Misconceptions about the Spaniards

I know that Spain is probably one of the favourite travel destinations for a lot of you. That's probably why you are reading my blog! (thanks again for supporting!)

Before I came to Spain for the first time, or even before I come to live in Spain 12 month ago, I always pictured everything being red with fancy tiles and patterns. We often hear a lot of about how the typical Spaniards are (passionate , friendly, lazy) etc. While some part of these perceptions we tend to have are true, in this post, I will share some of the common misconceptions about the Spaniards. They are quite interesting and different from what I initially expected. So I hope you will enjoy my sharing! 

EVERYONE DANCES FLAMENCO

source: wp.com

Flamenco is truly a Spanish origin performance art that is worth experiencing and there are places across Spain where you can witness its charm and beauty. However, one thing to note is that Flamenco is actually originated from South of Spain, precisely speaking in the Andalucia region such as places like Cadiz, Sevilla etc. To be very honest with you, I have never known anyone who dances flamenco nor go and watch a show casually every year. I suppose we do appreciate it in the rest of Spain, but outside of Andalucia, the Flamenco shows are mostly designed for tourists, where as within Andalucia it is a common type of performance in random bars, the same concept like when you go into a jazz bar where there is a band performing.

EVERYONE LOVES BULL FIGHTING

source: miro.medium.com

This is actually one of the hottest controversial topic between all the Spaniards and political elements play a major role. Bull fighting is definitely one of the biggest tradition and it contributes a huge part to the Spanish culture. While some people, especially the older generation, do like to enjoy a bull fighting performance once in a while, there is also a huge population that is against the whole animal-killing concept. 

The Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and Catalunya are one of the first autonomous communities in Spain that has banned bull fighting completely. Obviously some criticised that Catalunya's prohibition of bull-fighting in 2012 was partly to establish a distinctive political stand contrasting "Spain", contributing to their manifestation for independence. Meanwhile since the rest of Spain, especially the autonomous communities that were governed by extreme right at the time such as Madrid, The Valencian Community, Murcia, quickly reacted to declare bull-fighting as part of Bien de Interés Cultural (a list of Spanish heritages to be protected). 

Today, you can still enjoy bull fighting in a lot of places around Spain, but it remains to be a highly debatable topic for most Spaniards.

EVERYDAY WE TAKE A SIESTA (afternoon nap) 

This is a funny one. The stereotype of Spaniards is that they have a long lunch break for 2-3 hours  everyday where they will eat and have a afternoon nap, and then go back to work. This is true and not true. It is true that a lot of shops are close in the afternoon between something like 1pm to 4/5pm in Spain, mainly because it is in fact way too hot for anyone to go out which is especially true in the summer. When the shop owners is aware that they are probably not going to sell in this time of the day, there is not point for them to open their shops neither. Another reasons is that back in the old days it is common for everyone to put aside their work and go home to have lunch with their family (because Spaniards are very family oriented). 

Actually most white collar Spaniards only have around 1 hour lunch break. Remember I mentioned before that there is a meal called Almuerzo which is a meal between breakfast and lunch? Well I am sorry to disappoint you but if you work in a bank, in an office, most likely you are only going to one lunch break, but you can always fetch yourself something to munch on before lunch time which is typically something like 2pm (I will dive into this topic of Spanish dining schedule and culture in later post).

In short, once in a while we take a siesta (afternoon nap) but it is not an everyday activity, just like everyone else in the rest of the world.

CHORIZO IN PAELLA

source: easyfood.ie

This is a BIG NO NO. 

As mentioned in previous blog post, Paella is a sacred thing especially in Valencia (which is the origin of Paella). While there are different types of paella (check out my blog about paella and other typical spanish food to know more), putting chorizo into paella is an absolute sin that any true Valencian will roll their eyes to the back of their brain when they see paella is served with chorizo or any type of cured meat. 

This is not only a misunderstanding for people outside of Spain. The truth is outside of the Valencian Community where paella is less consumed, you do find them pretty much in every single touristy spots. And trust me, nothing else annoys more a Valencian than a paella with chorizo. 

One thing also to note is that Paella is supposed to be eaten ONLY for lunch. Please don't walk into a restaurant for dinner and ask if they have paella...

SPANIARDS ARE ALL LAZY

source: investor digest.com

Hey first of all I want to clarify that there is nothing wrong with lazy. It is a lifestyle and I truly respect lazy people (because they are usually the smartest!). Beside do whatever you want it's your life!

Lazy people (or species) are found in literally any corner of the universe. It is a living style and it is not limited to Spaniards. Moreover, from my observation, actually a lot of Spaniards are very hard-working. The truth is the government spends a hell lot on education subsidies so most Spaniards have 1-2 master degrees (obviously it also depends on whether it is necessary in their industries). You simply encounter huge difficulties finding a job especially in ordinary business sectors like banks if you only have a bachelor degree. 

Furthermore, salary tax rate is exorbitant (we are talking about up to 45% here) and the overall salary level  in Spain is relatively low compared to the rest of Europe. Therefore, there are also people who work 2 jobs to maintain themselves and their families. (I will cover the topic about Spanish economy and its loopholes in later post so stay tune if you are interested!)

SPANISH MEN LOVE THE CHASE

source: azbigmedia.com

When people picture dating in Spain, they often associate the image of Latin Americans (who mostly speak Spanish apart from Brazil) with the Spaniards. The mentioned group do have the fame or the culture where men will do more the chasing in a relationship. In fact it is necessary and important. If you don't explicitly show your interest with your masculinity and join the race with other men to hunt down your girl, she will simply think that you are not interested. 

However the norm can be quite different in Spain. The truth is in Spain, we stress a lot of more in equality and there is a lot of feminism actions in place. If you are used to be an alpha men who likes to dominate and right away pays the bill on a first date without prior communications, you can been seen as pretty macho and your generosity may not appreciated (i.e. chance of a second date is unknown).

I hope you enjoy my sharing! Please feel free to leave me a comment if you have any questions. See you again soon. 

Lots of love,

Cherrie