8 Things You Should Know About Spain Before your Mobility Programme
To most of you, this might not come as a surprise, but do you know what time meals are served in Spain? Generally speaking, Spaniards eat lunch between 13:30/14.00 and 15:30 and have dinner at any time after 20:30/21.00. If you adapt to the local timetable, you are most likely to dodge tourist traps and find yourself eating authentic Spanish food. The reason for this is that, in the 1940s, Spain’s dictator Francisco Franco moved the country’s clock ahead by an hour in solidarity with the Nazi regime. After the war, the clocks were never changed back and Spain (excluding the Canary Islands) is on Central European Time till date, instead of Western European Time. In other words, the sun rises and sets later than the rest of the time zone it’s in, influencing the way we eat.
Muah, muah!
Don’t be scared if the first time you meet someone in Spain, they come forward to kiss you. As opposed to many other countries, Spaniards greet new people by giving two kisses on the cheeks, from left to right, rather than shaking hands. Of course, they don’t do this in formal settings or every day at work, but if you meet a friend out or are introduced to someone, that’s the standard protocol. Women are always greeted this way, but men shake hands with each other unless they are close friends or family. If you don’t feel like abiding by Spain’s kiss greeting rules, try to extend your hand as fast as possible or wave it while keeping some distance. If you pull back, a Spanish person might get confused or even slightly offended. *Covid-19 may have altered this custom (I can hear a sigh of relief).
Spanish is not the only language of Spain
Spain is culturally a very rich territory, home to several regional languages used by millions of people. Spanish, also named Castilian, is the only language, which has official status for the whole country, but Catalan/Valencian (same language, different names), Basque, Galician and Aranés (Occitan) are co-official where they are spoken. Beware - these are not dialects, but fully-fledged recognised languages entrenched in the identities of many Spaniards. There are other unofficial minority languages spoken around the country, such as Aragones or Asturleonese. We will analyse in more detail the linguistic landscape of Spain in another blog post (HERE), but, in the meantime, we invite you to learn a few words in these languages, as it will be greatly appreciated by the locals.
Spaniards have long names
One thing you will notice while trying to remember the names of your colleagues or classmates is that they are long, quite likely to be longer than what you may be used to. Spanish people have two surnames, the first one is the first paternal last name, whereas the second is the first maternal family name. It is worth mentioning, however, that laws have recently changed and parents can decide the order, which means that the mother’s surname can appear first in the child’s identity card. Given names, on the other hand, can be made up of one single (Ana) or composed name (Juan Pablo). One example of a full name is: Maria Carmen Puig Garmendia. Do you think it’s long? I don't :)))
Spain is gay-friendly
Don’t get me wrong, it is not the earthly paradise, as hate crimes due to sexual orientation and gender identity have grown in recent years. Nevertheless, Spain remains largely one of the most welcoming countries for the community, which is something we take pride in. Once Spain transitioned into democracy, in 1978, homosexuality was decriminalised and, in 2005, the Spanish parliament legalised same-sex marriage and adoption, the third country in the world to do so. According to a 2019 study by the US Pew Research Centre, 89% of Spaniards say homosexuality should be accepted by society, a percentage only overpassed by Sweden and the Netherlands.
Source: Pixabay
It’s not always warm and sunny
Spain is a sun-kissed country with around 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, but it is not always beach weather, notably in winter. If your host city is in the northern regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country or Navarre (tell us your destination here!), you will need an umbrella and good winter gear. If you go south instead, be equally prepared and bring along some layers, as most apartments are not entirely equipped for the cold season as a result of their poor insulation. Many homes were designed decades ago to keep indoors cool throughout the stifling heat in summer with little thought given to the winter months. Yes, you will definitely enjoy the sun, but also be ready to potentially feel colder inside your accommodation than out in the streets.
Un café, por favor
Like most of its neighbours, Spain has a strong coffee culture. Loosely speaking, the main three types you can get are: café solo, café cortado and café con leche. Café solo is nothing fancy, but a small cup of strong black coffee, while a café cortado is a café solo topped with a splash of milk. They are both served in small cups. However, the most popular coffee order in Spain is café con leche, which is the closest equivalent thing to a Latte. It contains about the same amount of coffee and milk, and it is poured into a bigger cup or glass. Be aware that coffee in Spain can be a bit bitter, due to the types of beans used and Torrefacto process, which is a technique whereby beans are roasted with sugar, creating a burnt sugar glaze.
Is siesta a myth or a common practice?
Well, both. Siesta is perhaps one of the country’s most popular stereotypes, which inevitably fuels another more harmful cliché: laziness. Let’s get to the bottom of it. According to a 2017 survey, almost 60% of Spaniards never have a midday nap, while only 18% admit taking a snooze sometimes. To be fair, the majority of working-age people don’t have the time to do a siesta and it is usually practised after a plentiful Sunday lunch. Let me give you a tip: if you want to do a proper siesta, follow these instructions: never in your bed, never ever in your pyjamas, and, please, keep it short. If you shut your eyes for more than 30 minutes, you risk being in a bad mood for the rest of the day.
Bonus track
- Don’t be surprised if someone cancels on you because of…the weather: Yes, a rainy day ☔ is a valid reason to bail out on a friend and stay at home watching a film. I’ve personally been guilty of that many times haha.
- Football is a huge deal in Spain and a significant part of the local culture. I know, not everyone loves football, but if you have the chance to go to a stadium, don’t blink twice. You will enjoy the experience. Which football team do you support? If you want to talk about football jump into this Discussion topic!
That’s all, folks. I'm interested in knowing your thoughts on the blog post. Share your comments and/or questions here!
What about your countries? What should we know if we were to travel there?
Bernat, OLS Community Manager – Spanish
