A Spanish expat who moved to rural Ireland has shared her experience of having to adapt to her new life and embrace a new country and culture. Nieves Pruna, who moved from sunny Seville to a small town in Tipperary, has told of how a different pace of life and unfamiliar customs came as a shock. She took to TikTok to share her frustrations with her 10,400 followers under the username @nievespruna, opening up on how she's had to adapt to her new surroundings.
Explaining how her daily life has taken a turn, she spoke in Spanish: "I have lived in Seville all my life and I am used to going out and having everything at hand." Moving to a new Irish town, which she didn't name but is believed to be in Tipperary, has prompted a significant change in her day-to-day habits. One thing she said that has come as a particular shock is the business hours of Irish shops.
She said the opening hours are a stark contrast to what she was accustomed to. She highlighted her recent attempt at socialising: "Yesterday I met two friends at 7pm..
. I am aware that things are closed, but I haven't been out for a while, so I thought there must be something..
. everything closed!" It reflects a broader cultural difference, where the Spanish norm of a bustling street life well into the evening clashes with the quieter Irish afternoons. The TikTok user added: "We ended up going like three housewives to Aldi to buy three ice creams and to look at discounted items.
" Towards the end of the video, she sheds light.