Comments on: Saving America … one siesta at a time.

By: ExPat

ExPat — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:49:12 +0000

@wanabe

It really is different and I’d suggest anyone who wants to go should try. There are some frustrating things (having student loans and not getting paid the salary you would at a BigLaw firm in the U.S. and the fact that my undergrad degrees are far more prestigious than my J.D. here), but the personal advantages were great for me.

My lawyer friends in NY (and brother) work long hours and get to spend a lot of money around town and during the week or two they can get away. I live modestly, rarely stay more than 20 minutes past my timetable (which includes a friday afternoon off every other week), and have six weeks of vacation. SIX weeks at the beach . . .

By: ahouseholdkate

ahouseholdkate — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:52:57 +0000

I’ll vote for the Law of the Nap. It might only be wonderful in theory, but we all need more sleep. And imagine the night life!

By: timehasnotime

timehasnotime — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:02:24 +0000

What I wanted to do (if I had money, which I do not) was to open something in local malls called Nap Centers. This would be where people like me, the dad/husband thing, would go when the family was off wandering aimlessly around the mall carelessly spending the money.
You would have a cot, a bit of 4 walled draping, and you could plug in your headphones into a TV or radio. And unless there was a death in the family no one cold bother you for the prescribed number of hours you paid for. And the death in the family had to be someone you really liked.

By: wanabe

wanabe — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:34:51 +0000

@expat

right now I can only wish for that, but dam do I wanna make it happen (live in Spain that is)

what surprised me most is that you’re a lawyer, knowing all the money you could make in the states you migrated, that just proves my theory that there are no good lawyers in the states.
:p

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:07:11 +0000

Great post. I’ve been there. ;]
You’re a fantastic writer.

By: azoptimist

azoptimist — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:23:47 +0000

I want to RSS your site.
Can you put the “subscribe” button somewhere?
Thanks!

azoptimist

By: azoptimist

azoptimist — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:20:38 +0000

Absolutely love your writing style — the beat, the rhythm — very hip!

Yumi

By: ExPat

ExPat — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:06:53 +0000

As an American expat lawyer with Spanish residency, I assure you it’s not always that great. Sure, some people go home and sleep, but if you live half an hour a way, do you really want to spend 2 hours of each day in the Metro just to have an hour break anyway?

Most people in countries with longer lunch breaks (especially in Spain, where being at the office is better for your career than actually doing something while at the office) that are professionals only take about an hour of their 2 hour break. I take all of it because, well, I can.

When I lived in Barcelona I used to wear board shorts under my suit and go to the beach and have a sandwich (amb tumaca) and head back to the office after getting golden brown (not guiri pink).

Now in Madrid, I’m one of those individuals who lives 30 minutes from my firm and, since I can’t nap in my office (Torquemada might assign me another task if I’m actually here), I go to the gym. So, I guess I’m more productive but no napping. Oh wait, I do that in the office after going to the gym during my siesta. Ah, Spain.

By: gucf

gucf — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:13:37 +0000

I absolutely agree. College students are notorious for naps, and it’s why we have such great skin!

By: Jake

Jake — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:49:01 +0000

Oh, except you have no RSS feed…
oh well. I’m gonna go take a nap.