American Family Moved to Spain Last Year, Mistakes, Lessons so Far

I should’ve known that we were too early when we had to duck under the partially closed metal awning.

We’d arrived after the restaurant’s posted opening hours, but my suspicions were confirmed when we were greeted by a hostess who was still taking off her motorcycle helmet.

Definitely too early. She suggested we come back later, with a reservation.

Welcome to the struggle of finding dinner in Spain before 8 p.m.

About a year and a half ago, my family and I made the bold decision to leave the US, sell most of our belongings — including our home — and move our lives to Spain.

Although it’s absolutely been a dream come true, there are still some cold-water-on-the-face moments that snap us awake and remind us how far we’ve come.

We’ve gradually adjusted to new business hours and norms

Even simple things like dining out and shopping at local stores have required some readjusting.

Restaurants typically open later and stay open later than they did back in the US, especially during Spain’s languid, sunny summers.

This all sounds very romantic until you have hungry children looking for dinner at 7:30 p.m. and most local restaurants don’t open for another hour. Then dinner becomes a mish-mash of ham, cheese, and olives back home.

And don’t count on stopping by the local supermarket on Sundays — ours is closed.

Fish at the Mercado Central on Mondays? Forget it. Picture instead dozens of fish stalls, row after row of shops usually spilling over with squid, shellfish, swordfish, tuna, and more, all shuttered.

I’ve also stopped counting how many times I’ve tried to pick up a few items at a local store in the middle of the day, only to be greeted by closed doors because the whole street has shut down for “siesta” (also known as a post-lunch rest).

These breaks are common throughout Spain, and often last for two or three hours in the middle of the day, but can vary depending on the region.

Although these shops often stay open later in the evening to help balance things out, we do miss the simple reliability of many local businesses being open all day.

On the bright side, in Spain, restaurant and business hours seem to intentionally force us to slow down and plan ahead.

Dining and café culture have also pushed us to slow down and enjoy meals more

In Spain, café culture is alive and well. The sidewalks frequently fill with workers, families, and neighbors of all ages, making the chairs and tables a lively extension of the neighborhood.

They take their time sipping, chatting, and sharing food. Diners rarely seem to be in a rush — and it’s considered poor form to eat while walking or commuting.

We’ve learned to budget more time for quick meals and the art of flagging down the waiter for the check — otherwise it simply won’t arrive.

It took a bit of getting used to, especially coming from a country where rushed meals are more normal, and the check can sometimes arrive at the same time as the food.

However, there’s no rushing you out of restaurants here.

In fact, the Spanish even have a word, sobremesa, for the idle chatter and company that follows a meal. Allow extra time accordingly.

Sometimes, ordering mishaps have actually worked in our favor

One of our first meals in Spain was at a local restaurant in our neighborhood.

Buoyed by a healthy mix of overestimating our level of fluency and underestimating just how quickly waiters can talk, we were excited to experience a more authentic, truly Spanish experience.

So when I thought I was simply asking for the menu, we could only laugh when we received a “menú del día” (“menu of the day”), heaping plates and platters as part of a three-course meal.

In retrospect, the fact that the waiter talked for so long and in such detail about each dish should have been a sign, but it turned out to be an error in our favor.

The multicourse meal was delicious, priced at only about 14 euros per person, and one of the best we’ve had. We now actively seek out menús del día whenever we’re out.

All in all, living here has meant planning more but also embracing a laid-back attitude

Ultimately, we’ve learned to take things more slowly and make plans in advance when it comes to meals and errands — things we probably should’ve been doing anyway.

And we’ve especially learned to appreciate our little adventure and the fact we were actually able to pull it off, despite all the bumps and bruises along the way.

I’m not sure how long my family will stay in Spain, but we set out on this path to push ourselves outside our comfort zones and learn new things. On that count, even the mistakes have been a success.