by Sima Kalmens

I arrived in Spain from the United States last week with the awareness of cultural differences seated somewhere in the back rows of my mind. The rest of the seating area was densely occupied by my excitement. I was finally in Madrid!

Conveniently forgetting all the Spanish I know as soon as one of the Barajas employees asked me something, I incoherently mumbled something along the lines of es bueno while lugging my stuffed suitcases towards the row of taxis. As soon as I got into a taxi, I realized that I was completely clueless as to how tipping works in Spain; this preoccupied me for the entire 30-minute ride. I knew that tipping is not as big a deal in Europe as it is in the United States, but that was the extent of my knowledge. How much less of a big deal is it? What if I undertip and the taxi driver hates me? I realized I didn’t even know how to say “keep the change.”

The total came out to 34E. I decided it would be acceptable to round up, so I gave the driver 40E. To my confusion, I got 6E back in change. Apparently, expecting the driver to keep the extra 6E as a tip was a purely American thought, one that has not yet crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Although I must admit that it is considerably easier not to have to fiddle around with a pencil after receiving the check at dinner, trying to figure out the tip (basic arithmetic is not one of my fortes), the odd feeling of leaving only 50 cents or so still remains. Which brings me to another point.

I am simply not accustomed to change being worth anything. In the United States, change is petty money. People often forget they even have any. Here in Europe, clanking change has more variety than anything with the word variety in it. There is a 2E coin, a 1E coin, 50 cents, 20 cents, 2 cents, and 1 cent. Seeing the number two on American money is rare, with the exception of $20 bills and quarters (25 cents), of course. A $2 bill in the US is ooh-d and ahh-d over, and kept as a collector’s item, while 50 cent coins are rare and 2 cent coins are virtually unheard of. So you can imagine my unrest when I leave a restaurant table adorned with a huge pile of coins; in the US it is considered disrespectful.

Cab fares and restaurant tips aside, in the past week I have come to the realization that the metro is a prime location for cultural observation. While it is not necessarily the corazón of Madrid life, it is nevertheless a bustling center of people coming, going, and interacting. Greetings aren’t hugs or macho slaps on the back. Quite the contrary; they’re docile kisses on the cheek full of cariño or hearty handshakes.

The madrileños seem genuinely interested in each other, a refreshing change from American indifference, where the phrase “how are you?” is usually a mere equivalent of “hello” and the speaker does not stop to hear the answer. Having gotten lost more times in the past week than I would care to admit, I have gotten in the habit of asking fellow pedestrians for directions and have discovered that they are more than happy to ensure that I reach my destination, even if they themselves cannot offer adequate directions.

I could get used to this.

by Isaure Cointreau

People keep asking me the same question when they come to Spain:

-What do you like about it so much?

I guess I never knew what to say but honestly what are the good and bad sides of this place? When thinking about it, the relaxed pace of life is the first idea that pops into my head. As if holidays were around all year, the feel is part of the everyday life. People just take their time to do their thing, what else could explain the siesta and the slow reactions of the shop assistants, the relaxed walk of the crowd down Gran Via and then again the outraging number of bars in Madrid? Spain has its way and to any foreigner, used to a more tensed lifestyle, this comes as a shock. Although all the newcomers aren’t used to this southern rhythm, they accommodate themselves well and pretty fast.

However, it can be seen as very frustrating when the two different visions of life confront each other. Firstly, if people are used to live on a high speed level they’ll find a little cankiness take over them when encountering a slow response to their enquiry. Secondly, if one is in a rush or on a crisis, he’ll just have to cool off or plan ahead. Let this be a lesson to us all as there is no need to panic; the world is not falling apart. Therefore, patience is the key to prevent from any nervous breakdown.

The friendliness and the good mood of people appears as another factor that makes Spain an enjoyable place to live. Think about it, even Madrid shows off a tranquil lifestyle. Comparing it to other capital cities such as Paris or London is an outrage as it is like pointing to another direction; it has nothing to do with the pace of life in these countries. Therefore it feels good to be a Spaniard, even a temporary one.

However, because there is always a flipside, one shouldn’t be surprised by the much less enjoyable edge to the character of these people. Yes, they are loud and that is a fact, but to add a little more to the picture they also have a little tendency towards egocentricism, or should I say excessive pride. Not that they won’t welcome you into their home and gladly show you around, these warm people just like things done their way. Don’t get offended if while walking you happen to get in someone’s way and they just push you away with their predominance. It’s just how things are.

The qualities required to a country for us to fall in love with it are “Good people, good food, good culture and good access”. Well for the most part I guess Spain succeeds into having every single one of these appealing characteristics. People’s warmness is undeniable, but let’s find out about the rest. Referring to culture, I would mean to target the historical heritage and the modern inclination towards Art in the general sense. Spain offers a cosmopolitan grasp of cultures as the Mediterranean civilizations made it a principal destination to invade. Therefore the Moors, the Romans, the Greeks, the Christians have left throughout the centuries an incredible amount of architectural and artistic leftovers from their different regimes. So wherever you will go in Spain you will find a necessary sightseeing tour.

However in our more modern times Spain appears as to have its place next to the main cultural spots such as Paris & New York. Madrid holds every international exhibit such as Bacon, Rembrandt or Max Ernst in its museums or foundations. Bilbao has its own Guggenheim and Barcelona other than its Picasso museum has a wide variety of places that are worth a detour. However the little plus appears to be the access these cultural centers offer. Most of the exhibits are free or of a very reasonable charge. Even if they occur in a variety of places in Spain, they are never more than a few hours of train or bus ahead. Who could want more? The cultural horizon in Spain is endless.

