viernes, 1 de enero de 2016

2 2016




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/things-americans-can-learn-from-spain_5679729be4b0b958f657fb28?utm_hp_ref=spain

16 comentarios:

  1. Este comentario ha sido eliminado por el autor.

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  2. To begin with, I would like to say that I just partly agree with the most information mentioned in this article and, although I feel really proud of being Spanish and living in Spain, I am not keen on taking naps and football is not my kind of thing, though.
    In other words and without wishing to be rude, I would dare to say that the article is based on stereotypes or typical beliefs about Spanish people. It is common believed that Spanish people are funny and extrovert , but it obviously depends on what moment you meet them.
    Generally speaking, foreing people who are used to mixing with Spanish on holidays have this point of view, which is absolutely influenced for this factor. Definitely, We should ask foreign people living in Spain for long time for further and more objective information.
    After reading of the article, you could get the impression Spanish people only are interested in partying, dancing, sleeping, eating and so on. But, Whom does not like that? Who is not up for it? Everybody would welcome it if they had the chance, but another thing totally different is think that it is our daily lifestyle. Spanish people can take the things seriously aswell.
    On the other hand, the article do not mention many others incredible aspects of visiting Spain such as its prestigious museums, grand monuments or the simple fact of enjoying any of the culture events that are held. Neither it reports anything about the hospitality of Spanish people.
    To sump up, visiting Spain could be the best way of discover it by oneself. Nobody must tell you what people, weather, food or costums are like, otherwise every traveller should build his own idea about Spain.

    Mª Ángeles Urbano

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  3. A ROUND OF STEREOTYPES

    Spain has definitely very good conditions to be considered like a perfect country to live: beautiful and incredible places, friendly and charming people, delicious food (for me the best food in the world). Moreover, it is well-known that the weather here is perfect to socialize because we have much more hours of sun per year than northern European countries, for example. Thus, it is more likely to have a good plan to meet friends and have a beer. In fact, it is really appreciated for foreigners.
    On the other hand, though all these things I said before are positive to give a boost to our economy, our neighbourhood countries tend to describe Spain with some prejudices such as: that we can all dance flamenco; that we are all fans of bullfighting; that we only eat paella. And finally that we are supposed to be few hard-working because we are bound to be always on holiday.
    In addition, the cold countries seem to be efficient, whereas the hot countries aren’t seemed in that way. Emilio Lamo, professor of sociology, thinks there are two perspectives related to it: the best countries to work like Germany or UK and the best ones to live like Spain or Italy where people are nice, where there are beautiful women…
    On balance, and always from my point of view, we cannot generalize because one of many problems with any stereotype is than even if it is true in some cases, it is certainly not true in all cases.

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  4. Every year, foreign people and particularly Americans are tempted by the idea of visiting Spain maybe attracted by our culture and the way we see life. They say that Spain is worth a visit. They can learn a lot, since it is so much fun. Probably, Spain is different or, at least, it is said that.
    Firstly, Spain offers a beautiful scenery because of the lovely weather, the spectacular landscapes....and the light. I think that Spain is always sunny though it seems to be cloudy sometimes. Everything seems to be lighted. It is why Spain makes an immediate impression on all visitors, especially Americans, who quickly find their feet.
    Secondly, I believe that the most important thing in Spain is the people. Although there are some stereotypes such as being a bit lazy, not being very good at languages, being always late, and stuff like that, authentic Spanish people far outweigh all kind of prejudices. In addition, despite multicultural differences, which depend on the region, Spanish people have some things in common.
    I think that all of us are aware of our lively culture, so different from other countries, and we know how to take advantage of our leisure time, always with a smile that lights up our face and makes us look charming, friendly and cheerful.
    When it comes to having a party, we love throwing parties in our everyday life. For example, it is easy to see people who tend to have some beer or wine and "tapas", after finishing work on Friday, or they meet up at a bar to watch a football game. Our national drink is wine. Both red o white are excellent. We have the best wine in the world. Moreover, having wine and tapas with colleagues, family or friends is a good way to make new friends. There are so many bars where you can have delicious "tapas", such as Spanish potato omelette (I love it!), salmorejo, paella, flamenquin... They are really tasty and the quality is excellent.
    Public holidays are celebrated too. In general, Spaniards are keen on all kind of celebrations since life is worth being celebrated. There are lots of festivals and popular activities: the fair, the carnival, some parades... The streets are plenty of flowers, music and dances. It creates such a great atmosphere that peps you up. Even though it is very noisy and crowded, everybody looks as if they have known each other for a long time. The more people, the merrier. Even the most narrow-minded person turns out to be the most open-minded one. Sometimes, people end up seriously out of pocket, but they do not mind. There is almost always a friend that invites you to try wine and "tapas".
    Finally, American people are often amazed by the traditional "siesta". Americans are said to spend the day rushing around, which can cause stress. As a rule, they hurry up. They have a lot to learn about the "siesta". It enables you to recharge the batteries, get your beauty sleep and get rid of stress. Afterwards, you can go out again wherever you want and enjoy the evening. It is a bit like having the opportunity to live twice the day.
    In a nutshell, if you are feeling stressed and tired or, simply, you would like to learn much more about our culture and Spanish people, and the true way we live, do not pay attention to stereotypes. You should visit Spain. It is worth it.

