When In Rome Rodney, When In Rome….

Whilst the UK and Ireland are both rightly proud of their customs and traditions, the habits that we are accustomed to back home are a million miles away from those which you will need to adjust to when you move to Spain. In fact, certain taboo behaviours such as kissing a stranger on both cheeks when being introduced, or enjoying a glass of wine with lunch, even during a working day, are perfectly acceptable here. You will find that certain customs come quite naturally, while others will take some getting used to, and similarly some of your old habits might be difficult to lose! Spanish cultural norms have a huge influence over social life, so adopting them is the best way to integrate into Spanish life and start making new friends. Do not be dismayed however, if your “Spanishness” takes a while to kick in, as you will probably find that the natives are quite familiar with the British stereotype and might even expect you to be a little more reserved than themselves. The key to embracing the Spanish culture is to go with the flow, leave the “stiff upper lip” back home and get stuck in!

To help make the transition a little easier, ALIS has identified a few of the major habits which you will need to wave goodbye to, and those which you shall embrace, if you stand any chance of adjusting to your Spanish surroundings.

Time Is NOT of the Essence
Although you might have a tight schedule and deadline to work to, you will probably find that your Spanish friends or associates are not too concerned by it. Spaniards from coastal areas in particular are not best known for their punctuality, and you can expect to hear the term “mañana” fairly frequently from now on. In spite of the dictionary translation, mañana to a Spaniard does not necessary mean tomorrow, it is just a vague indication of sometime in the future, and they are unable or unwilling to commit to a specific date. Meanwhile, the longstanding tradition of the “siesta” or midday nap can also make progress painfully slow. The majority of Spanish shops and services close their doors each day between the hours of 14:00 and 16:00 or 17:00, meaning that even if you do not feel the need for a snooze yourself you are incredibly limited as to what you can do. That said, larger companies and those run by foreigners are working hard to break the tradition, offering longer opening hours which suit the demands of modern society, and forcing their Spanish competitors to follow suit whether they like it or not! The best advice is not to let slack timekeeping annoy you too much and look at it as a positive thing- Spaniards like to take their time to enjoy life, and now you can too! Grab yourself a refreshing caña or bottle of wine and a good book, and go and put your feet up on the terrace for an hour or two. The office isn’t going anywhere, the housework can wait, and the kids are entertaining themselves, so enjoy some me time like everyone else is!

Re-train Your Appetite
If you are used to having breakfast at 08:00, lunch around midday and dinner at 18:00 you might find that you need to re-programme your tummy’s internal clock to adapt to the Spanish eating routine. Basically, breakfast can be anywhere from 08:00 to 11:00 depending what time you get out of bed, lunch is typically during the siesta period at around 15:00 and dinner not until 22:00, which for some people is closer to bedtime than a sensible mealtime. Even more alarming, particularly if you have been force fed the benefits of the healthy Mediterranean diet by your Property Advisor, is the fact that the Spanish often enjoy “un desayuno dulce” or sweet breakfast. This will consist of biscuits, hot chocolate and churros, which are fried dough pieces similar to doughnuts, coated with cinnamon or sugar and served with melted chocolate….and they say that the traditional British fry-up is bad for you!?

If you manage to keep hunger pangs at bay until siesta time you will probably agree that the Spanish late lunch is well worth waiting for. “Comida” is the biggest meal of the day in most households, consisting of a main meat, poultry or fish dish, accompanied by masses of white crusty bread, washed down with a glass or two of “vino”, or wine. Long lunches are the norm here, so think satisfying three-course menu rather than fast food snack on the go. If you do find it more convenient or enjoyable to eat out, you will usually find a plethora of cafes and bars serving “Menú del Día”, or menu of the day. This should typically comprise of a starter, main course, dessert and coffee, often including a basket of bread and glass of wine for under 10 euros. Now after a lunch like that you can begin to understand why the Spanish do not want their evening meal much before bedtime!

