As an expatriate in Spain you will need much of
the same information any
Spaniard might need upon moving to this region. However, as a foreigner
you'll also have many specific needs - especially regarding culture,
language and integration issues. Relocating to Spain in
itself is a monumental leap. Living that international lifestyle can be so much easier when information and resources
are shared, avoiding common pitfalls and giving you more time to relax and unwind.
Spanish
life has changed dramatically over recent years and many of the strict religious
customs are giving way to more modern ways. However, many old customs and
traditions have not faded. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting and
kisses on both cheeks is normal. If invited to a private home, a small gift is
appreciated. Flowers are only sent for special celebrations. Away from the
holiday resorts beachwear should be confined to beach or poolside and shirts
should always be worn in public places and on public transport. Smoking is
widely accepted, even in banks and shops but not on public transport.
The
Spanish way of life is somewhat slower than the rest of Europe, especially in
the south. This may be seen as lazy, but when the Spanish work, they work hard.
They have adapted to the weather and play hard too. It is quite common for life
to begin when the sun goes down, especially in the summer. They are a very happy
people who enjoy life to the full. They love music, dance and food.
The Andalusia region meshes together the flavours of
the Moorish influence with Spanish and the Mediterranean. The region is
famous for it’s cured hams (jamon serrano), spicy chorizo sausage,
vegetable soups such as gazpacho and fresh seafood (fried fish and
calamares).
Typically, Spanish have a light breakfast at home of
a coffee with milk (cafe con leche) and toast and jam or churros, and
follow up with a more substantial mid afternoon meal of a croissant and
espresso. Definitely the most popular way to consume coffee is expresso.
Lunch is the main meal of the day and is eaten
before the siesta. Many shops still close between 1.30p.m. – 2 p.m. and
4 p.m., although the practice is lessening with Spain having joined the
European Union. The most value for money lunch is the fixed price menu.
For a set price, the diner is given an appetizer, main course, desert,
wine and water. Wine, beer and sherry are all consumed and Spain is a
large producer of grapes but not wine.
Tapas were born in Andalusia. There are many tapas
bars around the world sharing the Spanish tradition of having a small
morsel of food while you have a drink. Tapas are eaten before lunch and
before dinner. In Spain the act of having tapas is called tapeo. Each
tapas bar will have a tapas specialty and will recommend that you visit
other bars to taste their specialties. Some tapas morsels are very small
and are free, while you can also purchase half and full serves of the
tapas of your choice. Some examples of tapas dishes are: ham mountain
cured (serrano), ham from Andalusian pigs fed on acorns (iberico), olives,
cheese, fresh anchovies, calamares, prawns, meatballs, marinated meats,
snails, salads and tortilla. Tapas are served both hot and cold. The
earliest dinner will be eaten in a restaurant is 9 p.m. and goes onto
midnight.
Fiesta
All Spanish towns and cities have their own special celebrations, as well as the
national holidays such as Christmas, Easter Week, All Saints Day etc. The way in
which the national events are celebrated also varies from place to place. Most
festivities are of religious base, mainly Catholic. Spaniards often start the
evening with el paseo, a leisurely stroll through the main streets or along the paseo
maritimo in the coastal resorts. Much of Spanish life is lived in the
streets and the atmosphere is especially vibrant at fiesta time. On a warm
evening the street cafes and bars can fill to capacity as people sit and relax.
San Juan's night is
full of bonfires, fireworks, music, dancing, sardines and bread. It's the
welcome to summer, and its celebration takes place during the shortest night of
the year.
Many towns,
cities or villages celebrate this first Summer Fiesta. All the celebrations
share some things in common, yet each also has its peculiarity. In cities and
towns, particularly those close to the sea, the celebration is very important.
Lalín, in Galicia, celebrates O Corpiño, during which people touch an image to
botar fora o meigallo, to take out bad things. In Alicante's Fogueres de Sant
Joan, two hundreds bonfires burn all over the city during the night. In Palamós
and Roses (Girona), fireworks and bonfires are made on the beach, while in Las
Palmas de Gran Canaria, the people build bonfires of waste products, and after
the burn, bathe in the sea, which they have filled with fruits and flowers.
Bonfires, fire and water are the protagonists of the night. Men and women, young
people and children, all dedicate their days and afternoons to the preparation
of bonfires. According to tradition, if people jump three times over a bonfire
on San Juan's night, they will be cleansed and purified, and their problems
burned away. Another tradition, especially for women, requires the women of
the house to prepare perfumed water combining the scents of seven plants - among
them rosemary, roses and laurel - and to bathe or wash their faces in the water,
again to purify themselves for the new season.
Bull fighting
Bullfighting is the most traditional of Spanish Fiestas. The Spanish
people consider them art forms which are intimately linked with their
country’s history, art and culture. Pressure groups attempt to
lobby against bullfighting yet the King of Spain himself has been quoted as
saying that the day the EU bans bullfighting is the day Spain leaves the EU.
Bullfighting can be traced back to ancient days. They were popular
spectacles in ancient Rome, but it was in the Iberian Peninsula that these
contests were fully developed by the Moors from North Africa who overran
Andalucia in AD 711. Bullfighting developed into a ritualistic occasion observed
in connection with feast days, on which the conquering Moors, mounted on highly
trained horses, confronted and killed the bulls.Today bullfighting is big
business in Spain with the top matadores earning comparable salaries to the
nation's top soccer stars and rock idols.
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