What to expect when you're an American in Spain

This post is one that I've recycled from an earlier blog.  I've edited it a little, taken a few things out and added a few more.  Basically, this list highlights the things that I, as an American, found surprising, interesting, or just plain weird about Spain when I first got here.

1.  Lunch and Dinner SUPER late!!
Lunch time is usually between 2-4p and dinner between 8-10p.  This can be very frustrating when you get hungry around 5-6p and nowhere is open!  This isn't to say that the restaurant might not be open, so don't be fooled.  A lot of places will keep the cafe/bar section open all day.  BUT the kitchen will be closed, meaning that unless they have tapas sitting out on the counters, you're not going to find any food.
*Use this time to explore more of the local tapa culture of the place!  Try some pinchos with a coffee, or a caña with a slice of tortilla!*

2.  Daily "hora de comida"
From 2pm until (roughly) 5pm everything closes (except a few bigger stores and the cafes/ bars).
This is true for some tourist stops and monuments, so be sure that you check the schedules of the places you want to see before you plan your day!  In major cities- Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, etc.- the "hora de comida" (lunch time) doesn't necessarily affect the places you'll want to see.  But in smaller cities- Segovia, Zamora, Salamanca- this may be an issue.

3.  Throwing napkins and trash on the floors of bars and cafes
This is something that really shocked me at first.  When you're in a cafe or bar, and you watch the other patrons finish with their drinks, you'll probably be as surprised as I was when I saw what they did with their trash for the first time.  They just toss it on the floor!
I asked a friend who has a bar why this is.  His explanation actually makes a lot of sense!  It makes it easier for the waiters to clean up.  When the "rush" times have died down, you'll see an employee come out with a broom, and bing, bang, boom!  The place is clean!  Leaving napkins and trash on the plates for them to scrape off will actually cause them to have to add an additional step to their service process.  It may not seem like much on a slow day, but during the lunch or dinner rush, when the bars and tapa restaurants are packed tightly and speed is the waiter's friend, being able to just simply dump the plates, cups, whatever into the sink without thinking twice will save them precious seconds.

4.  Walking EVERYWHERE... ALL the time!!
If you're going to be in Spain for any time at all, you'll learn this quickly.  To be honest, my first week here my legs were almost always sore from walking up and down hills, along long streets, and basically for hours on end.  Be prepared for this, and bring comfy shoes!

5.  Public Transportation Expectations
When you don't actually have to walk, and decide to take a bus/train/etc.  There is one interesting little social norm or expectation I didn't expect!  Thankfully, my roommate and friend (who's Spanish) scolded me for breaking this cardinal rule before someone else did.
DO NOT RECLINE YOUR CHAIR!  If there is someone behind you, you have to ask their permission before leaning your chair back.  If no one is there, but someone sits down later, you're expected to put your seat back in it's upright position.

6.  The lights in the bathrooms.
Alright, so, when you go to a bar, cafe, restaurant whatever, and you go to the bathroom the lights are generally on, right?! Well, not here! You have to turn them on, and they're generally on a timer.  Be prepared, because sometimes that timer doesn't last very long, and you'll need to reach back up and turn the light on again!

7.  Not to mention every toilet flushes differently.
Ok, not EVERY toilet, but yes, I have seen more creative ways of flushing toilets here than ever in my life.  There are some with buttons, some with those pull things that come down from the ceiling, some with foot petal things and the list goes on.  It's always an adventure!
Oh, and ps I have yet to see a toilet with the normal handle on the side like we have in the States.

8.  To continue with the bathroom oddities...
Even though in nicer restaurants and such this isn't a problem, if you're going to be traveling through bus or train stations you'll want to take note: there is almost NEVER toilet paper or soap in the bathrooms!  Just keep a packet of tissues and a thing of hand sanitizer with you, though, and that won't be a problem!