Language
Rachel German gives an account of what you should look out for when you land in the Iberian Peninsula. Beware of meatballs, siestas and dodgy haircuts...
Culture shock - a sense of alienation towards a host cultural environment on the part of a foreign visitor; the difficulty people have adjusting to a new culture that differs markedly from their own.
Every person will have a different experience of culture shock; rarely will people not have any at all.
1. Por favor, I don’t think so.
The first thing that struck me was differences in terms of politeness. If you literally translate a sentence from English into Spanish you won’t get anywhere- there’s no point saying “me gustaría tomar un café por favor” (I would like a coffee please) - you’ll be mocked - as the Spanish prefer something shorter and snappier – you may even hear “dame un café” (give me a coffee). Indeed, pleases and thank you are often optional. Service can be with or without a smile, as customer service isn’t really drummed into employees like it is elsewhere. However, I found that once you become a regular you may be able to bring out a small grimace in people. Also, staring is the norm in Spain - just stare back amiably and see who drops their gaze first, fun times.
1. Por favor, I don’t think so.
The first thing that struck me was differences in terms of politeness. If you literally translate a sentence from English into Spanish you won’t get anywhere- there’s no point saying “me gustaría tomar un café por favor” (I would like a coffee please) - you’ll be mocked - as the Spanish prefer something shorter and snappier – you may even hear “dame un café” (give me a coffee). Indeed, pleases and thank you are often optional. Service can be with or without a smile, as customer service isn’t really drummed into employees like it is elsewhere. However, I found that once you become a regular you may be able to bring out a small grimace in people. Also, staring is the norm in Spain - just stare back amiably and see who drops their gaze first, fun times.
I also realised that the Spanish have a different views on queuing - English people love a good line and usually docilely go to the back of one (even if they’re not sure what they’re queuing for). In Spain, if you’re not careful, maybe distracted by an interesting display, obviously talking a foreign language or not quite within the parameters of the regimented line, you may find a cunning biddy neatly sidesteps you and voilà! You’ve been overtaken. Once she’s put her shopping down on the till that’s it, you’ve had it, even if she totters off to collect more items. (Little old ladies are the ones to watch out for in Spain - devious and crafty they can be).
LanguageRachel German gives an account of what you should look out for when you land in the Iberian Peninsula. Beware of meatballs, siestas and dodgy haircuts...Culture shock - a sense of alienation towards a host cultural environment on the part of a foreign visitor; the difficulty people have adjusting to a new culture that differs markedly from their own. Every person will have a different experience of culture shock; rarely will people not have any at all.1. Por favor, I don’t think so.The first thing that struck me was differences in terms of politeness. If you literally translate a sentence from English into Spanish you won’t get anywhere- there’s no point saying “me gustaría tomar un café por favor” (I would like a coffee please) - you’ll be mocked - as the Spanish prefer something shorter and snappier – you may even hear “dame un café” (give me a coffee). Indeed, pleases and thank you are often optional. Service can be with or without a smile, as customer service isn’t really drummed into employees like it is elsewhere. However, I found that once you become a regular you may be able to bring out a small grimace in people. Also, staring is the norm in Spain - just stare back amiably and see who drops their gaze first, fun times.1. Por favor, I don’t think so.The first thing that struck me was differences in terms of politeness. If you literally translate a sentence from English into Spanish you won’t get anywhere- there’s no point saying “me gustaría tomar un café por favor” (I would like a coffee please) - you’ll be mocked - as the Spanish prefer something shorter and snappier – you may even hear “dame un café” (give me a coffee). Indeed, pleases and thank you are often optional. Service can be with or without a smile, as customer service isn’t really drummed into employees like it is elsewhere. However, I found that once you become a regular you may be able to bring out a small grimace in people. Also, staring is the norm in Spain - just stare back amiably and see who drops their gaze first, fun times.I also realised that the Spanish have a different views on queuing - English people love a good line and usually docilely go to the back of one (even if they’re not sure what they’re queuing for). In Spain, if you’re not careful, maybe distracted by an interesting display, obviously talking a foreign language or not quite within the parameters of the regimented line, you may find a cunning biddy neatly sidesteps you and voilà! You’ve been overtaken. Once she’s put her shopping down on the till that’s it, you’ve had it, even if she totters off to collect more items. (Little old ladies are the ones to watch out for in Spain - devious and crafty they can be).
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