Comparison of cultures, food in Spain.

Food in Spain is very different than in the US.  Not only are the meals compromised of vastly different tastes, but the meals themselves are on a completely different time zone.  There is more fish and meat, and less carbs and sugar.  There is way more coffee and way less water.  And ultimately, there is way more time between each meal.
Similar to the US, I often skip breakfast.  I know it’s not healthy to start your day on an empty stomach; I’ve just never been able to eat a real meal before 11am.  However, here I have unfortunately adapted the habit of picking up a pastry before class.  Here in Spain that is commonly a croissant, filled with some sort of treat: chocolate, cream and so on.  This is by far the most delicious food Spain has to offer, as it is offered in every store and in any flavor.
Lunch in Spain is interesting.  We have to make sure we get to the restaurants before siesta (citywide nap time), or else the stores and shops are closed.  However, when we are lucky enough to get out timing right, we are often met with a menu of the day.  This menu often offers 3 courses: a salad or appetizer, a main dish of either paella or meat, followed by a pastry of some kind.  Lucky for those of us on a cheap budget, menus of the day are often at a discounted price than a singular lunch meal.
Dinner is the hardest for me, while here in Spain.  I’m used to eating around seven, but here in Spain my host family doesn’t serve dinner until past nine.  The hardest part is, she serves an absurd amount of food.  When I go from three to nine without eating, I’m usually starving and eat more than I normally would.  However, I also am going to bed earlier than I normally would because I’m so exhausted.  This creates a bit of a stomach issue when you go to bed on an overly full stomach.
Regardless of the ups and downs of eating abroad, Spanish food is by far one of my favorites.  It feels healthier and fresher, not including the morning pastries of course.  The fish and meat far surpass their US equivalents.  Similarly, the coffee is stronger, and the pastries are sweeter.