Larch turned me on to some videos from a New Zealander and his Spanish wife talking about Spain. This is important to me, as I'm looking at spending more time in Spain once the world opens back up.
I'm totally loving the videos! Some of it I remember from my limited visit, but a lot of it is totally new to me. I'm fairly sure that I was a bit insulting on a few occasions (celedhring??) given what they're saying. So I'm wondering, how "real" this is? Is this just the Madrid way? Is this just a Yolie's friends and family way? This one in particular kind of threw me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOCmLG1m8pM
Also, I'm fairly sure that it's going to take some time before I'm not considered "pasado". :blush:
We are a lot more open to contact than northerners. And this north-south gradient is also pretty noticeable within Spain itself.
It's also true that Spain is fairly noisy. And immigration has turned it to eleven. Personally I hate it. It's the reason why I'm planning to move (COVID permitting).
As an American, and especially one with Latino upbringing, I would guess these things should not shock as much as they would a Swede or a Kiwi.
Glad to know that you're enjoying them. :lol: They are quite charming and I do enjoy watching their stuff, so I'm happy to hear that they're being useful to you.
About the culture shocks, overall I'd say that they are mostly correct but I'd disagree with them in a couple of points. For instance, all the "plans are made spontaneously on the day itself" thing is, in my experience, more of a thing in smaller places or during holidays, when I lived in Madrid if I wanted to do something that gathered more than a couple people I'd need to plan a week or two in advance, otherwise it'd be impossible to arrange agendas or agree on anything. That being said, what they mention of not planning things too long in advance is also true, although I'd caveat it with that also depending on the scale of the plan. It'd also be useful to take the north-south divide within Spain that Iorm mentioned into account.
The personal space/touching thing I remember being quite hard for me when I moved in the US. I mean, I was perfectly aware of the difference, but I had to check myself and restrain from hugging/grabbing people and shit. Useful training for Covid though :rolleyes:
Regarding the "making plans" thing. If it's something like "hey, let's meet for some beers" yes that can happen on the day, and that's the case often for me. More complicated stuff requires planning in advance.
It also depends a lot on your age. As soon as kids show up it's going to be much, much harder to do anything with your mates without prior planning (and the appropiate form signed by your wife).
Watching as I write. I too own winter and summer slippers for being at home. :lol:
I do have winter and summer slippers as well. :lol:
I also have summer and winter slippers in England. :P
Is the "absolutely don't wear footwear at home" an anglosaxon thing?
Quote from: celedhring on August 06, 2020, 05:22:42 AM
Is the "absolutely don't wear footwear at home" an anglosaxon thing?
We have slippers - they're quite an old person thing though.
But I'm normally not in footwear at home, just socks. But I get extra thick slipper socks for the winter.
Yeah TBF the summer ones almost never get to be worn. :)
Then it's a New Zealand thing I guess :lol:
Quote from: celedhring on August 06, 2020, 05:22:42 AM
Is the "absolutely don't wear footwear at home" an anglosaxon thing?
Maybe it's an Aussie/Kiwi thing?
My winter slippers are actually thick padded socks, but when I lived at my parents' I did have "proper" winter and summer slippers.
I feel like Aussies need slippers more than most due to the constant threat of poisonous spiders/snakes in that country. New Zealand can afford to be relaxed about it.
I think I might own a pair of slippers? Generally though just barefeet unless going out on balcony and I'll wear flip-flops.
Usually barefoot in the summertime, warm socks in the wintertime.
This just makes me sad that thanks to Covid we were originally going to have a Spanish boy at our house this year - but no more. :(
The two Spanish girls we had at our house were a delight to have around though, even though they came from completely different parts of the country, and had completely different personalities.
Okay, wait. What is a "tortilla" in Spain? Because what they just ate looked like a piece of cake, not a tortilla as I know them. :unsure:
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:04:43 AM
Okay, wait. What is a "tortilla" in Spain? Because what they just ate looked like a piece of cake, not a tortilla as I know them. :unsure:
Once you move to Spain you will have to identify which football team you want to support and, more contentiously, if you are a concebollista or a sincebollista. These are very much "Sliding Doors" type decisions :o
The wonderful Felicity Cloake did a version recently - and they are fun to make but I have accidentlaly had to make enormous ones due to over-ambition not having an appropriately sized frying pan :blush:
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/22/how-to-make-spanish-omelette-tortilla-recipe-felicity-cloake
Quote from: Sheilbh on August 06, 2020, 11:13:38 AM
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:04:43 AM
Okay, wait. What is a "tortilla" in Spain? Because what they just ate looked like a piece of cake, not a tortilla as I know them. :unsure:
Once you move to Spain you will have to identify which football team you want to support and, more contentiously, if you are a concebollista or a sincebollista. These are very much "Sliding Doors" type decisions :o
The wonderful Felicity Cloake did a version recently - and they are fun to make but I have accidentlaly had to make enormous ones due to over-ambition not having an appropriately sized frying pan :blush:
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/22/how-to-make-spanish-omelette-tortilla-recipe-felicity-cloake
Meri doesn't have to decide...it will definitely be a sincebollista. :P
:unsure:
I watch soccer.... ?
I looked it up. I don't eat onions, so that's a simple answer for me. ALWAYS sincebollista in pretty much everything... which Toni is well aware of. :lol:
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:34:50 AM
I looked it up. I don't eat onions, so that's a simple answer for me. ALWAYS sincebollista in pretty much everything... which Toni is well aware of. :lol:
A map of a poll to help narrow down your housing choices then :lol:
(https://blogs.publico.es/strambotic/files/2018/12/EP_cebolla1-600x377.png)
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:34:50 AM
I looked it up. I don't eat onions, so that's a simple answer for me. ALWAYS sincebollista in pretty much everything... which Toni is well aware of. :lol:
Especially as I am all about them onions. :sleep:
Perfect. :) That's where I'm looking, anyway.
