SPANISH SOCIETY & CULTURE

Hola! Now we are back everyone. After had learnt the Spanish language and being able to speak the basic phrases in Spanish, let's move on to Spanish society and culture. Spanish has such an unique culture among them and all of you will fall more to get know this culture. Hands down mayn!

Spanish Family Values

• The family is the basis of the social structure and includes both the nuclear and the extended family, which sometimes provides both a social and a financial support network.

The picture of the example family values. Taken from: www.ubs.com

• Today, it is less common than previously for family members to work in a family business, as personal preferences are important and university education is general
• The structure and the size of the family vary, but generally, people live until longer lives, have fewer children than before, and fewer people live in their homes with extended family.
• Familial networks have become less tight. The greatest changes have occurred inside families, between men and woman, and the parents and children because the values that inspire these relations have changed.

Machismo

• Machismo is the word for male dominance, and the culture of old men who created it has changed dramatically.

This is the picture of Machismo is the reeason Spaniards throw themselves into a ring with a raging bull with nothing but a cape. Taken from: www.destructoid.com

Spain is a very equalitarian society, the birth rate is the one of the lowest in Europe, and women are present at university and work

Religion in Spain

• The majority of Spaniards are formally Roman Catholic, although different religious beliefs are accepted.

The pie chary of religions in Spain. Taken from: www.haikudeck.com

• During the history of Spain, there have been long periods of where different religious groups have coexisted, including Muslims, Jews and Christians.
• Still some traditions manifest more like a cultural event than a religious one.
• During Holy Week, many participants of the processions wear peaked, black hats as the sign of a penitent and walk barefoot, carrying a burden of some kind.
• Religious history is apparent in every small town, where the most grandiose building is typically the church. In the large cities the Cathedrals are almost museums.

Greetings

• When introduced expect to shake hands. Once a relationship is established, men may embrace and pat each other on the shoulder.
• Female friends kiss each other on both cheeks, starting with the left.
• Many men use a two-handed shake where the left hand is placed on the right forearm of the other person.

This is taken from: www.freemalaysiatoday.com 

• People are often referred to as Don or Dona and their first name when in formal occasion as a general rule.
• Spaniards also tend to speak a lot with their hands, gesturing for emphasis. It would also be considered rude to mimic them.
• Generally both men and women enjoy each other’s company and may openly acknowledge this with a dazzling smile, and be warm and flirtatious. This may not necessarily mean anything though and can be considered as being part of Spanish nature.
• Spaniards generally stand at a much closer physical distance when conversing than foreigners may be accustomed to. It would be considered rude to step back.