Our heels clicked on the pavement of Serrano Street as we rolled in laughter. It wasn’t even that funny. It just felt good to laugh.

“And then…” *gasp* “…we have no idea what anyone is saying!” I exclaimed.

“Exactly!” Tara sighed. We had just left StreetXO, an Asian, modern bar where we had not only eaten–but fully enjoyed– dumplings adorned with fried pig ear topped and a strawberry reduction. Happy, full, and reminiscing about our experiences as travelers, we stumbled upon a shared annoyance: Never. Knowing. Anything.

Tara and I have a few things in common: We’re from The States, we moved to Spain alone, and we both live with host families. But most of all–we both understand the constant state of the not knowing. It is not that people intentionally keep information from us, but merely that our intermediate Spanish and the difference in culture created a chasm sized gap in communication and prohibited making the unknown known.

“Last week my host family told me we were going to on a road trip,” Tara said, “in ten minutes.”

“On the work trip to Ibiza,” I added, recollecting with a touch of embarrassment, “Transportation was so scarce that I had to ask my managers–as if they were my parents–when we would leave for work in the morning.”

I smiled. We were laughing now, but half a year ago it was something that wrecked me.

To me, having a plan provides the ability to maximize my time. I cannot stand waiting. I need to be proactive. Therefore, when I arrived to Spain in Fall21 and experienced this state of unknown, it was exhausting. After months of living in Spain, I have learned ways to not only cope with it, but thrive. Let me share with you three daily habits.

1. Thirty Minutes

I slapped my phone until I turned of my alarm, staggered out of bed, and tip-toed to the kitchen (yet with little more success than a sloth). I grabbed my coffee and Bible, then slipped onto the front porch for thirty minutes of alone time.

Despite the initial grogginess, these thirty minutes keep me sane. Every morning, for seven months, I have had this same routine. My day could end in chaos–but if I have these thirty minutes–I am okay. Why? Because mentally (and for me spiritually) I am prepared.

Daily Habit: Find a dependable, thirty minute slot each day to be away from people and electronics to mentally prepare for the day.

2. Write Your WINS

Today, I wrote, I successfully unloaded the dishwasher and talked in Spanish with my host brother at the same time.

I chuckled to myself. What a win.

Yet, I found last fall that writing down every accomplishment–big or small–at the end of the day changed everything. I started to see joy in the simple things. Joy in the things I didn´t anticipate. Joy in the the unknown. When I first moved to Spain, my wins ranged from “I had a conversation with the barista at the coffee shop in Spanish!” to “I rode an overnight bus to Lisbon!” to “I made toast with host mom and felt like part of the family!” Dwelling on these small moments has made me more flexible, optimistic, and joyful in the face of the unknown.

Daily Habit: Write your down your WINS. Big or little. Last year, I wrote about this topic in my post Transition, Comparison, and Doubt While Studying Abroad. It is still one of my biggest pieces of advice. Whether you are traveling, adjusting to a new job, or merely needing an emotional lift–try this practice. (I love my Moleskin journal. I highly recommend getting one!

3. Quality Over Quantity

I slipped into a wicker chair on the front porch of my host family´s cottage. I sipped my coffee. That´s nice coffee. I look a bite of toast. Mmm. Good toast. I looked at my clock. 11 am. I knew we were going to the beach soon. Perhaps in an hour. Probably in two. I wasn´t sure, but I didn´t care. For the moment, I was going to enjoy my breakfast and the sunshine.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make moving abroad is attempting to transplant your schedule into a new culture. It may sound silly, however, you may do so without realizing. As an American, I found myself naturally attempting to smush my plans into a Spanish schedule. At first, I kept up a good fight. I tried to wake up and go to bed early. I gave myself the same goals I had given myself back in The States. But, rather than propelling me, holding onto the habits that worked in my American culture merely hindered me from fulling adapting to the culture around me. I didn´t appreciate Spanish culture. With time, I woke up later, stayed up later, gave myself grace, and created new goals. When I made this change, I began to thrive.

Because I changed my mindset, I was able to enjoy that morning at the beach house. I didn´t know what was going on, nor how long I would have to wait. Yet, rather than being annoyed, I was able to relax and be at peace because I chose to appreciate a new way of life.

Daily Habit: Research and observe cultural changes that may be different from what you are used to. Be aware of them! Then, each day, take a moment to remind yourself: Quality of quantity. If you are American, you may not be “accomplishing as much,” but I assure you–your quality of life with be incredible.