What better way to really get to know the spanish people, then to ‘gossip’ a bit about their way of life and general habits.
It’s obvious that one can not speak in general that easily, as we all have our own personality. Personalities that can be very different, even more so when we look at people in the different regions of Spain
But apart from these differences, we can define the Spanish in their social relationships, as extrovert, sociable, friendly,… We can be quite familiar quite fast so don’t feel strange when people present themselves giving you 2 kisses and from that point on act in a familiar way with you, as if you have known eachother for a while already. We like to hugg, take eachother by the arm or give pets on eachothers’ backs. In this respect, when we meet a foreigner, we treat them as ‘one of us’ without really thinking about the possible reaction to our enthusiasm. We try to be as inviting and friendly as possible, trying to make your integration more comfortable and easy.
We, Spanish people, like to come together with our friends and family mostly in bars, to have breakfast, to have some ‘tapas’ or just to enjoy a few ‘cañas’ (=small cold beers)…and this can get quite noisy! Why do Spanish people talk so loud? Trying to understand the story one of your friends is telling, can be quite a challenge. And when it’s time to pay the bill, it is not common that everyone pays for his own consumptions. Normally everyone pays a ‘round’, inviting the others for a drink, but, of course, in the end everybody pays ‘una ronda’. And if not, we just divide the bill equally.
Regarding our social ways, we are not too fond on formalities and when we enter a discussion with someone we don’t know, we tend to say ‘tu’ instead of the more polite and formal ‘usted’. Except when we speak to elderly people or people with a more important social status or professional activity.
Spanish people are active, they can easily change their minds or future plans, not really constant and therefore a bit unpredictable. We are independent and in some occasions reluctant to collective ideas or propositions. We only agree if we are convinced ourselves.
In the way we communicate, we are emotional, inpredictable and spontaneous.
Also real typical are our loud monologues. They occur when 2 friends meet eachother and one asks the other: ‘Hi, how is everything? How are the kids?’ And the other one responds: ‘…and what have you been up to?’ How are you?’ Your family okay?’ Then probably the other one says: ‘I’m fine, thank you,…’ to continue their ‘dialogue of monologues’. ‘Well, my kid is ill with a swollen throat. You should see the poor girl, she has been in bed for days….’ To what the other one responds ‘Uf, well my kid also got the flue! She missed one week of school!’ The other one: ‘If she stays ill like this I’ll have to take her to see a doctor’ while the second one continues: ‘well, I had to wait for 2 hours before they atended us in the doctors’ office!’…. These conversations can go on for a while, with both speaking at the same time. Until one suddenly says: ‘Well I hope everything stays well for you’’, they kiss and go each on their own way.
Although we have good personal relationships, we sometimes can have a bit of a short and intensive ‘character’. We are very little suspicious, and credulous enough in ourselves if people trust in us.
We are ‘utopical’. The good development of our imagination makes us very creative, something that is noticeable in Spanish arts.
Spanish people live the present without looking back at the past too much. We love innovation and change.
We take important decisions fast which can result in some of them being wrong and irreversible.
But when we’re confronted with serious problems we react with generosity and good improvisation skills.
Regarding the workplace, I won’t say we are the hardest workers in the world but we are not lazy neither!
Ah! A special detail just occured to me. In general, an average spanish citizen would rather die of hunger than to give in to his ‘keeping up appearances’. Nothing will stop him to get the latest model of cellphones, the newest dvd-player or clothes from important brands…Even if this involves owing money and having debts or reaching the limit of his creditcard. Then he’ll just work a few extra lousy jobs and works 20 hours a day. No big deal.
So, if you are a foreigner in Spain, remember that you can get to know us personaly, we’ll take you in with open arms,…You now also know that we can be contradictive and that we love change… just so you are well prepared!
Welcome!