Two rides, two stories from Spain

I have a small habit: when I get into an Uber or a Bolt in a new place, I try to start a conversation. Sometimes I get silence. Sometimes I get a whole life story between the airport and the hotel. This time I got two. The first ride was with a middle-aged woman from Venezuela. She earns about 400 euros a month, so she shares a flat with other people - a place of her own is simply out of reach. Still, when I asked how life in Spain compares with life back home, she did not hesitate. There is no comparison, she said. Corruption and a collapsing economy were bad enough, and then an earthquake came on top. Spaniards, she said, are friendly and warm toward newcomers, and the cultures are more alike than you would expect. The second ride was in Madrid, with a young man from Morocco who spoke excellent English. There is so much demand for drivers that he keeps getting new offers and has to turn some down. In his view, Spaniards aim for other professions, so hotels, restaurants and rideshare…