Friendships are also important to people in the Canary Islands. People often stay close to their childhood group of friends for their whole lives. Friends like to spend a lot of time doing simple things like hiking, going for a walk, or eating lunch together. In La Palma when people go out for lunch, sometimes they spend the rest of the day together, talking so long they end up ordering dinner and dessert! Someone explained to me when she is with her friends she loses track of time and is completely present with them. La Palma is small, but the size of a place is not as important as the people you are with.
Another teacher who moved to La Palma from a different region of Spain told me it is hard for him to integrate into such a tight-knit community. Maybe this is because most people in La Palma have lived there for their whole lives, unlike California, which is a state full of newcomers. In my experience, though, the people are so kind, inclusive and generous that they make you feel at home right away.
For example, one day when I was hiking with a friend, we asked a couple on the trail for directions, and they ended up inviting us for coffee at their house. This weekend, I met friends of friends for the first time and they treated me like family, spending the day showing me their favorite places on the island. Their inclusion and generosity meant so much. Even strangers treat people with kindness. I had dinner with some friends at a restaurant, and the owner made us feel so cared for that she moved all of us to tears. It’s hard to say why I felt so emotional— maybe because in that moment I realized how fast the time is moving and how hard it will be to say goodbye to La Palma.
