About getting used to life in Spain
When I lived in the Netherlands, I had a lovely garden. In the summer, it was dead quiet after eight o’clock in the evening. Because everyone automatically took the neighbours into account.
Children were in bed, the windows were open, and adults were resting after a long day at work. Not making noise is a form of respect in the Netherlands.
Now I live in southern Spain. And here silence is… relative.
Life takes place outside. Full throttle. Until late.
Music, people talking loudly, mopeds, barking dogs, screaming children, and cars with their engines running ‘just for a moment’. It’s all part of it.
It takes some getting used to.
I don’t sleep with earplugs every night anymore, but sometimes my ears just need some rest.
And I hear it from more foreigners who live here or visit: the noise level is simply different from the countries we come from.
After 2,5 years, I’m still searching for balance. Between adapting to a completely different culture and staying true to who I am.
I now dine later in the evening.
But I did buy a grabber to pick up litter, because I can’t stand to see someone leave their mess behind in a beautiful piece of nature.
I try to pay small amounts in cash.
But I do ask the person who parks in front of my door to turn off their engine — because I simply can’t concentrate with all that noise coming in all day long.
Some things you just can’t get out. And that’s okay too.