The Night Is Always Young
You may, or may not, be pleased to learn that most Spanish bars do not have an official closing time, but if you aim to be the last man standing be warned that the locals are quite accustomed to crawling into bed at 07:00 after an average session so you might need to get some practice in first! Whilst Brits are generally partial to an “early doors” drinking session, either straight after work or whilst watching the footie on a Sunday afternoon, Spaniards tend to start their night out much later, and are far better at going the distance. It is quite easy to spot a group of Brits on a night out in Spain, as they will be the ones knocking back pints and shots on a frenzied mission. Meanwhile, the Spanish are more disciplined drinkers, treating a night out like a marathon rather than a sprint, and walking home in a reasonable state at the end of it! When the bars do finally close, Spaniards of all ages will usually head to the clubs rather than home to bed, which is when the party really gets started…now are you sure you don’t need that siesta?

The best way to ease yourself into this hardcore nightlife is to start by going out for tapas “a tapear”, as you get plenty of nibbles to soak up the alcohol and its really easy to lose track of time as you meander from bar to bar, so you won’t be wanting your bed too early. The frequent change of venues also means that you are not so tempted to swig your drinks down too quickly, giving you helpful little breathers in between! In this way you should be able to maintain a sensible state of tipsy until you hit the clubs, at which point the dancing and high price of drinks should help to sober you up a little before you head home!

Spaniards Don’t Do Staying In (And That Includes The Kids!)
Even during the chilly winter months you tend to find that Spaniards socialize outside of their homes rather than inviting everyone over for dinner. In fact, staying in can often be regarded as a sign of economic hardship or ill health. That is not to say that families spend a lot of money when they go out, but rather meet friends or family for a coffee and chat in the town square. They will often take their own drinks and nibbles with them, then spend hours simply watching the world go by while the kids play and tire themselves out ready for bed! It might not sound particularly exciting, but certainly beats starring at the box all evening in my book!

You will soon notice that it is not only party animals, but families too who tend to stay out late at night, even on a school night! Expats are often shocked, and even frown upon parents for allowing their children to roam the streets or frequent the bars at night whilst they socialize or enjoy the activities of a fiesta over a few drinks. Whether you agree with it or not, you must appreciate that this is all part of their culture, and as many of these children will have had a good sleep during the siesta period they are more than happy to be out and about until late at night. It is also worth noting that during high season, the evening is the coolest, most comfortable time of day to be outdoors, and the locals rarely venture out during the day. Hence, when the sun disappears everyone takes to the streets! Incidentally, street drinking, known colloquially as “botellón” is considered illegal, although the law is rarely enforced because this activity is so popular in Spain, and as long as the perpetrators are not causing any real harm the authorities rarely intervene.

Be Prepared To Pucker Up
Where Great Britain is probably the least comfortable nation when it comes to public shows of affection, Spain is quite the opposite, and even complete strangers will greet each other with a kiss on each cheek- first the right, then the left if following protocol closely. Their actions are usually supported by the far less formal address of “encantada” or “enchanted”, rather than “pleased to meet you,” and you will usually find that they really are! There are certain circumstances where you would be forgiven for not stepping forward to offer your cheek, such as when visiting the bank, solicitors or doctors, but in most cases it is perfectly normal to give someone a friendly peck on the cheek. Even in a formal situation such as attending a job interview, you might be welcomed with the traditional double kiss, which may seem awkward to us reserved expats, but is actually designed to put you at ease and on a more even playing field with the interviewer. Whatever the scenario, do your best to feel the love as there is no room for reticence here!

The Party Does Not Stop On Sundays
If you are accustomed to Sunday being a “day of rest”, when you hibernate under your duvet in a bid to recover from the last two nights shenanigans before getting back to work, you can think again, as a Spanish Sunday can be equally as riotous as a Friday night. Heading to the local market to pick up a few bargains before tucking into wine and tapas is a popular Sunday pastime, and even those who have been up all night partying will usually make the effort to meet friends there- time and tide wait for no man you know! If you have a banging headache you are not in for a relaxed Sunday wind down here, as you will find the streets bursting with colour, noise and friendly banter between the vendors and their discerning customers. However, you might find that there is no better way to dodge a hangover than getting stuck in all over again, and be sure to chug down a few cups of café con leche en route to keep the energy flowing until siesta time. Sunday evenings are no less hectic, and usually involve spending time with friends and family, and dragging every last minute out of the weekend before getting back to the grind on Monday morning!