A lot of people ask me what I like about living in Spain. The truth is, this list could go on for quite awhile. There are countless things about Spain that I love. The people, the food, the culture, the history, just to give a very basic overview.
For now, I'm just going to talk a little about one of the things that has stood out to me throughout my entire time here, and yet still continues to surprise me.
Spain, on the whole, is a VERY safe country. There are, of course, exceptions to everything. Crime does happen, and in the large cities, like all large cities, they occur more frequently. But, in my day to day life, I never feel unsafe or threatened. If I'm walking to the grocery store at noon, or walking home from a friend's house at midnight, the feeling is the same.
This is something that is a huge difference from the US. When living in Normal, IL, if it was dark out, no matter what time, I was nervous walking to my car. If I was in the Target parking lot, or walking to my car 20 feet outside my front door, I would still feel a little nervous. This may just be me. But, when the University sends out crime alert e-mails at least once a month, I can't help be think twice before putting myself into a situation that could be potentially dangerous. I'll admit, I was always a little more nervous and cautious than needed. But the point still stands, I felt like I needed to be. But here, I've never had that feeling.
This carries over into other aspects as well. Due to the financial crisis in Spain, a lot of people in the United States seem to think that the country itself is unsafe. I can understand this to a certain extent. When I've googled "Spain" the most recent news articles that come up always deal with some riot in Madrid, or a demonstration in Barcelona. But, the truth is, those events are few and far between. In my daily life, I've seen many demonstrations and strikes, but never once have they been violent, and on average, last maybe 2-3 hours. And the only "collateral damage" from said demonstrations is a street closing because the participants have spilled over the sidewalks, and are now congregated there. But, without fail, people I meet in the US, when hearing I live in Spain, always ask, "But aren't you scared? Aren't they in an economic crisis?"
The American feeling of fear continues to amaze me when planning trips to different cities or countries. I always have the same conversation with friends/ family. "But isn't that part of the world in unrest? Are you sure it's safe?" Yes, yes I am. And I'm not the least bit worried, to be honest.
One last area that always amazes me when it comes to the lack of the "American fear" here, has to do with the children. On countless occasions I've been walking around one city or another, and down the street come running a group of children, aged anywhere from 4 to 16. No parents in sight. No one running after them warning, "don't touch that!" "don't go too far!" "Don't run too fast!" "Hold my hand!". Children here are actual able to be children. I can't speak to the cause for the dangers in the US, or the reactions of parents, being that I am not one. It's just amazing to see children, all together, playing soccer in the streets, or splashing in a puddle.
I'm not trying to speak bad about the US, or the American society, don't get me wrong. The simple matter is that one of the things I love the most about Spain is the absence of fear, the ability to enjoy life without worrying about what's lurking around the corner.
As I said, this is just one of the many many things that makes living in this country so amazing, and so distinct from other places. It's something I want to remember about this experience when, years down the road, Nick and I look back on our time here. So, for this reason, I'm leaving it here.
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