Culture shock: Why Americans are flipping out about Spain (especially on TikTok)

Eric and Jessica Smith are a couple in their thirties from Kansas who traveled to Spain for the first time in 2017 and explored Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián. “We totally fell in love with this country — the food, people, language, lifestyle — everything!” they said. The Smiths began to dream about moving to Spain. “During the pandemic, our lives (just like everyone else’s) went through some major changes, and we decided to apply to teach English in Spain.” Six months before the move, Jessica found out she was pregnant. “Everyone thought we’d stay in the United States because of the baby, but we were dead set on chasing our dream.” Eric and Jessica relocated to Logroño simply because they were drawn to the charm of the northern region and the appeal of a smaller city. “The first time we visited Logroño was actually the day we moved to Spain.” Quinton is now two years old, and yes, he was born in Logroño.

In February, the Smith family went viral when they created a TikTok video to answer a question they get all the time: “Why Logroño?” Their enthusiastic response was better than any tourism advertisement. “Why not? The people are so amazing, the food is incredible, and La Rioja wine — out of this world!” That all sounds good… what else? “It is SO safe, it’s amazing for families, it has a great quality of life, the cost of living is so affordable and you are surrounded by mountains!” The Smiths recorded the effusive video on what looks like a date night (no toddler in sight) in their adopted city of Logroño.

Cultural shock refers to a range of emotions and reactions when individuals encounter a different culture for the first time. The term was coined in the 1950s by Kalervo Oberg, a Canadian anthropologist of Finnish origin, who first identified this feeling experienced by people who move to another country. Oberg defined a four-stage process: excitement, irritation, adjustment and adaption. Cultural shock has now evolved from the realm of anthropological research to TikTok trend, with many Americans living in Spain now sharing their experiences on the social media platform.

“You know, if someone had told me 10 years ago that I’d end up living in Spain, I wouldn’t have believed them,” said Morgan. “Spain was never really on my radar until I met this awesome Spanish student in college who later became my husband!” Better known as @MorganInSpain, the thirty-something from Michigan said that after graduating from college, the now-married couple lived and worked in the United States. Slowly, they started discussing the idea of relocating to Spain — he wanted to be near his family and she wanted new experiences. “We moved to Madrid in June 2021.” Six months later, Morgan began posting videos about her new life. “Honestly, I didn’t really know much about Spain before I moved here, except that it was my husband’s favorite place. So, that was reason enough for me to go for it! I naively thought that the weather would be sunny and tropical all the time. I sure was wrong about that!”

The videos uploaded by the Smiths and Morgan that garner the most views and comments are the ones about the customs, expressions and idiosyncrasies of Spain. They offer a fresh perspective on Spain and its people seen through a foreigner’s eyes.

“I’ve encountered so many culture shocks in Spain and they keep on coming!” said Morgan. “But you know, the biggest ones are all about lifestyle. People in Spain are incredibly sociable. It’s like a normal thing to meet up with friends or family several times during the week. I still remember my first week here, passing by this bustling restaurant on a Monday night at 10:00 p.m.! Back in my country, unless you live in New York or Miami, the odds of doing anything other than work during the week are pretty slim.”

At first, Morgan felt overwhelmed by all the social commitments, as she wasn’t accustomed to such a busy lifestyle. However, stepping out of her comfort zone has made her realize she actually enjoys this way of life. “I really think that they have found the right work-life balance and try to give priority to the people in their lives,” she said. Morgan humorously highlights various observations about life in Spain in her videos (Instagram: 134,000 followers; TikTok: 77,000 followers and over three million likes). Things like how wearing sweatpants in public is generally frowned upon, and people actually sit down for breakfast instead of eating on the go. Morgan also talks about cultural differences like the Spanish custom of hanging out after a meal for chit-chat and coffee, and not worrying about how you’re going to pay for an ambulance after an accident.

The biggest culture shock for the Smiths? “No doubt about it, the public health system here has changed our lives. When we’re sick, we just go see the doctor! We don’t have to stress about crazy monthly premium payments, co-pays or unexpected bills showing up in the mail. We’ve never been healthier!” The Smiths have over 40,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok and, like Morgan, often use humor to highlight the cultural differences between the U.S. and Spain. In one very popular video featuring Jessica, she described one of her favorite things about living in Spain — the kiddie playground is next door to a bar. As Dorothy says to her dog in The Wizard of Oz, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

The Smiths and Morgan have similar thoughts about why their videos are so popular. “I think people find this type of content interesting because it provides a fun and unique perspective on different cultures and what life is like abroad. You know, we always hear about people moving to another country, but we don’t really know what that’s like until we see a 30-second video comparing different countries and cultures in ways you would never have imagined!” said Morgan, whose followers are about equally divided between Americans and Spaniards. “We get a lot of messages from Americans asking us how we ended up in Spain, why we picked Logroño, and wanting tips about exploring the country,” said the Smiths. “And we also hear from folks in La Rioja who are thrilled that we’re shining a light on this region, as well as people from all over Spain who want us to visit their city or town.”

Morgan and the Smiths create a rare brand of social media content that’s warm, fun and safe. Sometimes, all it takes to rekindle our passion — for a person, place or thing — is a simple change in perspective, perhaps through the eyes of a newcomer.

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