One of the most difficult parts of my host culture to adjust to was the way businesses operated and how much earlier everything closed compared to the United States. At home, I am used to having access to grocery stores, pharmacies, or even restaurants late into the evening. Abroad, I quickly learned that most places closed around 6 p.m., and there were very few options afterward. This required me to plan my days differently, which was harder than I expected at first.
I had to get used to the fact that everything was more spread out. In the U.S., I can usually rely on stores like Walmart or Target to have everything in one place, from produce to medicine to school supplies. Abroad, I often had to visit multiple shops to find what I needed. For example, I would go to a small market for fruits and vegetables and a pharmacy for medicine. At first, this felt inconvenient, especially when I was used to one-stop shopping back home.
Another adjustment was the idea of siesta in some places. Businesses would close for a few hours during the middle of the day, which was completely foreign to me. At first, it felt disruptive because I was used to being able to run errands or grab food at any time. Over time, though, I began to see that this custom reflected a very different pace of life, one that prioritized rest and balance over nonstop productivity. Combined with the smaller, specialized shops, I started to notice that shopping felt less rushed and more intentional.
As the weeks went on, this structure actually grew on me. I found myself enjoying the fact that I was shopping at smaller, often family-run businesses instead of giant corporate chains. Buying produce from a local market or bread from a neighborhood bakery felt more personal and connected to the community. While it required more planning and effort, it gave me a sense of routine and made errands feel more meaningful rather than transactional.
Looking back, the challenge of adjusting to store hours, specialized shops, and midday breaks ended up teaching me a lot about adaptability. It forced me to break away from my reliance on convenience and to appreciate a culture that values time and local businesses differently. While I may still prefer the longer hours of U.S. stores for the sake of convenience, I now see the benefits of a slower, more intentional system. This lesson taught me to embrace differences and find value in structures that, at first, felt frustrating but ultimately gave me a deeper appreciation for daily life abroad.
