When I first started my internship at Fundación ACOBE, I did not expect that one of the biggest learning curves would involve communication. I knew that I would be speaking Spanish most of the time, which was already a big adjustment. But what I did not anticipate was how different communication itself would feel in the workplace here compared to what I am used to in the United States. It goes beyond language. There is a cultural difference in the way people approach conversations, instructions, and professional exchanges. Spain operates on a high-context communication scale. That means a lot is unsaid or implied, and the relationship often matters more than the task. It has completely changed the way I understand communication and the expectations that come with it.
In the US, work communication tends to be direct, fast, and efficient. You get a task, you clarify if something is unclear, and then you complete it as soon as possible. Everything moves in a straight line. In Spain, it is not like that. Instructions are more flexible and vague, and people do not feel the need to spell everything out. At first, this was difficult for me. I kept thinking I was missing something, like there had to be a part of the conversation that I just was not hearing. But the truth is that things just move slower and rely more on shared understanding than precise direction. There is less urgency, fewer follow-up emails, and much less pressure to reply immediately to messages. You will get a response when you get one. People are focused on building comfort and conversation before diving into tasks. That makes things feel more personal but also a little more unpredictable.
There have been moments when I have misunderstood something because I expected things to work the way they do in the US. One day, I was told we had a meeting “around ten.” I showed up at 9:55, ready with notes and questions. The meeting actually started closer to 10:45. Everyone else filtered in slowly, talking and catching up. No one else seemed concerned about the time. I realized then that in Spain, the rhythm of the workday has more to do with people than the clock. What matters most is being present and engaged, not whether you hit a timestamp. I had to let go of my instinct to rush and learn to just go with the pace.
I have also had to adjust to the way people communicate in-person. In high-context cultures like Spain, so much of communication is about tone, body language, and shared history. People rarely say exactly what they mean in blunt terms. There are layers to conversations. You might be getting feedback, but it comes wrapped in compliments or casual conversation. There is a politeness to it, but it also means you have to pay close attention to how things are said. I have started noticing patterns in how people offer suggestions, make corrections, or ask for things. It is more relational than transactional. If someone asks you to do something, it might sound more like a favor or a gentle question rather than a direct command.
This experience has made me more aware of how much communication is shaped by culture. I used to think being a good communicator just meant being clear and direct. Now I understand that sometimes it means slowing down and understanding what is not being said. It means reading the room and responding to people’s comfort level. It means being okay with ambiguity and not taking things personally if a message is delayed or unclear. That flexibility has been crucial in navigating this environment. I still like having structure and clarity, but I have learned to be more patient when those things are not immediately available.
Working in this setting has also made me more intentional in how I speak. Because I am speaking in Spanish and still learning legal vocabulary, I cannot always say exactly what I want in the moment. That means I have to plan my words more carefully and be conscious of my tone. I do not want to sound rude or confused, so I focus more on how I deliver my message. This has made me a better listener, too. I take the time to make sure I understand people before responding. It has made my communication more thoughtful and less reactive.
These differences have also affected how I work with clients. At Fundación ACOBE, making people feel welcomed and understood is more important than finishing a task quickly. The clients who come in are often dealing with stress, fear, or confusion. Communication is not just about delivering information. It is about offering reassurance. Sometimes that means sitting with someone for twenty minutes just to help them feel comfortable before getting into the paperwork. It might seem inefficient, but it builds trust. That emotional layer is something I have never seen emphasized this much in a work environment, and it has taught me how much leadership depends on empathy.
Overall, this experience has made me rethink everything I believed about communication in a professional setting. The slow response times and relaxed schedules used to frustrate me, but now I understand them as part of a larger cultural priority. In Spain, connection comes first. The message will arrive, eventually. You just have to trust the process.