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  5. ** WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE AN ALIEN? **
    Nowadays, people often travel to Spain driven by an unavoidable desire to learn about our culture. Every now and again, they wonder what it feels like to be a foreigner living in Spain, using the local press to find some answers. I would say that despite the rough reviews coming from other countries, trying to undermine our lifestyle, it is worth to remember that there are always different viewpoints.
    To start with, there is no doubt about the exquisite and tasty Spanish cuisine. Furthermore, far from being monotonous, it is constantly splashed by a wide range of different styles, provided by regional dishes, such as Valencian paella, cocido Madrilleño, Galician seafood, Andalusian gazpacho, and so much more… In addition to that, what is even much more amazing is that you don´t have to tour around Spain to taste them. Just order a “tapa” of them while you are at bars and in no time, you will get an overview over our gastronomy, without feeling your stomach stuffed with food at all. Surely, it will fit your liking.
    Moreover, all of these dishes are based in the olive oil, vegetables, fruits and fish, which make up the healthy Mediterranean diet, highly praised by experts and nutritionist throughout the world for years.
    On the other hand, you are bound to be served in a friendly atmosphere, whether you choose ever bustling bars, usually packed with people, or, on the contrary, you go for a trendy restaurant, many of which are already awarded.
    Not surprisingly, the cosy and welcoming character of the Spaniards (pretty tolerant, at least), leads visitors to enjoy good experiences, according to a recent survey about their wellbeing. For instance, they are always willing to help you in the street with directions or to recommend you the nearest restaurant.
    In this sense, locals are loyal and passionately protective of their families. For example, one thing that put their physical closeness to the test, is the way that people greet each other when they come across. I mean, whereas women are used to kissing on both cheeks, men would share an energetic handshake followed by a big hug, no matter whether they are relatives or friends.
    This behaviour, is maybe boosted by our outstanding weather. Thus, the colder the winter is or the hotter the summer is, the more people tend to live outdoor, even much more frequently than in most other European countries. People get together to go skiing to the nearest snowcapped mountain or, they look for non-stop fun at crowded beaches during summertime.
    When it comes to talking of our scorching summer, it is rather tough trying to concentrate at work at midday. Apart from this, we are used to having succulent lunches, which doubtlessly, require a short period of time of physical and intellectual inactivity, in order for the digestion to starts off properly. Locals try to make the most of this breaktime, chatting with their friends and relatives, or taking a quick nap that provides us with renewed forces to overcome new challenges.
    We could never forget that, compared to America, Spain has far more historic landmarks. The broad variety and wealth of the Spanish culture comes as a consequence of the fact that Spain has housed different races and cultures throughout its long history, from Romans, to Iberians or Moors. By and large, nearly each city has, at least, one church that dates back from Middle Age. In addition to chapels, it is easy to find castles and fortress, honouring nobles, kings, battles or artists.
    But this multicultural feedback still goes on, as Latin American immigrants and foreign residents from northern Europe are recently leaving their footprints in our society, turning Spain into a vivid and modern country that, doubtlessly, will continue attracting visitors.
    Therefore, when it comes to spending your leisure-time: Come to Spain, you won´t regret it!.

