I was texting with a friend, trying to schedule an appointment for a Skype call.
“Is 4:00 p.m. too late? If we talk for an hour or so, won’t that run into your family’s dinner time,” my friend asked.
“Are you kidding?” I answered. “It’s 3:35 p.m. right now, and we just finished lunch. Dinner at our house is around 9-10 p.m. Our family is on ‘Spanish time.’”
We Didn’t Even Try to Adjust
Our family is on “Spanish time,” and we didn’t even try to adjust. It happened naturally.
Today, we went to a tapas bar with some friends. We met at the restaurant at 2 p.m. and left at 4:30 p.m. It’s now 7:30 p.m., and I find myself having a hot cup of tea and a cookie. It’s “snack time”! This may seem crazy to some!
Before arriving in Spain, we had been warned. Actually, we remember our vacation days in Spain and the schedule and mealtime hours. They seemed really “off” to us, but for Spanish culture—they are “spot on”!
“The typical Spanish work day begins at 9 a.m.; after, a two-hour lunch break between 2 and 4 p.m., employees return to work, ending their day around 8 p.m. The later working hours force Spaniards to save their social lives for the late hours. Prime-time television doesn’t start until 10:30 p.m.”
BBC
With most Spaniards eating meals “later,” restaurants don’t usually open for lunch until 1-2 p.m. and for dinner around 9-10 p.m.
Is it Because of the Heat?
At first, I attributed this Spanish schedule and mealtime hours to the heat.
Since arriving in 100 degree plus Fahrenheit temperatures, we have been waking up around 8-9 a.m. It’s been warm in the mornings, so I find myself not especially hungry. Around 10 a.m., I have a light breakfast. We have been eating lunch consistently around 2 p.m., followed by a short siesta. The heat wipes you out, and taking a short nap in the afternoon’s peak heat really helps.
After some time in the swimming pool, we have a cup of coffee or tea and a little snack—perhaps a few cookies. We have then been eating dinner around 10 p.m., when the heat starts to subside, and we can comfortably sit outside. The sun is typically setting around this time.
After dinner and clean up, our family goes for a late-evening stroll, the paseo, along with everyone else in our town. The outside air is cooler, and it seems to give more relief than being inside the house.
Around midnight, we fall asleep. The cycle begins again the next day. With young school-aged children, I realize that our family can only maintain this schedule until school begins late August.
So, is it really the heat that has caused us to adjust to “Spanish time”— without even trying?
What is the Real Reason?
According to BBC, “While travelers might attribute Spain’s late mealtimes to the country’s laidback Mediterranean attitude, the real reason is a little more peculiar. Spaniards are living in the wrong time zone, and have been for more than 70 years.”
Spain sits along the same longitude as the UK, Portugal, and Morocco. This means that Spain should be in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). However, Spain goes by Central European Time (CET).
“In 1940, General Francisco Franco changed Spain’s time zone, moving the clocks one hour forward in solidarity with Nazi Germany. After World War II ended, the clocks were never changed back. They continued to eat at the same time, but because the clocks had changed, their 1 p.m. lunches became 2 p.m. lunches, and they were suddenly eating their 8 p.m. dinners at 9 p.m. Being 60 minutes behind the correct time zone means the sun rises later and sets later, bestowing Spain with gloriously long summer evenings and 10 p.m. sunsets.”
BBC
Whether it’s the heat, the wrong time zone, or just cultural tradition . . . we are naturally on “Spanish time.”
How We Cope
Whatever the reason, we have found a great coping mechanism—siesta.
“Spaniards have traditionally coped with their late nights by taking a mid-morning coffee break and a two-hour lunch break, giving them the opportunity to enjoy one of the country’s most famous traditions: the siesta.”
BBC
Thank you, God, for bringing us to the “land of siesta.” I think I’m going to like it here!
Enjoy reading this poem, “What is the Meaning of Time in Your Culture?”
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
Let’s Weave Cultures!
When you arrive in a foreign country, you have to adjust to the culture—that includes the time! Where have you visited or lived that had a different “cultural” time schedule than that of your home country or culture? How did you adjust?
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.
