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22/05/2009From Barcelona: You know you’ve lived in Spain long enough when…

From Barcelona: You know you’ve lived in Spain long enough when… … you are nodding in agreement with the following statements.

1)    When asked to do something, your first answer is: “mañana”

2) Coming home at three in the morning is early, six the norm - even if you are 40 or 50.
 
3) You aren't just surprised that the plumber/decorator/electrician/carpenter has turned up on time, you're surprised he turned up at all.

4) You know a 50-year-old man whose mother still does his laundry, and another who still picks his nose.

5) You think it's fine to comment on everyone's appearance.

6) Life is broken down into possible and impossible.

7) You plan your weekends around the siesta.

8) All your answers are prefaced with: “Yes, but...”

9) You know the time after lunch has its own word - sobremesa.

10) You no longer wait for the waiter to clean the table before sitting down.

11) The imperative is used to ask for things, and ‘please’ and ‘thanks’ said sparingly.

12) Nothing is ever your fault anymore.

14) There's a neighbor who likes drilling and hammering, but only between eight and ten on a Saturday morning.

15) You're known as the guiri.

16) Every sentence you speak, even in your native language, contains at least one of these words: ‘bueno’, 'coño', 'vale', 'venga', 'pues nada'...

17) The question: "How are you?" is a chance to complain about your day.

18) A beer or two with lunch during the week isn't anything out of the ordinary.

19) Free time is more important than money.

20) You eat lunch after 2pm and would never even think of having your evening meal before 9pm.

21) Breakfast is a coffee and a small sandwich or a croissant.

22) You know what a Catalan is...

22 May 2009

Jeremy Holland / Expatica

Written by an American expat, From Barcelona is a blog dedicated to the city, the life and the people of the capital of Catalunya (Catalonia).  
 


2 reactions to this article

Bill R posted: 2009-07-04 16:37:42

Hey Jeremy, you sound more like a complaining Brit than an American, maybe that comes from living in the make believe "country of catalonia". Why don't you move to Madrid and live in Spain for awhile. Bill from New York

luis posted: 2009-08-17 02:20:39

Great article!! You really has reflect the spanish way of live. I have laught a lot with all of your true comentaries. I'm spanish and I'm absolutelly agree with you. I have been felt reflected in all that points.

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2 reactions to this article

Bill R posted: 2009-07-04 16:37:42

Hey Jeremy, you sound more like a complaining Brit than an American, maybe that comes from living in the make believe "country of catalonia". Why don't you move to Madrid and live in Spain for awhile. Bill from New York

luis posted: 2009-08-17 02:20:39

Great article!! You really has reflect the spanish way of live. I have laught a lot with all of your true comentaries. I'm spanish and I'm absolutelly agree with you. I have been felt reflected in all that points.

Add a comment
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