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  6. Travelling is the best way to get to know new food, people, language, customs… However, Spain is one of European countries which are chosen in order to spend wonderful holidays. There are several reasons for that.
    1 Spain is traditionally the cheapest country at European Union. Before the euro, Spaniards used the peseta. It was cheaper than other kinds of currency in the world. When the euro came in most European countries, Spain has kept on being cheap for the foreign. On the other hand, Spaniards think that our country has become more expensive since 2002.
    2 Weather in Spain is nice because it is sunny for all year. Nonetheless, there are differences between southern and northern of Spain. If you fancy feeling sunlight, you should go to Andalucía, Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha, Murcia and Comunidad Valenciana. On the contrary, if you don´t want to be hot, you could go to the northern of Spain. Generally, foreigners want to see the sun, so the best seasons to enjoy it in the south are spring and autumn.
    3 Food. It is said that the Spanish eat a healthy diet called Mediterranean Diet. It consists of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, fish, bread and meat (Spanish ham is the most well-known product in the world). The most famous dishes are paella, salmorejo and tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette in English). Depending on where you are, you will try different types of food. For instance, if you are in Córdoba, you can try flamenquín, sanjacobo, potaje and so on.. . Spain is famous because of wine too. The most popular international wine is La Rioja.
    4 Festivals in Spain. Spanish calendar is full of interesting festivals and events such as Las Fallas, the Funfair of Sevilla, the patios festival, El Pilar, Semana Santa, Carnival… .
    Carnival: it is held in every single town, village and city in Spain. People dress up as a penguin, bird or in a fictional or real character. Moreover, people join in groups in order to sing “chirigota” which is a funny song criticizing real famous people or the situation in the country. Every group can take part in a competition. After finishing the competition, there is a carnival parade.
    Las Fallas: it is celebrated in Valencia. People from Valencia wear local costume. Women wear a costume called fallera suit. It is a long dress with greenish, yellowish colours. People make floats in the shape of famous characters of Spain and they set fire to these floats on San José´s day.
    The funfair of Sevilla: it is held in spring in this amazing city. Women wear flamenco dress to dance sevillanas. Local people build a sort of small houses made of tarpaulin where people can dance, eat and drink. What is more, there are many rides for children and adults.
    The patios festival: it is celebrated in Córdoba in May. Local people who live in the old town, let people come in and see their patios. Everywhere in a courtyard you will see many antiques stuff and flowerpots.
    Semana Santa and el Pilar are religious events. In Semana Santa there is a religious parade with many floats which shows the death and resurrection of Christ for Catholic people; el Pilar festival is held in Zaragoza; but at the same time, it is a day off in Spain because Christopher Colón arrived at America on the 12th of October. This date is named Hispanidad´s day.

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  7. 5 Spain at Christmas. The first Christmas event is on the 22nd of December, when it is celebrated a drawing called El Gordo. Before that date, Spaniards purchase a lottery or several of them. On 24th of December in the evening, family gather in order to throw Nochebuena Dinner (Christmas Eve in English). Each member of the family makes a dish, another one brings Christmas sweet such as pestiños, polvorones, mazapanes… . On Christmas day at midday, many families tend to gather to have lunch. Six days later, on the 31st of December, people gather with their family or friends so as to celebrate Nochevieja (New Year Eve). After last year supper, Spaniards eat the twelve grapes at 12 in the evening. Some of them go to a square to eat them and others put on TV now that you can hear the twelve chimes. On 5th of January (three wise men Eve), there is a parade for children. Three people dress up as three wise men and ride on floats. They throw sweets and toys to people. On 6th of January, children open their gifs which are beneath Christmas tree. On this day, everybody tries Roscón de Reyes that is like a cake in the shape of rosca and there are small presents inside it.
    6 Daily routine. As a rule, Spaniards work eight hours a day. In general, we have breakfast early in the morning. At midday, we have brunch. At two o`clock, we finish work and eat lunch. After that, we tend to have a siesta to rest a little bit before starting work again. Finally, we have dinner at ten o´clock and go to bed at 11.

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  8. In theory, if you are a well-paid columnist, as I suppose this article´s author is, and your work involves in writing an essay about a particular topic, some questions should be taken into account.. It is crucial that you are up to date with the matter which you want to focus on, especially if your article is going to be published. This is not the case of ‘our’ essayist, though.

    As far as I´m concerned, I have felt deeply upset about the sarcastic tone of the text. It is certain that the writing is done in a extremely polite way, but please, pay attention: if you do a careful reading of it, you will realize that transmitting an unconstructive review about we Spaniards is the real intention of this writer.

    Moreover, I consider the more stereotyped the idea is, the more stereotyped the arguments to break it are. On the whole, I would rather not concentrate my effort doing this writing on the fact of denying each of the statements that she argues. In fact, I prefer to leave this task in my mates’ hands, as they are doing it perfectly .

    In addition, I guess not only has she written a baseless report but she has also attempted to convince us about americans should take our lifestyle as an example. All this done with a general ironic message, as I have said previously.

