go was a pleasant change.
- Feeling more safe
While safety is subjective and I know anything can happen anywhere, I can definitely say Madrid feels safer than pretty much anywhere in the United States.
The fact that I see parents with strollers walking around at 10 pm or other women walking by themselves at 2 am is enough said.
- The work-life balance
Life does not revolve around people’s careers here.
When people go out, it’s not to attend networking events or get drunk to escape work stress.
In Spain, your career does not define who you are.
What I Dislike:
- Customer service etiquette
Say what you want about how American politeness is “fake” or “disingenuous”, but I LIKE acknowledging someone else’s humanity by asking how their day is.
When I go to the grocery store, for example, it’s my habit to ask, “How are you?” to the person at check-out. In the United States, I am usually met with a genuine response.
In Madrid, when I ask, “Cómo estás”, it’s like I never even asked a question.
“Con tarjeta?” is their response.
Also, people in Madrid don’t say “Have a good day” as a goodbye.
They say “hasta luego” — which is fine but it appears a little rude after I tell them “Tenga un buen día”.
In regards to restaurants, be prepared to fight for your waiter’s attention.
- How congested public spaces can be
I didn’t realize how many people are here in Madrid until being squished like a sardine on public transit.
On buses or trains… it’s not fun.
- Public etiquette
Maybe it’s because Americans are more self-absorbed to notice; or maybe it’s because we’ve seen too much weird shit to care.
But it seems that there’s a stronger set of social norms in European versus American cities, and consequent judgment if not followed.
For example, no one is walking around in their sweatpants and gym shoes here.
And I know this sounds very American of me, but I miss being able to wear my gym clothes walking around town without feeling severely underdressed.
In general, I felt more free to behave how I wanted in the United States versus here in Madrid.
Of course, at the end of the day, fear of strangers’ judgments shouldn’t govern how you want to be, but it is something I’m more mindful of here.
- Paying for water
The drinking culture is so strong here that it’s cheaper to get a glass of “tinto de verano” (wine mixed in with a carbonated beverage) than water in a restaurant.
WHY???
- Restaurant bread
I thought since I would be in Europe, that any and all bread would be good.
I thought wrong.
While it may be slightly better than American bread, most bread I’ve had here in Spain (at least in restaurants) has been dry and stale.
- The closed-offness of Madrileños
The Spaniard stereotype of being super friendly and open, at least so far in my experience, does not apply to Madrileños.
I am not fluent in Spanish (yet) so that may be a factor; but even so, I felt a lot more comfortable when I was in Mexico this past summer chatting with locals in Spanish than I do in Madrid.
Arms are not as open and welcoming as I’ve found in Latin American countries.
7. The smoking culture
While the popularity of smoking is over in the United States, it most certainly is not here in Spain (and I believe many other European countries).
I can’t walk anywhere without intoxicating my lungs with cigarette smoke, and it is especially a nuisance in tight spaces WHERE THERE IS NO MORE FRESH AIR TO BREATHE.
I find it ironic that Europe prides itself on being healthier than America, yet smoking is still the norm here.
Ah… the technical parts of moving abroad. Where everything is a process — and an unnecessarily long and confusing one.
The hoops you have to jump through and navigate around are infuriating… but hey, at least I’m living in Spain.
That concludes the main things I’ve noticed from living in Madrid for a month.
While it was difficult to accept some of these differences at first since everything was so new to me, I am slowly adjusting and becoming more comfortable with my new life here.
I’m excited to see how my experience evolves and how these first impressions may change with time.
Tell me:
- What were some of your cultural shocks when coming to Spain?
- Was there anything in this article that you agreed or disagreed with?
Let me know in the comments!
gottacaseofwanderlust 
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