Although between Spain and Colombia There may be many common ties, the truth is that there are cultural differences between both countries. Whether in terms of gastronomy, expressions when speaking or the way of carrying out the daily routine, Colombians and Spaniards have different customs.
Esther Sanz, known on TikTok as @esthersanzzzzzzz, is a Spanish actress who, for a few years, has lived in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. The young woman moved there for work in 2022 and decided to stay. Since then, she has shared videos on social networks in which she reveals the customs of this Latin American country and talks about the differences with Spain and the culture shock that you have experienced. In one of her latest videos, Esther has delved into this topic and shared the five aspects that have surprised you the most since he lives in Colombia.
First of all, as he explains, “in Colombia you get up very early.” “You don’t understand what it means to get up early in Colombia,” he continues after pointing out that get up at six in the morninga is not getting up early. In colombia “There are people who get up at 4:30 in the morning. to get to the gym at five and get to work at 7:30.” This custom has an explanation and it is that “the sun rises and sets more or less at the same time every day of the year.”
Obviously, the gastronomic differences could not be missing and the young actress is “fascinated” that All meals in Colombia are accompanied by “juice” or, what is the same, juice. And not just any type of juice, but these usually combine a delicious variety of fruits, many of which we cannot find in Spain.
The urban layout of the city is another of the points that most attracts Esther’s attention. “In Spain, just so you know, the streets are called by names,” she explains to her Latin American followers. However, “The city of Bogotá was designed in a grid shape. There are the races, which run parallel to the mountain and go from south to north. Then there are the streets, which run perpendicular to the races and go from east to west,” he continues for all those of his followers who do not know that city. Thus, to locate yourself in Bogotá what you have to do is find the street and the race that intersect at the point where you want to go.
The cultural clashes that this young woman has encountered do not end here. In this case “it is not so much a culture shock, but leaves you looking stupid”. It’s about the way of greeting. “In Spain we greet with two kisses,” but in Colombia they only give one kiss. “When you arrive for the first time in Colombia, you kind of look like a fool because he gives you a kiss, he goes to give the other one, and the person has already moved away.”
The last habit that has surprised the actress, and that many people probably do not know, is that in Colombia toilet paper is not flushed down the toilet, but it is thrown into the trash. “Wherever you go, to a private home, to a restaurant, to a hotel, you are going to have a trash can next to the toilet. At first it is strange, but then you get used to it,” says Esther.