    Having said that, I can state that Suzy Strutner ought to bear in mind that whatever society may be subjet of being standardized, ever yours, american one, however, this does not mean that stereotyped ideas around an specific style of living aren´t myths.

    Finally, I would encourage Suzy to seek for such an stunning culture as ours. Rarely will she find another as spanish one.

    MªJosé Hernández.

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  9. In my opinion, this article says some truth and some topics that are not the reality.
    For example, it's certain that spanish people love stay at the street with friends or family but we're also responsible people in general. If we have to work the next day, we tend to go to sleep at a sensible time. Also, we can't do the "siesta" every day, maybe we do in holidays or at the weekend, but not as a rule because most of the people have things to do in the afternoon, as go to work, or take the children to different activities, and so.
    Fortunatelly, I´ve been to several countries and the more that I travel, the more that I realise that our culture is especially fun and relaxed, but I don't like to know that foreigners see us as lazy people.
    It's possible that americans only know Spain for a while, on a short trip, and that's the reason because they don't understand that certainly, "Spain is different", but not only for the "fiesta". They could check that we have a rich culture and traditions really amazing.
    Actually, I think that all the countries have topics around, you only have to be enough openminded to look over that.

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  10. After having read the article, I do wish to express my opinion about it. To start with, although I just partly agree with several points, it is true that are mentioned various controversial stereotypes about Spaniards.

    First and foremost, if you were an American that have never visited Spain and just read this article, you probably could have the impression that Spaniards are immersed in a continuous celebration, couldn't have?. So, according to the article, Spaniards have a motive to celebrate whatever, everyday. Would that were true!. From my point of view, that not a bad thing if it were true, but not it is. According to this, it is believed that we are loafing around the whole day long in the streets, drinking or eating in bars or restaurants, resting...

    Secondly, it is true that we have lots of celebrations throughout the year but this perhaps proves that we are happier or extroverts, maybe due to the good weather and the vast amount of light that we can enjoy in Spain. However, what is clear is that, in general, our character is much much sociable than in other countries, so we love going out, meeting friends or family, among others. To be clear, in general, we really like enjoying and making the most of the moment whenever we can. There is no harm in it, is there?

    On the other hand, as I said before, I am agree with several points. For instance, regarding being with the family, talking and eating well. Spaniards must to be proud of many things, like their culinary wealth, which is quite famous and what is more, increasingly appreciated worldwide; or the vast variaty of celebrations that take part in almost all corners of the country and much more. But, obviously, the article have failed to mention many other things that I consider essentials if you are talking about Spain, for example: a rich history and ancient culture, large amount of monuments, cultural events and what is more, a vast variety of amazing landscapes in order to enjoy and appreciate Spain, at least from another perspective.

    To conclude, It appears that the article is just based on the experience of foreigners that have visited Spain during the holiday period. Even if certain points in the article are true, I do believe that Spain not is really so, since it has a lot more interesting things to offer and of course, that it is clear, we are not celebrating something everyday - which might be a disappointment to some. Therefore, if you really like to get to know the country, culture and how we live in Spain, you should see it. Surely, you will be astonished and you will not want to leave Spain. It is worth verifying it.

    Elena Z.L.

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  12. While I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I also think that this article is strongly stereotyped. The best way to get to know a country and its culture is through your own experience, of course, but when it comes to a country like Spain, with all its diversity, it's very difficult to explain it with only a few words as does this article, hence the reason why I find it really unfair.

    Firstly, after reading the text you get the impression that Spaniards are always partying and having a good time, this is, it seems as if it's the most important thing for them. Obviously, that's not true. In Spain, there are many responsible and hard-working people who are struggling because of the economic downturn, and who definitely should be mentioned in the article. But, unfortunately, they're not. And the columnist shouldn't forget either that there are people who know how to balance work and party time, proving, therefore, that it's perfectly compatible. Normally, in Spain, people go clubbing at weekends, especially on Saturday night.

    Secondly, it's true that Spaniards love taking siestas (and many of them think that the longer the siesta, the better). But, in my opinion, it's something we should be proud of. That doesn't mean that Spaniards are lazy nor that this is just an excuse to work less. I truly believe people have the right to rest after lunch, especially if they're exhausted from work. In fact, they usually look more active and energetic after the siesta because they're not tired anymore, so why all the criticism? I sometimes wonder if it's due to a question of envy, to be honest.

    Lastly, I disagree when the text says that Spaniards like living with their family even when they're older. I think the writer shouldn't forget the fact that we're suffering from a financial crisis and that's the main reason why many people still live with their parents. However, I'm sure that if you ask those people where they would like to live, they would say that they would like to move away from home because they need their own space. And let's not forget that this is the same reason why many people can't afford to get married and have children, which is really a shame. Hopefully the situation will change soon and people will be able to start a new life in their own houses. It's just a matter of time, and we must stay positive.

