Spanish culture observed and learned

PIROPOS

meaning whistling or complimenting your physical appearance on the streets. Totally permissible in Spanish culture and its not an attack for the ladies. Ladies actually enjoy the ‘pilopos’ and usually smiles back (though didn’t stop walking). Might be a bit sketchy at night though.Wonder what the 8-10% of Muslims in Spain think about this.

MARIJUANA

Illegal to buy or sell, but legal to consume. Spanish respect everybody’s private life, therefore have no comment on what happen behind your own backyard. Basically you are allow to smoke pot at home, but people do it anyway in the Metro, on the street, before class, in the garden…. You name it. My conversation professor said that he once smelt pot from a student in his 8 30am class.

DRINKING

Alcohol beverages are cheap here for a reason. It doesn’t have a timeframe for a can of beer or a glass of wine. Some people drink at lunchtime before going back to work, which is a norm.

SMOKE

There’s no negative connotation to smoking here when 9 in 10 people smoke.

INTERRUPTING

The more the merrier! Spaniards interrupt all the time—according to my professor, they like to talk more than to listen, I hope he’s just joking. Hahaha. He once talked with a Chinese student, and he couldn’t stop talking because she wouldn’t interrupt! lol

PDA( Public Display Affection)

I couldn’t stress more how frequently they do it here. Touching and kissing is a way to express love, thus I see couples, from teenagers to old couple, they would hold hands, caress each other and of course kiss in public. Once, I was waiting on a Metro, when a couple sitting next to me making out loudly….The lady was sitting on the man’s lap, French kissing like nobody’s business. I was just 3 inches away from them….

SPANISH

Apparently, when you are absolutely certain that you will do something in the future, you use PRESENT tense instead of FUTURE tense. Therefore, when somebody is using FUTURE tense talking about the FUTURE, he/she has not make up their mind…hahaha

For example: He watches TV tomorrow (absolutely sure he’s gonna watch tv)

He will watch TV tomorrow ( he’s just saying, not sure yet)

HOW LIBERAL?

Homosexual marriage is legal for 5 years now and Abortion is legal since 1986!

Can’t think of more right now. Till next time. Dieu (Catalan way of saying ‘Adios’)