MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
“Life feels a bit normal right now,” I said to my husband and four boys who sat at the table with me. “This feels so good.”
Yes, for just a few hours last night, life felt normal here in Spain!
Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. What we didn’t realize was that Spain was giving us a special gift.
Gradual Deconfinement
Right now, the country is on a slow “deconfinement” process. After being in total lockdown for two months in Spain, the government is gradually allowing certain zones, or provinces, to begin normal life again.
It started a few weeks ago, April 27, 2020, when they allowed the children of Spain (under age 14) to finally come out of their homes—one hour, one parent, one kilometer. It was truly like letting the wild animals out of Noah’s Ark that had been shut up for well over 40 days!
The following week, on May 2, 2020, teenagers and adults were allowed out of their homes for physical activity. Prior to that, only one adult in the household was allowed to go to the grocery store for essential purchases. Of course, if there was a medical emergency or situation, one could go to the hospital, doctor, or pharmacy.
However, yesterday, a new step in the deconfinement process began!
Phases
Spain is now divided into zones based on the numbers of Coronavirus cases. Major cities, like Madrid and Barcelona, are still in total lockdown. They are in “Phase Zero.” However, other provinces throughout the country transitioned to “Phase One” yesterday, May 11, 2020.
That just happened to be our 24th wedding anniversary, and we just happen to live in a zone that has moved to “Phase One.”
“Phase One” means that restaurants can open their outdoor terraces to 30-50% capacity. Yes, that includes tapas bars—one of the favorite activities of the Spanish people and an important part of their culture.
While out walking yesterday evening, Pierre and I noticed that there was one tapas bar open down the street. There were a few people gathered outside, talking, drinking, and being merry.
It was shocking—and exciting—to see a restaurant open and people congregating. For the past two months, our town has been a ghost town.
We ran back to the house to tell Dad and the other boys.
“Let’s go to the tapas bar for dinner tonight to celebrate our anniversary!” I said. “I don’t want to cook, do you?”
Excitement in the Air
The usual tension in the air was suddenly replaced by excitement in the air at our house as we all quickly showered and got dressed up. I personally feel like I’ve been living in yoga pants for the past eight weeks.
Pierre grabbed his bike. We all remembered to take our masks and some hand sanitizer. It was cool and rainy outside, so we brought our sweatshirts and jackets. We would be sitting outside for dinner.
It didn’t matter.
Life felt a bit normal as we strolled down the street to one of our favorite tapas bars in town.
Hopeful
We hoped that there would be a table for our family of six since restaurants were only allowed to seat to 30-50% capacity.
The place was packed, and we could hear the noise and chatter from a distance.
“Oh, I hope we aren’t disappointed,” I said to Vincent as we approached the restaurant. “I hope we can sit down and eat. We have nothing else planned for dinner.”
We noticed a table with two chairs sitting off to the side of the crowd. It felt inviting. I was personally more comfortable being away from the other tables and groups of people. Most were not wearing masks. Some wore them around their necks so they could actually enjoy their dining experience.
The owner of the restaurant welcomed us, brought over four more chairs, and had all of us wash our hands with hand sanitizer.
Strange and Surreal
It felt strange and surreal, but it didn’t matter.
Oddly enough, it also felt good. It felt freeing. Life felt a bit normal.
The kids ordered their favorite soft drinks. The big guys ordered their favorite Spanish beer. I ordered my favorite sweet summer wine—Tinto de Verano.
By now, we knew the cultural rules. Tapas are free with drinks! We ordered our favorites from the tapas menu—cheeseburgers, chicken burgers, bagels with ham and cheese, potatoes, eggs . . .
The list went on and on.
We were so excited!
We all held our glasses high, cheered to our 24 years of marriage, and our new-found freedom in Spain!
Yeah! Tapas are back—Spain is alive again!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—”THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
Is your life starting to get back to normal in your part of the world? What does your “deconfinement” process look like?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
