Adjusting to life in Spain has come with its fair share of everyday learning curves. One of the first things I had to adapt to was the metric system, which affects everything from clothing to bedding sizes. I quickly realized that the dimensions for items like sheets aren’t the same as what I’m used to in the U.S.
For instance, I don’t even know the exact size of my bed—it looks like a queen to me, but when I went shopping for sheets, everything was listed in centimeters. I ended up choosing a size that was way too big, but at this point, as long as I have something covering my mattress, I’ll make it work.
Another surprise was the temperature conversion between Celsius and Fahrenheit. Something as simple as checking the weather or setting the oven became a bit more complicated as I found myself constantly converting between the two systems. It’s funny how these small, everyday things can trip you up when you’re in a new country!
When I first set up my new phone after arriving in Spain, I changed my country of origin to match, and suddenly, everything switched—metric system, time formats, and other settings. It threw me off a bit, and I had to manually go in and adjust everything back to what I was used to. I realize I need to give myself some grace—I’ve only been here a month, and it’s all part of the adjustment process. Once I feel more comfortable and familiar with the way things work, I can always switch things over again when I’m ready.
And then there are the electrical differences—Spain uses a completely different voltage, for lightbulbs, and outlets. I didn’t even know the size of the lightbulb I needed, so I bought two just to be safe and tested them out at home. Spoiler: only one worked. Also, there are surprisingly few outlets in Spanish homes compared to what I’m used to, so investing in a couple of power strips has been an absolute must.
Speaking of systems, Spain uses kilometers for distance, not miles. I’ll be honest: I haven’t quite wrapped my head around how far a kilometer is and don’t really plan to anytime soon. I mean, I’m not confident enough to give verbal directions here anyway, so learning the conversion feels like a low priority.
One of the more frustrating adjustments has been managing the limited electrical capacity in my apartment. Using too many appliances at once—like the oven and the washing machine—can cause the power to trip, and believe me, it does! We’ve had the power cut out six times in the span of 30 minutes. It’s been a crash course in energy management, something I never expected but have come to realize is pretty common in older Spanish apartments. My roommates and I discovered that if we set the oven above 200 degrees Celsius, the power in our apartment cuts out—even when we’re not running the washing machine or any other major appliances at the same time.
Lastly, the 24-hour clock, or military time as we call it in the U.S., is something I’m still getting used to. The hours run from 0 to 24, and I often find myself double-checking a converter to make sure I’m showing up on time for appointments or catching stores before they close. Slowly but surely, I’m adjusting to all these differences, but it definitely keeps me on my toes.
I’ve only been in Spain for a month, and while I know there’s still so much more to discover, I’ve managed to tackle the initial challenges. It’s just the beginning of my journey, but those first hurdles—like adjusting to a new routine, navigating a foreign language, and getting settled—are behind me now. I’m sure the road ahead will come with its own set of surprises, but I’m excited to continue learning and growing with each new experience.
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
