Latest news with #MartaBudzyska
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman who lives in Spain says there's 'weird' difference she'll 'never' get
Marta Budzyska moved to Madrid in 2022 after having lived and studied in Italy for years - but there's one thing she just can't get her head around when it comes to Spanish culture Spain remains a top holiday hotspot for UK sun-seekers, with a staggering 17.8 million visits from Brits in 2023. That year, Spain emerged as the favourite escape for British holidaymakers, commanding an impressive 21% of all overseas jaunts by those from the UK, according to stats from the Office for National Statistics. It's also believed that thousands of Brits each year also make the sunny Spanish shores their home. But having soaked up Spanish sun and culture beforehand doesn't necessarily mean that people looking to make the country their home won't come across a few surprises when moving to their new country. This was exactly what happened to Marta Budzyska, a Polish woman who moved to Madrid in 2022 after years of living and studying in Italy. Marta thought she was fully clued-up on Spanish and Mediterranean ways of living before moving to the Spanish capital. However she quickly encountered one aspect of daily life in Spain that continues to baffle her – and it has nothing to do with the sunshine. Marta turned to her TikTok account to share her major cultural shock since moving to Spain. "One thing that will never stop surprising me about Spain is that they go to eat so freaking late," Marta said in her video. She continued to explain that she'd gone out for dinner with friends the previous evening, but that their booking hadn't been until 10pm. Even then, people arrived more than half an hour late, which she said is a common occurrence in Spanish culture. "And you know you have to think about the order, gets some starters, the main meal. And literally it took so much time," she said, explaining that they were eating until midnight. "And I'm not complaining, it was so much fun, I love it," she said. "I love to live fully with another culture where I'm living or where I'm at, like at holidays. Spain is my home now, but like, that is just so funny and I think it'll never stop surprising me." Marta went on to advise tourists: "So if you go to Spain, just don't be necessarily on time. Stick [...] with easy and chill, it'll be better for you." People quickly took to the comments to share their own experiences, with many Spanish people relating to what Marta had to say. "As a Spanish this is so true haha," one viewer wrote. A second person said: "It's shocking haha. How do you even work the next day." A third person also confirmed that similar eating habits also existed in Italy, but that the times could differ between 8pm and 10pm depending on what area of the country you were visiting. Have you experienced eating dinner at a later time when you're on holiday? Let us know in the comments.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'I moved to Spain and what shocked me most wasn't the weather difference'
Marta Budzyska, who is originally from Poland, moved to the Spanish capital of Madrid in 2022 - but there's one part of her new life that still feels weird to her Spain remains a firm favourite for Brits seeking the perfect sun-soaked getaway. The year 2023 saw roughly 17.8 million trips from the UK to Spanish shores, crowning Spain as the top holiday spot for UK travellers that year. In fact, it accounted for an impressive 21% of all international sojourns made by UK inhabitants, the Office for National Statistics reports. It's estimated that among these sunseekers, thousands opt to permanently relocate to Spain annually. While many Brits acquaint themselves with Spanish customs before their big move, there are elements of life in Spain that can still come as quite a jolt. Marta Budzyska, originally from Poland, encountered just such a surprise after her 2022 move to Madrid, despite feeling well-versed in Spanish and Mediterranean culture due to her previous years living and studying in Italy. She shared her thoughts on TikTok. Albeit acclimatised to the hotter climes, Marta found an aspect of her new existence peculiar – a facet unrelated to the abundant sunshine. Eager to share her experience, Marta turned to her TikTok followers and created a video revealing the most astonishing cultural difference she's faced since settling in Spain. The video kicks off with her exclaiming: "One thing that will never stop surprising me about Spain is that they go to eat so freaking late," indicating just how much this dining habit stands out to her as an anomaly. She recounted how she'd been out for a meal with mates the previous evening, noting their booking wasn't until 10pm and even then, folks rocked up over half an hour tardy, a typical occurrence in Spanish life. "And you know you have to think about the order, gets some starters, the main meal. And literally it took so much time," she shared, detailing that they were noshing away until the stroke of midnight. "And I'm not complaining, it was so much fun, I love it," she enthused. "I love to live fully with another culture where I'm living or where I'm at, like at holidays. Spain is my home now, but like, that is just so funny and I think it'll never stop surprising me." Marta also had a tip for holidaymakers: "So if you go to Spain, just don't be necessarily on time. Stick [...] with easy and chill, it'll be better for you." The comments section soon buzzed with people chiming in with their own tales, with Spaniards nodding along to Marta's observations. "As a Spanish this is so true haha," chuckled one user. Another exclaimed: "It's shocking haha. How do you even work the next day." Another commenter confirmed that Italy shares similar dining customs, though the timing might shift from 8pm to 10pm depending on which part of the country you're in. Have you ever found yourself tucking into dinner later than usual while on your travels? Drop us a line in the comments.
