Culture Wise Spain
Joanna Styles
Travellers often underestimate the depth of cultural isolation they can face abroad, particularly in a country with a different language. To some people, Spain is seen as an ‘easy’ option, with its millions of annual visitors and numerous, long-established, expatriate communities. However, sooner or later, most newcomers find certain aspects of Spanish life alien – for example, bureaucracy, food and mañana syndrome – and many come unstuck as a result. Culture Wise Spain will help you understand Spain and its people, and adapt to the Spanish way of life. Most importantly, it will enable you to quickly feel at home.
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Extracts from the book…
The People
Spain’s widespread territory and varied geography, coupled with a history of invasion, emigration and immigration have resulted in great diversity among its population and it’s impossible to list the characteristics of a ‘typical Spaniard’. A recent nationwide survey asked Spaniards to define themselves, and the majority claimed to be kind, ‘reasonably responsible’, hardworking (without being workaholics), honest and moderately progressive. According to the same survey, Spaniards consider themselves to have no salient good points, but no outstandingly bad ones either.
Apart from the differences in character between the inhabitants of different regions, such as Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and Madrid – not to mention the Balearic and Canary Islands – there are the influences of a potpourri of foreigners from all over the globe to take into account. Even in appearance, fewer and fewer Spaniards match the popular image of short, swarthy and dark, and the indigenous population includes blondes, brunettes and redheads; and Spanish teenagers are now as tall as their counterparts throughout Europe.
But in spite of their many differences, most Spaniards share some characteristics – principally the following:
Individualism
The Spaniard is essentially individualistic and the main (often, the only) player in his life. From this stems the strong anarchic streak in the Spanish character, the Spaniard’s penchant for doing whatever he (or she) likes – interpreting regulations on a whim, parking anywhere, not paying taxes, making noise at all hours …
Generosity
The Spanish are generous almost without limits and willing to share what they have (however little) with others. This generosity means that newcomers to Spain are welcomed almost everywhere and invited to join in. Spaniards are also generous with their time and help – most go out of their way to lend a hand when it’s needed.
Impetuousness
An essential part of Spanish culture is the almost complete absence of fear of death or perhaps a blind faith in immortality. This trait leads to impetuous and often reckless action – this is after all one of the few countries in the world where standing defenceless in front of a massive charging bull is regarded as accepted behaviour. For this reason Spaniards often drive recklessly, frequently don’t wear seatbelts or helmets and have one of the EU’s highest work accident rates – un-harnessed workmen painting the façade of high-rise buildings and helmet-less crane operators are a common sight.
This tendency to ‘live on the edge’ may also account for the reluctance of most Spaniards to plan anything in detail, preferring to leave everything to chance – or rather crossing their fingers and hoping it will turn out all right. As a result, many aspects of daily life are highly disorganised and the only predictable thing about them is their unpredictability. If something is planned, the plans are invariably changed or abandoned at the last moment, as one of the hallmarks of Spanish life is spontaneity...
Beureaucracy
One of the few topics that the Spanish and foreigners in Spain are unanimous on is that bureaucracy places obstacles in the way of everyday life. ‘Red tape’ in Spain is omnipresent and one of the most pernicious in the Western world and all foreigners (unless they’re tourists) will inevitably come up against the (very thick) wall of Spanish bureaucracy. The authorities love paperwork and even the simplest application requires a profusion of forms, certificates and photocopies.
Anecdotes of hopeless wandering from one office to another and days spent queuing only to be told that the required documentation has changed or that the only civil servant authorised to deal with your case is off sick are commonplace. Stories abound of applications that took months or even years.
Everyone over 13 must carry personal identification and you can be fined for not doing so. EEA nationals should carry their residence card, passport or national identity card. Non-EEA nationals should carry their residence card.
However, in recent years, successive governments have made efforts to reduce the paperwork and streamline many application processes. The advent of the internet has helped considerably; not only can you consult lists of required documents on official websites but you can apply online in some cases. The government has also established ‘one-stop’ offices (ventanilla única) where all information and documentation is available and you can present everything relevant to your application. Businesses (the number of documents required to set up a business is astronomical) are particularly well catered for. These offices are available in all provinces (902 100 096, www.ventanillaempresarial.org). There are plenty of other information sources, such as town halls (those with foreigners’ departments are especially helpful), expatriate support groups and local chambers of commerce (cámara de comercio).
In spite of these improvements, many applications still take ‘for ever’ to be resolved, civil servants occasionally change the required documentation and you almost always have to queue. Many foreigners find the red tape impenetrable, especially if they don’t speak Spanish, and it’s said that when you come up against the full force of Spanish bureaucracy you understand what it really means to be a foreigner.
Top tips for dealing with Spanish red tape:
- Always find out from an official source beforehand exactly what you need.
- Double-check the opening hours of the office and ensure it isn’t a public holiday (national, regional or local).
- Always take a duplicate of everything.
- Expect not to have the right paperwork the first time (no one ever does).
- Allow most of the morning to make an application (and take a good book).
If you don’t have a reasonable command of Spanish or your patience is thin, there are ways to get round the red tape (see Getting Round Bureaucracy below). However, it’s best to accept bureaucratic hurdles as part of life in Spain and remember that Spaniards have to go through the same process.
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PRICE: £9.95
PUBLICATION: January 2008
EDITION: 1st
PAGES: 224
BINDING: paperback
SIZE: 200 x 130mm
COLOUR PHOTOS: approx. 200
