Passing or Spending Time?

Where did you spend the holidays? Do you spend a lot of time with your friends? I'm not sure what either answer to these questions is for you, but I passed the holidays here in Spain in my amazing beach apartment and I definitely pass a lot of time with my friends.

Hm.

I'm sure that something read incorrectly for you when I started to talk about my own personal answers to these questions. That would be the way that I used the verb "pass". I am oddly fascinated by the way that Spaniards use "pass" to speak about time in the future, present and past. When I ask them where they spent their last birthday they always tell me they passed it at so-and-so location. In my private lessons my Spanish students always try to tell about where and with whom they passed important moments in their life. When you tell someone to have a wonderful rest of their day you tell them that you hope their day passes well. I like this. No. I love this.

Now, to explain to someone that uses this manner to describe time that they must exchange the English verb "spend", the same verb that they have learned to use with money, the look on their face is quite comical. I understand why.

In fact, I now believe that one of the strongest cultural differences that specifically points out the differences between Mediterranean life here and life in the U.S. is blatantly tied up right in our distinct uses of how we refer to time.

I don't wish to deeply delve into the philosophical idea of time that can turn a conversation into a spider web of thoughts that then ends up in a circle (exactly). There are so many quotes, adages and stories pertaining to the idea of time and how people should think of it or "spend/pass" it. However, I think that these crazy Spaniards just might be onto something, so I will just add my two cents.

Mediterranean life is slower. People walk slower, things happen slower. It's just how it is. Time passes and people sit back and enjoy every moment and the ride for what life actually is. I'm not going to even include how many studies have been released on how much lower their stress levels are here, but the ambiance of daily life and the impalpable feeling of people seizing every single day to enjoy is obvious around every corner. Even when I traveled to Hungary and the Czech Republic after spending 2 months here I laughed at people as they seemed to be running through the streets, trying to make the inevitable and perpetual "next meeting". No I seriously laughed, it was actually funny to watch.

When I studied in Barcelona about a year and a half ago I had a photography internship with a Barcelona magazine which required me to take a conjoining course on the Spanish work environment. While everyone who took that class would agree that the teacher was absolutely off of her rocker, some of the articles I read regarding how Spaniards regard time in a much more nonchalant manner came in useful. My first meeting I showed up to I was 20 minutes late, which for Spaniards was still about a half hour early. Obviously this is not always a norm as is true with most generalizations. However, I have had Spanish friends call me before they pick me up to tell me they will be a half hour late and are preoccupied that I understand that they are not Americans and it is normal.When I got back to the U.S. my boss frequently added reminders onto E-mails for me to remember that the meeting was at ____ American time, cleverly adding the word in, as my tardiness became regular after my time abroad. I'm not saying I'm proud I've become a late person, but I know that I haven't gotten the sick feeling I used to know from being late and worried that I was showing some form of disrespect. At least it's good for my blood pressure.

This new view on time is interesting to me because there are no clocks in the classrooms of the elementary school I work in now. It's crazy. However, people aren't obsessed with time here. It's refreshing.

Here, time is not money. Time is worth much more than any amount of money. I think that if you really believe that you can put a dollar amount on times like one of the best dates of your life when you feel so alive and can't stop smiling the next day, or the half hour after an amazing run when you have a runner's high full of endorphins, or even the moments you find yourself in a downpour without an umbrella and choose to enjoy it, you have some serious life evaluating to do.

You most definitely have not specifically allocated your time to things like this. There is no menu every morning where you choose your day. Life is unpredictable. Life comes at you and you react. The idea that time is "ours" to spend is just a strange idea in itself. I'm not sure, maybe I'm being radical, or maybe this sea air is really just getting to me.

This is all funny because I just realized that in English we have a phrase, "Don't let time pass you by". Well, I am in deep trouble because that is exactly what I am doing, and I am enjoying life so much more because of it. Letting life pass by and accepting it for what it is doesn't have be a negative idea though. Sometimes it can let you truly enjoy what you have been given or truly accept the cards that you have been dealt.

I am not suggesting that you sit back and not actively accomplish anything or pursue any dreams that you have. I just think that not getting an ulcer over being late to a meeting and having a boss realize that maybe you forgot to do something like turn off the coffee pot so you turned around and were 10 minutes late because of it would be nice. Not everyone's boss is like this, but I can say that I have had my fair share of mine already at the age of 22.

Well, I said that I wouldn't let myself talk in a spider web and then end in a circle with no conclusion but I guess I am just a liar because it appears that is exactly what I just did. Sorry.

I hope that your day passes well : )

Kenz