    To sum up, I would like to remind readers that they shouldn't believe everything they read, because they could get a wrong idea about how things are in reality. If you're a foreigner and you really want to know how life in Spain is, the culture, the people and their habits, just go there and see it for yourself. Don't think twice and live a wonderful experience. I would love to follow my own advice in order to visit another country, but, of course, that's easier said than done.

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  13. In my opinion the article treats some topics about Spain in a positive way, however it can also have negative interpretations. For example, the idea that Spanish people like parties, dance, eat and drink, turn into tourists, above all young people, who come to Spain only to get drunk. They behave like vandals breaking shop windows and urban furniture, and bothering the neighbourhood. It is so shamefull.
    Moreover, although the article underline some of our habits as an healthy lifestyle at the same time these habits lead to the worst adjectives of the Spanish stereotype: Spanish people are lazy, irresposible, inmature and don't take work seriously at all.
    With the aim of improving Spain image abroad in 2012 was created a long-term policy in charge of drawing strategies to change the opinion that other countries have about Spain and promote Spanish culture, economy, science and technology. It is called " marca España" and I don't think other countries have to work on this way.

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  14. Knowing the opinion of foreign viewers about the "national customs" always is enriching.

    First of all, because it's not easy to do so complicated analysis from the inside. Even having a look at this sort of reflections, you can learn several habits (as a Spaniard you are) that you didn't distinguish about yourself so far, surprisingly. With this statement, I'm joking and taking it seriously at the same time.

    In other words, not every citizens from a particular country fullfil the requirements that the classic stereotypes point out.

    On the contrary, it is fair to recognise that brief studies like this help people to discover the image other inhabitants of the world have about them.

    In short, probably we would do well to understand articles of this kind both taking a critical view and showing our most friendly side.

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  15. Every now and again, you’ll come across a blog entry full of clichés giving you weird reasons to visit a particular country. When talking about Spain, paella, reluctance to work hard, siesta, football, and so on, usually appear as compulsory topics.
    Nowadays, we live in a globalized world, so we don’t need to travel abroad to watch the last Korean film, try Indian food, or purchase a Canadian jumper. Therefore, if you are motivated to visit a particular country, surely you have already made any kind of previous contact, and your preconceptions might make you feel some sort of interest about that country.
    Changing the subject, I cannot understand the reason why Spanish people still insist stubbornly on keeping stereotypes such as we are good at sports (however we are not so proud of our R&D&I), the so-called Mediterranean diet (forgetting to add that 60% of our adult population is overweight or obese, because we don’t maintain anymore that Mediterranean diet that we proudly proclaim), or that we will never miss an opportunity to party (just remember the infamous Ana Botella’s speech in Madrid’s candidacy for the Olympic games “no one celebrates life like Spanish people do”).
    My advice: if you don’t want to look like a narrow-minded traveler, forget about somebody else’s viewpoints, buy a good travel guide (and occasionally watch the Pilot Guides episode dedicated to that country), and form your own personal opinion about that country and its citizens.

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  16. After reading the article I would like to give my opinion about it. Generally speaking I think the writer has used the most popular Spanish stereotypes and it is not good for us. Maybe it is a sporadic turist's impression but, obviously, it can not be the opinion of a lforeing person who has lived in Spain for long time.
    I completely agree that Spain leaves everyone different because it is a great country with wonderful people and customes. I love some of our customes, above all the 'sobremesa' because it is pleasant being surrounded by friends and loved ones and talk about any issue.
    Of course, we have many things to learn to Americans since not how to celebrate public holidays. I wish we would celebrate Spain's day as Americans do! Americans are so proud of his nationality that they show their flags everywere and tend parades. Nevertheless, we spend that holiday resting at home or in a bar without remembering at all why that day is a holiday day.
    On the other hand, I don't agree at all with other issues such as we the Spanierds go out almost every single night until 4 or 5 p.m. even if we have to work the day after. Whoever reads this will think we can not be efficent in our job and it's obviously true. In fact, most of us do not go out during the week. The article's writer must have wanted to talk about students and not about all the citizens.
    To sum up, I would say that Spanish is a fantastic place to live because of its weather, nature spaces, monuments and history and not because of the sterotypes mentioned in the article. Coming and visiting us is the best way to decide if Spain is worth it. Get your own opinion!

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