If I had a euro for every time that I hear this saying during a typical day, I would have enough euros to buy a gooping-hot, chocolate-y Napolatina every morning for the rest of my life. Enough euros to ride the tram to and from La Universidad two times a day. Enough euros to take advantage of all the rebajas (sales) that take place at the end of January.
To give a little context, let me spell out for you all that this wonderful phrase encompasses:
If you accidentally spill your drink at dinner, no pasa nada. If you come home at six in the morning and accidentally hit the doorbell instead of the hallway light, no pasa nada. If you get lost on a morning run and miss your class, no pasa nada.
(Yes, these are all things that I have done. Like I've said before, I'm still learning.)
But really, I think the Spanish are on to something here with this oh-so-casual expression. Reflecting the calmer and more relaxed Spanish culture, this colloquial phrase is like a breath of fresh air, in lieu of the harried, frantic air that most Americans seem to breath. Everything is just a little bit slower. And if something doesn't go according to plan, that is OK. It's not the end of the world (despite what many Americans might think).
For instance, instead of grabbing a venti iced-coffee and going (for that imperative morning caffeine boost), with palm pilot and blue tooth earpiece in tow, Spaniards sit down and chat over coffee, enjoying their drink and one another's company.
They don't do things for the "likes" they can get; they do things because they like to. They don't fill up every single minute of their schedules because it "looks good"; they sprinkle their schedules with things that will make them feel good.
If you will, the Spaniards take a few minutes to actually smell the roses, instead of just quickly snapping a photo of said roses to later post on Instagram.
In other words, this culture embodies another favorite phrase of mine: Carpe Diem--Seize the Day.
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