Books

Bring some English books

Courtney Rogers

24 Nov 2009

Spain

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If you're an English speaking traveler/reader traveling to Spain, bring along your own books. Yes, books take up extra space in luggage, but it's NOT unnecessary space. English books in Spain are few and far between. When you do find them, be prepared to pay through the nose. A book on the cheaper side might set you back 10 euros.

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Getting Around

Bringing your address and phone number with you

Dawnielle Castledine

23 Jun 2009

Spain

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When out traveling anywhere, it's a good idea to have the telephone number of where you are staying. But more importantly, make sure you have the address written down so you can show the taxi driver. Having this information would have come in handy when traveling in Madrid a few years ago. I ended up forgetting the street the hotel was on and there were two hotels that had the same name in that city. Instead we had to figure out how to get money to use a pay phone to call the hotel and get the address, all in not very good Spanish.

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Festivals & Events

Carnaval in Cadíz: Come Prepared

Mike Mian

19 Apr 2009

Spain

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Carnaval in Spain is no small event, and the celebration in Cadíz is considered to be one of the largest parties in Europe. Surely a must see, but I recommend arriving prepared. A few pointers: 1) Wear shoes -- sandals aren't desirable later in the night when faced with huge crowds and glass-covered plazas, not to mention the urine-drenched streets; 2) If you plan on sleeping under a roof, book far in advance; 3) Despite being common advice, be weary of sleeping on the beach -- around 4:00 a.m. I awkwardly ran across no less than 5 pairs of proud lovers within a 100 meter stretch of sand!; 4) Get a costume!

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Culture Shock

Relax!

ryan stoy

26 Aug 2009

Spain

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The siesta in Spain is a wonderful concept. It's too hot to work, too hot to really do anything. Do what the locals do: eat, drink, and play. You'll miss the entire opportunity if you don't relax and go with the flow. Trust me, you'll often find the current quite appeasing. More often than not, where people collect, greatness will be found.

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Must Do

Gypsy Markets

Natalie Hunt

02 Apr 2009

Spain

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While living in Sevilla, I had my host brothers take me to the gypsy markets on the weekend. You get to see a different side of Sevilla, and you get amazing deals on anything that you might need. They tend to move about, but most people from Triana will be able to direct you.

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Etiquette

Kisses are actually cheek-touches

Lindsy Glick

24 Jun 2009

Spain

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When I started the Spanish "double kiss" greeting I was sure to actually do a little cheek kiss or at least that little "muah" sound. And then I realized that when I was greeting someone, I had to stop talking to do the kiss. Meanwhile, other people did not stop talking. That was when I realized that the "kiss" is just the act of touching cheeks; real cheek kisses are somewhat more rare.

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Food

Pack a lunch if you're about town in the afternoon

Dawnielle Castledine

23 Jun 2009

Spain

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When traveling in almost any city in Spain, keep in mind that most shops close down shop during midday for Siesta. Even today, you will be hard pressed to find any store open during what Americans consider lunchtime. My tip: pack your lunch if you will be out and about during midday.

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Film

When going to the movies, bring your Spanish dictionary

Marcy Miranda

27 Apr 2009

Spain

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It is an old Spanish custom, much like wearing hoods and carrying religious icons during Semana Santa or hanging ham legs in your kitchen. It's watching all movies in Spanish. Unlike many other European countries, Spain continues to shun the use of subtitles in foreign movies, opting instead to dub them for movie-goers. Instead of hearing Penelope Cruz's voice in "Vicky Christina Barcelona," audiences at the cinema hear another Spanish accent reciting Cruz's lines in the film. Finding films in their original language is not impossible, however. For the few who prefer watching movies in their original language, several movie theaters in Madrid, Barcelona, and other big cities do offer films in their original language with subtitles.

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Packing

There is a winter!

Mike Mian

19 Jun 2009

Spain

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Don't let the heavenly descriptions of Hemingway and the Counting Crows deceive you -- Spain is not just one giant warm holiday. There is a winter. Though there may not be much snowfall in Southern Spain, it does get pretty darn cold! Be sure to bring warm clothes if heading to the region in the winter months. The elevation is quite high, which can add to the chill. I found gloves and a thick jacket to be helpful. Some of my classmates even wore long underwear to keep warm. Our academic director stood by with a smirk as the red-nosed students entered every morning, always repeating her favorite phrase of the time: "Even though I tell them to, the students never bring enough warm clothes! Don't say I didn't tell you!"

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Religion

Granada: The "praying pot" of Spain

Mike Mian

21 Jun 2009

Spain

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As the last Moorish kingdom in Spain and with a long history of Jewish presence, coupled with the modern day presence of Catholicism, Granada is a veritable melting pot of religion. Though the conquest of the Moors by the Catholic monarchy tried to stamp out other religions, they are very much present in the community today. In many places, Catholic churches and mosques stand side-by-side, a relic of the regions intermittent religious history.

