Spanish Culture

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Food and Mealtimes

  • Breakfast
    • Very small, and very quick (i.e. coffee and a pastry)
  • Lunch
    • Eaten anywhere from 12 pm – 4 pm
    • Usually accompanied by a siesta (a 90-min to two-hour break in the afternoon, sometimes taken with a nap)
      • Most businesses/restaurants are closed during this time
  • Dinner
    • A big deal; it’s a social event
    • Served around 10 pm for families with kids, but can be even later!
    • Can last long into the evening, especially if with friends
    • Dessert is often fruit or dairy (tarts/cake are typically reserved for special occasions)
    • It’s polite to help with setting the table and preparing, as well as clean up
  • Daily meals made by people in Spain are still often made by hand, from fresh ingredients from local markets (this is less common in large cities)
  • Famous foods to try
    • Ham/pork — Since the Moorish people were a strong influence in Spain for many centuries, eating pork historically became an expression of Christian ethnicity because it wasn’t eaten by Jews or Muslims
    • Olive oil — Spain produces a ton of the world’s olives
    • Tapas — various appetizers that come with purchase of a drink
    • Churro con chocolate — if you pay for nothing else in Spain, get these!!! Churrerías, or stores that serve churros, are super common and they’ll serve a cup of thick hot chocolate (more like a melted bar of chocolate) with a plateful of hot, greasy churros. YUM!
      • If you’re Madrid, stop by the Chocolatería San Ginés! Super famous, open all the time, and exceptionally delicious

Greetings

  • When first introduced to someone, expect to shake hands
  • In formal occasions, people are often referred to as Don/Dona and their first name
  • After a relationship is established, men may embrace and pat each other on the shoulder and women kiss each other on both cheeks, starting with the left
  • Double-cheek kiss greeting do’s and don’ts:
    • Do lean left offering your right cheek, then switch to the other side
    • Don’t actually kiss the other person’s cheek (it’s an “air kiss”)
  • The more you know someone, the more cheek kisses
    • 1 kiss = a quick hello or goodbye to a friend, acquaintance/stranger
    • 2 kisses = friend/close friend/family member
    • 3+ kisses = very close friend/family member
  • “Hola” is pretty casual, used among people that you know well
  • “Buenos dias” (Good day) is more formal
    • When entering and exiting shops, greet the store owner/clerk
    • “Buenos dias” for during the day
    • “Buenos tardes/Buenas noches” for the late afternoon/evening
    • “Salve” also can be a formal farewell and can be used day/evening
  • Spaniards talk with their hands and may unconsciously touch someone with their hands, even strangers. Keep your distance when talking to strangers and be aware of personal space but also don’t take it too personally/seriously

Are they angry all the time?

  • Spanish people may sound angry, but they usually aren’t
  • Talking loudly and emotionally are normal, and it doesn’t necessarily mean the speaker is angry or upset
  • In general, Spanish culture is much more blunt (or are you more sugar-coated?)
  • If your host mom gives you some feedback/criticism, don’t take it personally!
  • Spanish people speak their mind and rarely hold grudges
  • They’re just telling you what they think, so incorporate their feedback and move on 🙂

General mindsets

  • Family is super important, usually grandparents live close (or with the family) and are fairly involved
  • Elderly people are not sent to rest homes; their kids generally take care of them
  • People in Spain are very proud of their culture, food, beauty of the land, art, history, etc. so they like telling you about it
  • They love hearing what you love about Spain (it butters them up like nothing else!)
  • One of the worst things you could do is to not know anything about their culture or history — people in Spain can literally be hurt by this so educate yourself! 🙂
  • Futbol (soccer) is a huge part of life and culture in Spain!
  • People in Spain aren’t shy about expressing their passions and emotions
  • Generally people in Spain aren’t in a hurry; they are relaxed and try to enjoy every moment of life
  • Spaniards are open and friendly; it’s normal for them to smile and greet everyone they meet
  • People in Spain are very polite and kind to everyone, even strangers and tourists
  • Locals are happy to help with directions, compliment, and show the way
  • Being on time is rare, and Spaniards are known for procrastinating 🙂
  • People in Spain love going out — sometimes after a family dinner at home, they’ll take to the streets and chat with neighbor and friends (this is called paseo)

The Siesta

  • Afternoon break when not only shops but also most restaurants and cafes are closed
  • This is due to the heat (no one wants to work during the heat of the day — especially since air conditioning is believed to cause health issues!)
  • Usually 1 pm or 2 pm to 5 pm for shops and businesses
  • About 4 pm to 8 pm for bars, cafes, and restaurants
  • Many working people will come home for lunch and a nap at this time — ask your host parents what their habits are

Night Life

  • It’s incredibly normal for Spaniards to stay up really late (going home at 1 – 3 am is normal, even on weekdays)
  • This doesn’t mean they all sleep in (remember the nap in the middle of the day?)
  • Streets in Spain are well lit, and generally crowded in the evening and night

Multinationality

  • Spain has a long history of tension between regional nationalism and centralized nationalism
  • Many areas are autonomous regions of Spain
  • Residents of these areas have a strong sense of regional identity (with sometimes a mild sense of national identity)
  • These regions (with varying levels of regional identity vs. nationalist identity) are: Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, Andalusia, Asturias, Navarre, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Rioja, Extremadura, and Valencia
  • People in these areas generally consider themselves first citizens of that region
  • For example, Catalonia
    • Residents of Catalonia don’t consider themselves to be Spanish
    • They speak Catalan
    • They call themselves Catalans

Nudity on Beaches

  • Many girls and women enjoy the beach topless
  • Men and women may also swim at the beach completely naked
  • This is very common in Spain, especially on the islands
  • Ask your host family what the beach is like before you leave (and what THEY might wear or not wear!)

History and Literature

Languages in Spain

Famous People from Spain and Catalonia

and more!

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