What bar talk doesn't tell you about living in Spain

Hello! Welcome back to another blog of mine. Today I am going to be giving you the real truth about living in Spain.

*Disclaimer - Apologises for any comments I make that people may find offensive or untrue. This blog is from my point of view and if you don't like it then please don't read it. *

I'm just going to say it! Don't listen to ex-pats that talk shite in bars! The majority of them don't particularly leave their ex-pat communities like in Quesada, Benidorm, and La- Marina. Bar talk is like Chinese whispers. A fact or a piece of information can be misconstructed or interpreted differently from the original; always base your assumptions on things you have seen or heard personally. Don't make judgments until you are faced with a situation.

All that I am going to be telling you today is purely based on my own experiences and from things I have heard or seen. I find learning information from the native Spanish people here also extremely useful and interesting.

STEREOTYPES

1) Spanish people are ''manana'' - this is false. A lot of Spanish workers (ex-pats working aboard too!) are very hard-working. They work long hours to provide for their families and the system is not as easy as it can be in the UK.

2) ''Everyone eats Paella'' - Wrong it's like saying every brit always eats a roast on a Sunday.

3) Spanish people are patriotic and racist - Depends. Every country always has ignorant and dragged-up people.

4) This may sound bitchy (I promise I'm not I can appreciate a beautiful woman) but people assume ''Spanish and Latino to be the same'' there not and not every Spanish woman or Man is beautiful just because they have lovely skin color.

INTERESTING

1)Referring back to the third point previously. When you do get a Spanish racist - it's not like England where they judge you by your color or characteristic it's based on your Language. A lot of people here instantly assume I'm Spanish but when you get a racist the second minute they hear your accent they instantly treat you in-differently.

2) Nurses are not very nice- (I'm not saying you get an arse-whip in England) but generally it's the families that care for the ill family members. Generally speaking though the care is better the empathy and compassion are certainly not the same.

3) Workers rights is NOT the same

4) You're kinda on your own - don't expect the government to look after you.

5) Contraception is not a big deal here - Though for me it's rare to see a young girl pregnant in Spain according to a lot of my Spanish friends - They kinda just go with the flow and like taking the risk

6) I see that men are more open than women over here with exploring multicultural relationships. It's not often you find Spanish women with a man from another culture.

DIFFERENT CULTURE PERSONALITY

1) For example a ''foxy lady'' is a confident woman here in Spain calling a woman that is offensive!

2) ''Your Mama'' Jokes is not funny here! Family is important and their banter finds this disrespectful

3) Spanish personalities though you get every shape and form is more SLAP-STICK rather than Sarcastic. I find Italians are more similar to us brits in this department

LANGUAGE

1) You don't have to be so formal here! For example ''Usted/Ustedes (You formally) is said more in South America. They like to shorten their words and usually only use the word ''TU''

2) The language is beautiful but very fast! Many times I ask them to slow down but they do the opposite

3) The language is difficult, Pretty much every Spanish person I met will vouch for that. I have never known a language to have so many different ways to use a verb. (Describing words)n

Beauty

1) The Spanish love a dress-up! They would knock out the brits in any show-down.

2) They don't care for beauty the same way the English do. Didn't get your eyebrows waxed? Not a problem. Beauty in England is a competition where they value more natural beauty.

3) Their dress sense is different. They prefer more loud colors and would choose high heels any-day.

Sexuality

1) ''SENSUALITY' Is very different - it's more about the sweet nothings they whisper in your ear and the eye-contact you hold. The English more prefer getting straight into the deed.

PEOPLE

1) Generally more friendly here (Though Northerners beg to differ)

2) My opinion more respectful customer service. They have more etiquette and less blatant about being rude unless they don't like the brits - that is another story!

WORK

1) Government is corrupt and they hate the government (with good reasons) so as much as they can do under the table the better.

2) Less workers rights here - If you tired and don't want to work? Don't bother because you probably won't be paid. One thing I miss is being paid for a holiday (bank) that you didn't ask for.

3) Jobs are more difficult to find

4) Lots of their jobs require speaking English hence why they come in asking for b1, b2 and c1 level - it gives them an upper-hand.

5) Be prepared to be paid under the table unless your lucky to find a job that is really really legal

6) More word of mouth rather than find jobs on the internet. They like honest people who are not afraid to work in their company and ask for a job; it's like going back 50 years.

CLUB LIFE

1) I'm sorry but I prefer the choice of music in clubs in the UK. You have 10 nightclubs on one strip that all play a handful of different genres here you're pretty much stuck with Latino music.

2) They are more social over here

Lifestyle

1) Especially in the summer be sure to go out early in the morning - rest in the day and do whatever you need to do late at night (it's TOO HOT!)

2) Their more peoples- people here so it's more social! Work I think contributes but don't be alarmed to see sleeping babies at 12 pm at night it is normal.

IMPORTANT

1)Make sure to try with their language - even using general greetings goes a long way and they appreciate it!

There are so many more things to address. I mean these are just some of my opinions. I think the culture anywhere you travel in the world is going to be different from the one that you know. You're never going to beat being with your own kind. However, it's great to be friends with people from all different backgrounds because it helps you to be more open-minded.

I love all my friends for all different reasons. Being in a different environment is so beneficial. There are many pros- and cons to both cultures I am comparing. I recommend you to experience it.

Erin