No seriously. I have only been in Madrid for 4 days and I have seen at least 50 different coffee shops. People do not just drink coffee in Spain because they may be tired, but they drink it because it is a social activity or, like us typical Americans, we may be feeling stressed and need to un-wind with a cup of coffee. Not only do the locals need a cup of coffee, but I do and I need it for the former and latter of the three reasons listed above. These last couple of days have been hectic. Let me rewind and start from the beginning….
So in Philadelphia, as soon as I got on the airplane to go straight to Madrid, I started getting migraines so bad that I felt the pulse on top of my forehead. I did not think to drink lots of water because of dehydration. That is the first time, if I would have been up to it, that I needed a cup of coffee. Upon my arrival to Madrid, my suitcase was left in Philadelphia and I would not have it until 2 days later (not that bad no) and that is the second time I needed a cup of coffee. The third time I discovered that I needed a cup of coffee was this morning when I got lost in the big city of Madrid trying to find my way to class. Now I know you may be thinking wow, this woman REALLY needs a cup of coffee!! But what I did not tell you was the second part of my title, “Everyone needs coffee, but you can still function without it.” My point being, even if you need a cup of coffee for stressful reasons, unlike the locals here in Madrid, just take a step back and realize where you are. I was very happy that I did not let those things stress me out. I even enjoyed myself a little as I was lost and was able to laugh at it later on with my host mother. If one is able to do that, then one will be able to enjoy life more and have that cup of coffee because of social gatherings, not stress.
–Mo, the Adventurer
The Adventures of Mo 