How about food? Internationally renowned it however shows a wide variety in terms of quality and diversity from one end of the country to the other. Because there is something else than the Spanish comfort food known as the famous and trendy tapas, the cardinal points change a Spaniards habits to food although they all cherish their ham. The gourmet side of the Iberian soil appears to be up North around the French border where San Sebastian has more Michelin Stars per inhabitant than anywhere else in the world. Down South the food is more inspired by the Sea side and always accompanied by the strong Rioja Wines and up East however Valencia’s Paella is a wonder. However, the only critic I would make is the emphasis on oil and its outraging quantities in every plate, is it really necessary?

Other than that, if you ask me why I like this place? I’ll just ask you: What is there not to love?

By: Jeanne Reidy

Before arriving in Spain, I had heard that the Spanish culture is much more formal than the American.  I heard that little old ladies put on nylons and heels just to go to the supermarket and that no one dare wear gym shoes on the street. Very quickly after arriving, I learned that the track at the park near my apartment wasn’t for running but for old men in top hats and cigars and women in long fur coats to take a pre-dinner stroll. The strange looks I got during that experience taught me that Madrileños don’t commonly wear sweatpants and t-shirts in public either.  With all the characteristics of a formal culture in mind, I’ve been surprised by, in fact, how informal Spaniards are in many other aspects of their life.

First, the language. For a culture in which its people present themselves so formally, they speak to each other like they’ve known each other forever. For example, ever since I’ve been taught to conjugate a Spanish verb, I’ve been told that I will need to perfect the “usted” form, as I am to use it with anyone older than me, and that I will never need to know the “vosotros” form. Now, in American schools, this makes sense as they think the only Spanish speaker we will ever talk to will be from Mexico, where these rules apply. However, I hear nothing but “vosotros” forms of verbs and informal speaking in Spain. In fact, since being here, I’ve learned that Spaniards would only use the “usted” form of a verb to talk to the president or someone much older or important. It can be offensive to use “usted” with a Spaniard as it implies they are very old. Whoops…       

I’ve been surprised by some of the informal conversation I’ve heard between Spaniards. At a formal school function, I overheard my program director and a university professor meet and say “Hombre, ¿que tal? ” or the equivalent to “Dude, what´s up? ” Where else would you hear to grown women speak to each other like that at a formal event?

Not just the language, but the culture, too, has surprised me. I recently started tutoring a family of two kids in English. On my first day, I arrived at their door step, only having ever exchanged emails, only for the mom to scoop me right up and jump into conversation about the kids’ school work. I was expecting at least a few minutes of “So, where are you from? How do you like Madrid? ” But no- it was like I was a friend of the family that she had known for years. It was more of a “Oh good you’re here, let’s jump right into this”. I experienced the same thing when moving into my señora’s house. I was expecting a one-on-one session to go over house rules and guidelines. There was nothing of the sort. She showed me my room and bathroom and went on about her day, unalarmed, as if I’d been living there for months.  

Regardless of how different it is from the American culture I’m used to- one where a family would have interviewed and background checked me before inviting me into their home- it is refreshing. It is so nice to feel like everyone knows each other and are there to help each other out. Being part of the Spanish culture has given me the feeling that we’re all human, on the same world, with the same problems and goals, so why treat each other any other way?   

by Isaure Cointreau

A multifaceted place would be my choice as to define Madrid in a few words. Why so? I guess I would be referring to the impossibility of putting my finger on one specific madrileño side of the city that would not exclude the others. As if villages from different times and different ambiances were merged together as one, this is how Madrid feels to me.

When flipping a guide of the Spanish capital what caught my eye was how they would cut the city into zones easing the visitor’s understanding of the city. There is the cosmopolitan and the literary boroughs, the medieval and the royal areas, and last but not least the art walk. Reading about the latter, I started to wonder. Other than the Prado area, that is surrounded by the largest pinacothecas and most important galleries of Madrid, is that it? I couldn’t help disagree as I felt art was part of the essence of the city.

Art is a word that embodies a concept more that just a reference to what could be hung on a wall, and by that I include whatever creativity initiates. In that sense, wherever you go in Madrid you can feel its vibe. Such as a call from within, the European city that never sleeps, except for the siesta, has the Movida’s past days engraved in the life and spirit of its inhabitants. Flyers are present in every bar or boutique, suggesting you should have a peek at some short film festival, kitsch art gallery, underground concert or experimental exhibit. Why not check it out? Curiosity doesn’t have to be a flaw, on the contrary. Though it its true that when you start to indulge it, you’ll see yourself on the lookout for something new as “every fulfilled desire arouses the desire for more”.

Depending on what catches your eye, advertising is everywhere. Never have I seen such a place, on the one hand so accessible to art and on the other, people so connected to it. As there is always something going on and almost always affordable to all, it allows ones curiosity to grow into interest. In a nutshell, although in the world we are living in it is rarely the case, the luxury of an artistic education is here as it should be: accessible to all.

I’m not saying that madrileños, or Spaniards for that matter are more cultivated than others. I just feel that as Museums and the various exhibitions are for the most part free and on the run, it allows people to indulge their curiosity, nourish their imagination, and free their spirit. Having grown up with this access to creativity, the post-Franco generations feels more apt to express and share it. However, linking this fact with the relaxed culture of Spain and the relative openness of their ideas, I guess it should not feel as a surprise.

To conclude Spain wants to share an experience with you, don’t be shy and go for it. If you are curious enough, you’ll see that at some point it will become part of you and your vision of the Iberian culture. Set free the bohemian spirit within you.