Red, White, and The Blues: Five Things I Missed About America
In September 2019, I joined over 37,000 other North Americans officially residing in Spain. It is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. And I’m proud of myself for packing my entire life into one suitcase and moving 4,000 miles away from everything and everyone I ever knew. In just a few short months, knowing nobody or the language, I have laid a solid foundation for a fulfilling life in Madrid. It’s been an adventure and a risk. However, I thought that risk was always mitigated by one simple fact: if everything went to hell, then I could just go home. In all of my preparation and planning, it never occurred to me that there could be a scenario (like a pandemic!) where I would end up physically confined to Spain.
Cherry blossoms framing the Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin. Source: iStock/Backyard Productions.
As the coronavirus descended upon Spain in a plot twist reminiscent of a box office thriller, many Americans decided to leave Spain and return to the states. And the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Spain urged "U.S. citizens who live in the United States to arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless you are prepared to remain in Spain for an indefinite period.” From the beginning, I never once thought about returning to the U.S. In my opinion, it would have been socially irresponsible to leave and possibly expose myself or others to the virus. Additionally, it would have been financially irresponsible. I do not have health insurance in the U.S. Consequently, an illness or injury of any kind could result in hefty medical bills. At least in Spain, I have great health insurance coverage and access to affordable medical care and medications.
I do not regret my decision. But experiencing a crisis in another country, by myself, has presented a number of challenges. Mainly, the language barrier. My Spanish is basura. Watching and fully comprehending the Prime Minister’s announcements on the coronavirus is nearly impossible. And reading the government’s declarations requires Google Translate and a lot of patience. Information brings me comfort. So, having a barrier between myself and the information I need is less than ideal.
As the crisis continues, and I manage as best I can, I miss the familiarity of being in the states. I’m not homesick. Actually, I feel quite at home in Madrid. But as the states remain out of reach for the foreseeable future, it makes me realize all of the little things (because of course, I miss my family, friends, and Esquire) I do miss about America. Here are a few of the things I miss the most.
1. Target (pronounced Tar-jay)
If you know me, you know how much I love Target. And that deep love runs in the family. Traditionally, on Saturday morning, it was almost a guarantee that you could find me and my Dad perusing our respective Targets. From the $1 section to the familiar smell of Starbucks and Pizza Hut breadsticks, I miss going into Target intending to purchase two items and leaving with a new wardrobe and bedroom set.
The closest equivalent is El Cortes Inglés, Spain’s only remaining department store chain. But it has a number of shortcomings. The biggest shortcoming for me is the fact that it’s not a “one-stop shop.” Instead, you have to visit multiple El Cortes Inglés locations to cross off your shopping list. The stores are organized by categories. So, one location will have only clothing, shoes, and accessories. Then you have to leave, go several blocks, then find another location that has appliances, home goods, and electronics. This was very confusing (and annoying) when I first visited.
2. Customer Service
Authentic maple syrup, seasoning salt, and stellar customer service are three things equally hard to find things in Spain. Long gone are the days of, “My apologies for the long wait, how can I help you?” The customer is never right. And speaking with a manager is a fruitless effort. I once waited 15 minutes for a sales associate to recognize my existence when I was in the market for a new blow-dryer. During my immigration appointment, the associate who was helping me casually struck up a conversation with her co-worker and left me just sitting there wondering whether or not the appointment was actually over. Just minutes before, the same associate was hesitant to approve my residency application because the entrance passport stamp I received in Barcelona wasn’t clear enough. And of course, that was MY fault, not the customs agents. Most dining experiences will take at least two hours. Why? Because servers will only return to the table every 30 to 45 minutes; ignoring your empty wine glass and pleas for water. Of course, there are exceptions. But in general, customer service is minimal to non-existent.
3. Smiling
In the U.S., it is commonplace to catch and return a smile from a total stranger on the street. This is less common in Spain. Especially, in Madrid. That does not mean that Spaniards are unfriendly. Typically, the smiles will come when you have some familiarity with the person. But smiling at strangers is a rare occurrence that I sorely miss. Smiling actually releases happy hormones. And I can recall, on many occasions, my entire attitude being turned around because I received (and returned) a warm smile from a stranger as I went about my day. There’s something reassuring in that brief human interaction.
4. Appliances
Thanks to my grandmother, Mary, I love baking. And I’m very good at it. During law school, and while studying for the bar, I would stress bake. I would feel overwhelmed, make a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, and instantly feel better. But alas, a lot of Spanish apartments don’t have ovens. Including mine. Fortunately, I have a small toaster oven, which does fine but is nothing like baking in an actual oven.
Another appliance you will not find in most Spanish apartments is a dryer. However, this applies to all of Europe. For example, I've visited a number of European cities, such as London, Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Paris, etc. One thing they all have in common is a lack of dryers. An estimated 85% of U.S. households have a clothes dryer compared to only 58% of UK households. There are a number of reasons why dryers aren’t popular in Europe, including cost (high energy users are often penalized by utility companies) and lack of space (European apartments are much smaller and the washing machine is often located in the kitchen). Thus, I have the weekly chore of doing my laundry, then hanging everything up to dry on a clothing rack. It typically takes anywhere from a few hours (on a hot, sunny day) to over 24 hours (on a cold, overcast day) for my clothes to completely dry.
5. Units of Measurement
There are two main systems for measuring distance and weight, the Imperial System and the Metric System. Nearly all countries use the Metric System, including Spain. The Metric System uses meters and grams as the measuring units. In the U.S., we use the older Imperial System, measuring things in feet, inches, and pounds. In addition to the U.S., Myanmar and Liberia are the only other countries that still use the Imperial System. As a result, I am always using an app to convert measurements from the Metric to the Imperial System. Here are a few useful conversions: (1) 1 mile is equal to 1.6 kilometers, (2) 1 inch is about 25 millimeters or 2.54 centimeters, (3) a 3-foot measurement is almost exactly 1 meter, and 1 kilogram is a little over 2 pounds.