Quote from: Tonitrus on August 06, 2020, 11:44:23 AM
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:34:50 AM
I looked it up. I don't eat onions, so that's a simple answer for me. ALWAYS sincebollista in pretty much everything... which Toni is well aware of. :lol:
Especially as I am all about them onions. :sleep:
Totally made "let me taste that" not a thing when we went out for food. :lmfao:
Quote from: Sheilbh on August 06, 2020, 11:13:38 AM
... more contentiously, if you are a concebollista or a sincebollista. These are very much "Sliding Doors" type decisions :o
So true. :lmfao:
I'm a '
sin cebolla' fan drowning in a sea of heathens.
I'm a "sincebollista" that tolerates the opposite option. :)
Another fault line is the degree of doneness. Does it have to be fully solid or can it be runny?
Quote from: The Larch on August 06, 2020, 03:21:11 PM
I'm a "sincebollista" that tolerates the opposite option. :)
Another fault line is the degree of doneness. Does it have to be fully solid or can it be runny?
I get genuine nausea when that shit's not done properly. :x
Quote from: The Larch on August 06, 2020, 03:21:11 PM
I'm a "sincebollista" that tolerates the opposite option. :)
Another fault line is the degree of doneness. Does it have to be fully solid or can it be runny?
I am very much an interloper in this debate - but fully solid. It's not a French omelette which is all about runniness <_<
Quote from: Sheilbh on August 06, 2020, 04:09:30 PM
Quote from: The Larch on August 06, 2020, 03:21:11 PM
I'm a "sincebollista" that tolerates the opposite option. :)
Another fault line is the degree of doneness. Does it have to be fully solid or can it be runny?
I am very much an interloper in this debate - but fully solid. It's not a French omelette which is all about runniness <_<
Santa Cruz omelettes are not runny, but they do have a variety of interesting vegetables in them...
Like the brownies then.
Quote from: Iormlund on August 06, 2020, 02:13:00 AM
It's also true that Spain is fairly noisy. And immigration has turned it to eleven. Personally I hate it. It's the reason why I'm planning to move (COVID permitting).
Why has immigration made Spain noisier?
Quote from: Iormlund on August 06, 2020, 04:04:55 PM
Quote from: The Larch on August 06, 2020, 03:21:11 PM
I'm a "sincebollista" that tolerates the opposite option. :)
Another fault line is the degree of doneness. Does it have to be fully solid or can it be runny?
I get genuine nausea when that shit's not done properly. :x
Heh, there's a place in Betanzos that claims to make the "perfect" tortilla that makes it so runny it's basically liquid. :lol:
(https://okdiario.com/img/recetas/2016/11/11/tortilla-de-betanzos.jpg)
Quote from: Oexmelin on August 06, 2020, 05:07:46 PM
Why has immigration made Spain noisier?
Admittedly that assertion comes from mere anecdotal experience. Basically in my experience we (in the north of Spain) are generally noisier than Germans, and less so than southern Spaniards and immigrants.
Quote from: Iormlund on August 06, 2020, 06:00:40 PM
Quote from: Oexmelin on August 06, 2020, 05:07:46 PM
Why has immigration made Spain noisier?
Admittedly that assertion comes from mere anecdotal experience. Basically in my experience we (in the north of Spain) are generally noisier than Germans, and less so than southern Spaniards and immigrants.
How noisy compared to Americans? :unsure:
I've heard that we are particularly loud compared to most European countries.
Stop shouting, Meri
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 06:47:40 PM
I've heard that we are particularly loud compared to most European countries.
In my experience it's mostly Americans amongst themselves. An American abroad will fit in more or less fine, but somehow the volume get dialed up when talking to other Americans.
Proper tortilla is with onion and runny (but not excessively so, the point is to give it a softer texture). People that believe otherwise should be burnt at stake for their culinary sins.
The tortillas I've eaten have been firm and they were ossum.
Quote from: Sheilbh on August 06, 2020, 11:39:58 AM
Quote from: merithyn on August 06, 2020, 11:34:50 AM
I looked it up. I don't eat onions, so that's a simple answer for me. ALWAYS sincebollista in pretty much everything... which Toni is well aware of. :lol:
A map of a poll to help narrow down your housing choices then :lol:
(https://blogs.publico.es/strambotic/files/2018/12/EP_cebolla1-600x377.png)
I love that site, it's a poll aggregator but they also run a shitload of funny/absurd polls themselves.
Another important thing to take into account when it comes to Spanish clichés, is the north/south flamenco divide:
(https://electomania.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/EP_Flamenco1.png)
Really intrigued by La Rioja being so different than everyone around it :lol:
Another poll from that site that is also relevant, nobody in Spain likes bullfighting very much:
(https://electomania.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/EP_TOROS_3.png)
And there's a real political divide on the topic:
(https://electomania.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/EP_TOROS_4.png)
Quote from: celedhring on August 07, 2020, 05:24:25 AM
Proper tortilla is with onion and runny (but not excessively so, the point is to give it a softer texture). People that believe otherwise should be burnt at stake for their culinary sins.
I eat tortilhas/omeletes with potatoes,
presunto,
salsa (
perejil/parsley) and onions (no overdose though). :P
Not so much during the summer.
This may be close to what Spaniards call
Tortilla a la paisana.
Looks close anyways:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Paisana-2011.JPG/220px-Paisana-2011.JPG)
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortilla_paisana (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortilla_paisana)
Y'all know the point is that here a tortilla is a flat, round bread used like a utensil, right?
Here, Tortilla = omelette espagnole.
I believe Spaniards have a variant called tortillas francesa. :P