no pasa nada

The "no pasa nada" attitude is fairly prevalent in any Spanish culture, methinks. It's something that's definitely not inherent in my attitude/way of life but something that I can appreciate and mimic about the culture currently surrounding me.

It's not that they don't care about anything...it's that they don't let other things get in the way of what really matters - relationships. Every day I ask my host mom what she did. Her answer always includes a visit or chat with a friend or family member. It doesn't matter what time of day you go for a walk down the street or on the beach, you will find people simply BEING with other people. Not playing video games, watching TV, or doing any other similar activity "together." Rather, actually engaging and spending quality time together, sometimes just doing nothing. But being more together even in their nothingness than most Estadounidense generally feel comfortable with.

Not even work or school get in the way of relationships. Example: Diego has three tests this week. But what did he do this weekend? Went painting with us, napped, studied some, and stayed up late with me for hours picking apart the lyrics of songs and finding the deeper meanings and important parts of life. We had a grand old time. The whole time I was thinking he should be studying, and I told him so several times. But he shrugged his shoulders and refocused on the lyrics. Spending time with a friend, talking about deep things, and trying to understand how life works is more important than studying for one algebra test.

This way of life does have some down sides, however. I'll admit it. It contributes, in large part, to the being late for everything issue. And it also comes across as disrespect at times, especially when one relationship gets in the way of another. But since the whole culture acts in this way, it doesn't present much of a problem. They are used to it, it is expected. People are understanding and forgiving.

Other downsides are the illegalities it allows. Because nothing matters, rules cease to matter. People, men usually, tend to pee wherever they want...someone peed right in front of me at the gate to my own house! Students photocopy their text books rather than buying them and download all music rather than paying for it. Playing music is illegal in public, but there are people who play it anyway. I was one of them.