I've been living in Toledo for four years now and I'm enjoying it wholeheartedly. However, there are cultural differences that I still struggle with sometimes, even after four. These are the top ten things you need to be prepared for if you want to live in Spain:

1. shop opening hours.

The good old Spanish siesta... How often does it happen that I want to buy something and it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon? Now I have to wait until 5 or 6 o'clock until the shops and offices open again. It's particularly hard when I wait until 6 o'clock and then realise that it's Monday of all days, because almost all the shops are closed on Mondays. My internal clock is still ticking on German time, so I had lunch at 1 o'clock and not at 3.

2. service.

As nice and cordial as the Spanish generally are, they didn't invent the word service. And they always say 'service desert Germany'. In many a shop, I'm on the verge of apologising for the disturbance when I have to get the fat man behind the counter out of his deep sleep to help the stupid customer with the goods. The Spanish can also be really stubborn when it comes to exchanging goods. I bought a window with a missing hinge and the shop assistant actually accused me of taking it out myself.

There was also a fight the other day when I bought a worktop. The trainee had cut the worktop incorrectly and wanted me to pay for it. Fortunately, the Guardia Civil intervened before the choleric salesman got violent. (By the way, the police in Spain are generally very friendly, unlike what I was used to in Germany...:))

3. in company.

Parties at home are often very different to those in Germany. Everyone talks at the same time, what am I saying - shouting - at each other. There's a lot of swearing in between.

'Callate coño, me has jodido la puta chaqueta, gilipollas...' ('Shut up, idiot, you've f****t my H****n jacket, A****l***!'). And that's quite normal behaviour, even when talking to customers...

So I'm more of a quiet observer who watches the whole scenario with amusement and often asks myself: 'What am I actually doing here?

4. the problem of committing to something.

It seems impossible to get a clear and precise answer from the nose of a Spaniard. Go into a shop and ask anything, I can give you the answer in advance: depende (it depends)...The following conversation really took place in a similar way when my husband and I wanted to know the price of a window. It was in an exposición and we just wanted to know roughly how much the pieces on display were.

My husband: I would like to buy a window, how much do your windows cost?

Seller: That depends. I can't say.

MM: A completely normal standard window.

V: That depends on the dimensions.

MM: Take this window here, for example: 1x1m. How much does it cost?

V: It depends on the material.

MM: Aluminium, just like this one. How much does this window cost, just like this one?

V: I can't say, it depends on whether there is a roller blind or not.

MM: With a roller blind, just like this one. How much?

V: It depends on the factory, how much material they use.

MM: Huh?

V: A piece of aluminium is so-and-so big, depending on how many windows they can make from it and how much is thrown away.

MM: So let's say 10 windows of this one. 1X1m, aluminium, with roller blind, 10 pieces. It can't be that difficult.

At this point, we were already on the verge of despair. We kept trying for a while, but left the shop without a prize.

5. patriotism.

I understand that they love their country, but the Spanish can sometimes really stick to it when they rave about their country. Spain is the best, most beautiful country in the world. And the prominent Spaniards (see Fernando Alonso) are basically the best of all. I just wonder how Spaniards can know that Spain is better and more beautiful than, say, France, when hardly any Spaniards ever leave their country. The worst are those who have never really been anywhere else.

6 Mi casa es su casa.

The openness and warmth with which you are received as a foreigner in Spanish society is great. Sometimes it goes a little too far into my private sphere. When some neighbour with whom I've barely spoken three words invites me into their house to show me around, because now that we're friends I can feel at home there, it's very nice. But to be honest, I don't really need to admire other people's bedrooms with last night's underwear on the floor...

7. work ethic.

It's really not always fun having to work with Spaniards. If the working day starts at 8 a.m., you arrive at around 9 a.m. with the words: 'Man, I'm not really awake yet, I have to have a coffee first'. They're gone. Then off to the toilet and it's time for another cigarette break. The boss comes in and is lucky enough to see someone, so he gives his instructions. Unfortunately, he makes the mistake of turning his back on the workers, because the room is already empty. After all, the company is lucky to have such employees, so you can get away with anything.

8 The Spaniard and his vegetable garden.

Everyone who has a patch of earth at their disposal grows their own vegetables on an almost professional scale. Everything is grown here, from tomatoes to garlic, onions and beans to aubergines and courgettes. And they really know their stuff! However, the point of this exercise has so far remained hidden from me, as the Spanish eat virtually no vegetables. That's great for us, of course, because we're vegetarians and our neighbours always deliver their vegetables to us in bags (!), otherwise they'll 'go to waste'. Hmm. To each his own.

9. eating habits.

The Spanish and their meat. As a vegetarian, it can be difficult. However, I would have become a vegetarian here in Spain if I hadn't already been, because what is sometimes served on the table can look rather unappetising (for us). Most of the time it is also undefinable. I'm always fine when I'm offered something, because they all know that I don't eat meat, but when our parents come round, they always have to try all sorts of things that I would probably rather put in a dog's bowl.

10. privacy.

Although they are very open-hearted on the one hand, their privacy is sacred to them. They build their fences so high that you literally can't see the house behind them, as it is also overgrown with vines. Every little spot where someone could jump through is covered with a privacy screen. If we did that in Germany, people would certainly call the police on us, because you obviously have something to hide...

But despite all that, I love life here because it's less complicated. Above all, you are left in peace. And last but not least, the climate here is fantastic. As there is no such thing as the perfect place in the world, I suppose I can't complain here, even if the points mentioned above sometimes bother me. In any case, I can highly recommend emigrating to Spain.