I have always struggled with taking classes or going to work in the later afternoon. An hour or two after lunch, I start to experience a major dip in my energy and have a hard time staying focused. Usually, I have to power through it and keep going, but I always enjoy relaxing outside or laying down for an hour in the afternoon if it’s possible.

When I studied in Italy, I discovered the siesta culture of the Mediterranean area and southern Europe. It’s not as pronounced in Rome as it is in smaller towns throughout Italy or in Spain, but it was a culture shock for me to see shops and restaurants close between 2 and 4 pm. The crowds in the streets thinned, especially away from the tourist-y areas, and it was common to see people on their balconies.

On days when I didn’t have class, I started to use this down time to rest, take a peaceful walk, or hang out with my roommates. It was very nice to have a block of time with limited options of places to go since it forced me to slow down and rest in the middle of the day. Once I travelled to Spain for a week and experienced a much more obvious culture of the mid-day rest, I got interested in the siesta culture. To me, this seemed like a leisurely way to live: using the afternoon to rest and staying out later into the evening. However, my research into the topic found that the siesta culture is mostly influenced by geography.

In Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy, the heavy heat in the afternoon can make it unpleasant to be outside. This combined with the heavier dishes common in those areas means that people experience a dip in energy after lunch. The custom began with the Romans, which is where the word siesta comes from. The mid-day nap is common in other countries outside of that region as well. There are similar customs in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. It is also common in China to take a short nap after lunch.

Taking a break to rest in the middle of the day has a lot of benefits. A short nap can help with memory, emotional regulation, cognitive ability, and reduction of stress. It is better for a person’s mental health to have a break to de-stress in the middle of the day instead of working straight through the day with only a short lunch break. It can also help with boosting energy later in the day.

I believe that introducing a siesta culture into the United States could be beneficial for a lot of people. A lot of the U.S. is as hot or hotter than countries like Spain and Italy, so it would have similar benefits to get people out of the heat. American culture is also very work- and productivity-focused, and making a conscious effort to rest during the workday might help reduce the pressure a lot of people feel to overperform. Even if people don’t use the break to nap, they could take the time to do something that they enjoy and find relaxing, such as reading a book or taking a walk. We could learn a lot from countries like Spain to reduce daily stress and improve American culture.

Cinco de Mayo is an extremely popular holiday in the United States. People get together to have “Mexican-themed” parties, usually involving tacos or other Mexican foods, mariachi or banda music, and, most or all, alcohol, especially margaritas, beers imported from Mexico, and tequila. However, many Americans don’t know what Cinco de Mayo even celebrates.

A common misconception is that the holiday is celebrating Mexican Independence. I’m not sure how this misconception began, but I can understand how many Americans compare the holiday to our Fourth of July and assume they are celebrating the same thing. The thing is – Mexican Independence Day is actually on September 12th. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Battle of Puebla and the Mexican victory over the French.

In 1861, Napoleon III invaded Mexico after Mexico was forced to default on loans from several European countries during bad financial times in the country. Napoleon wanted to use the opportunity to take control of Mexico as a territory. The French forces greatly outnumbered the Mexican forces, which forced them to retreat from Juarez, the site of the invasion, to Puebla. However, the Mexican army managed to defeat the larger French army at the Battle of Puebla on the 5th of May. France had three times the men but suffered five times the number of casualties.

This battle did not end the war. France didn’t leave Mexico until 1867, when a combination of factors such as a need to focus on fights on the European front and pressure from the United States forces them to remove troops from Mexico. What the Battle of Puebla did accomplish is delay the French invasion of the capital as well as becoming a symbolic victory.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a very large holiday. In Puebla, people celebrate the victory with military re-enactments, and there are a few other celebrations throughout the country, but it is not as big of a deal as it is in the United States. Independence Day is much more widely celebrated, as it marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. On the evening of September 15th, the Mexican president rings the Bell of Hidalgo and recites the Grito de Dolores. This is a re-enactment of the call for independence that Miguel Hidalgo recited to call for the beginning of the war. That night and the following day, there are fireworks shows, parades, and many other festivities.

In the United States, the widespread celebration of Cinco de Mayo rather than Independence Day began with Mexican-American activists who identified with the victory of the Mexican army over French forces. From there, it has became a holiday to celebrate Mexican culture and Mexican-Americans across the United States. Festivals, parades, and parties are held to preserve Mexican culture in America.

Although it is a common topic of discussion of whether Cinco de Mayo is a worthy holiday to celebrate since it is not a large holiday in Mexico, I think that celebrations that avoid commercialization and objectification are valuable. In today’s world, where Mexican-Americans and all Hispanic Americans are being targeted by the government and immigration forces, it is more important than ever to lift up the culture that is distinctly Mexican-American and has been a cornerstone in American culture for a long time. Both immigrants and Mexican-Americans who have lived in the United States for generations (even since Texas and other formerly Mexican or Spanish territories joined the U.S.) bring something valuable to the country and should be celebrated and protected.

As summer approaches, I have begun to feel more energetic and excited to get out of the house and into the nice weather. For me, the start of summer manifests as looking for anything at all to celebrate – end of the school year parties, first day of summer picnics, days at the lake where I tell myself I’m celebrating Memorial Day or Fourth of July, but really I just want an excuse to sit out by the water. In the spirit of warm weather and the urge to celebrate anything and everything, I decided to research summer holidays around the world.

One of the most well-known summer holidays outside of the United States is the Midsummer celebration in Sweden. This holiday falls on what is usually considered the first day of summer, contradictory to the holiday’s name, or the summer solstice. The solstice is the longest day of the year, and in ancient and medieval Sweden it was considered a night of magic. There were many spells and rituals associated with the day, such as picking flowers and other plants that had medicinal powers or were used to tell the future. More well known is the tradition of dancing around a maypole, a tradition that continues to this day in Sweden and around the world. In modern day, Swedes continue to celebrate the holiday by eating seasonal foods such as potatoes and strawberries in large outdoor gatherings. They also play different games outside to enjoy the good weather and long hours of sunshine.

Another solstice celebration comes from the Incan Empire, although it is still celebrated in Peru today. Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, was a religious celebration honoring the sun god Inti. However, unlike Midsummer in Sweden, Inti Raymi is celebrating the shortest day of the year since Peru is in the southern hemisphere. This is an important day because it marked the Incan New Year, when the days would begin to lengthen again. Today, the holiday is largely a historical re-enactment. When the Spanish colonized much of South America, they banned the celebration for being idolatrous. It wasn’t until 1944 when artists began to restart the celebration based on historical accounts. The Inca and his wife and army follow a procession throughout the day to different places in the city of Cusco and complete different rituals. The festivities involve much dancing and many colors.

A more modern holiday is Panafest, which is a Pan-African celebration held in Ghana every other summer. Began in 1992, Panafest was created to unite the African diaspora and celebrate its culture and history. Above all, it is meant to help heal the trauma experienced by the diaspora during the colonization of Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade. Panafest addresses global issues, remembers the past and the resilience of the African people, and highlights the art and life of Africans on the continent and abroad.

Lastly, Obon is a three-day lantern festival in Japan. The dates vary throughout the country depending on the calendar used, but it usually falls in August or late July. The holiday comes from the Buddhist custom of welcoming the spirits of deceased loved ones. Altars, lanterns, and dances are used to call back the spirits of loved ones, especially those lost in the part year. Today, it is common to find a carnival to celebrate Obon with food, lights, and games.

I hope that learning more about different festivities around the world inspires you to find new things to celebrate, or even just research. There is so much more to learn about the countless holidays and the histories behind each one.