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Politics

The students still take to the streets in Europe

Mike Mian

27 Jul 2009

Spain

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During my stay, a somewhat controversial piece of EU legislation called Plan Bolonia (a plan to universalize university education across EU member nations) sparked hot debate among students and academics. The young people took to the streets in massive waves, chanting and holding banners in opposition to the plan. In some cities, such as Barcelona, the protests even became violent. In Europe, political activism via street protests is still alive and well.

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Music

The return of the boombox

Mike Mian

19 Jun 2009

Spain

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The streets of Granada are filled with a cacophony of everything from Daddy Yankee to Celine Dion singing "My Heart Will Go On." In a recent phenomenon, many adolescents in Spain have decided to forgo headphones and iPods to instead use their cell phones as personal speakers. However, I must admit my surprise when my twelve year-old host sister insisted on listening to her Spanish version of Beyonce's "Si fuera un chico" ("If I Were a Boy") at the dinner table. I think this will be the first generation with a life soundtrack!

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Sports

Real Madrid or FC Barcelona?

Mike Mian

27 Jul 2009

Spain

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The first night I arrived in Granada my host family put me in the car, dropped my stuff off at the house, and rushed me to a bar to watch a soccer game. When we sat down, my host father ordered some beers and tapas, pointed at the screen and said, "Real Madrid is wearing the white jerseys. They're your team." And that was that. Over the next few months I would come to see the strong divide between the Barcelona and Madrid supporters. Though the rivalry is somewhat friendly, it is also based on deeply rooted nationality issues, namely Barcelona's separatist sentiments. My host mother wouldn't even drink wine from Barcelona!

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TV

The TV is always on

Mike Mian

21 Apr 2009

Spain

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My study abroad classmates and I have all made the same observation: in Spanish households, the TV is always on! And I mean always. Cooking, eating, talking, studying, working, cleaning, sleeping, and so on. My advice: pull up a seat. Sitting by the tube is actually a great way to interact with your family--a lot of talking goes on, and you can learn a lot about Spanish culture. Also, make sure you check out a show called Fama. It's a reality dance show, and I still can't tell if it's meant to be comical or not.

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Fashion

Loose fit? Ha!

Mike Mian

19 Apr 2009

Spain

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Men, good luck! I bought my first pair of "Spanish" jeans about 6 weeks ago, and I have yet to wear them. While browsing through the local Xara, my friend helped me pick out a few different styles of jeans for my 32 inch waist. I became quite dismayed and self conscious when I found I couldn't fit. It wasn't the 32 that was the problem, it was my legs! After 5 minutes of wrestling in the changing room, my friend had to check in to make sure everything was okay. Apparently my concept of "loose fit" didn't carry over to Spanish style: I had to settle for a pair with which I could feel my pulse in my calves. And ladies, I'm jealous -- boy-style pants are now not only acceptable, but popular on women!

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Health

Choosing between public and private care

Mike Mian

21 Jun 2009

Spain

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While on study abroad, a friend of mine had an unfortunate skiing accident. He called in sick to school to go skiing with his host brother, but on his first run down the mountain he hit a patch of ice and made a hard landing on his left shoulder. He was taken to the hospital (the school's director met him there). The first diagnosis was that he broke his collar bone and the second that he tore a ligament in his shoulder. The second proved true, and he had to decide to pursue his surgeries and treatment through either the public or private medical systems. While the public system is nearly free, the waits for treatment can be long. If insured, one can go through the private system with greater speed. The caliber of treatment is equivalent.

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Slang

Everyone is a man!

Mike Mian

19 Jun 2009

Spain

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My Spanish host father liked telling stories. To ensure I was paying attention, he would often address me as "hombre" ("man"). I grew used to this. In fact, it made me feel rather manly. I liked it. I noticed that everyone was calling me "hombre". I figured I must have had a very strong facial structure or broad shoulders: you know, manly features. My ego balloon soon popped when I noticed my host mother calling her daughter hombre. I wasn't the only hombre, or even of a special group of hombres -- everyone is hombre! In short: 1) Ladies, if you get called "hombre", take no offense -- the intention is genderless; and 2) Men, yes, you are men, but you are not more manly for being called hombre.

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Nightlife

Shots are cheap!

Katherine Sasser

27 Jan 2010

Spain

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It didn't take long to discover how pricey living on the Euro could be, especially in regards to the nightlife. Thankfully, there are these lovely places called "chupiterias" or shot bars. Most bars or clubs will charge anywhere from €3-10 for a beer or a mixed beverage, but at the chupiterias, shots usually go for around €1, depending on their potency.

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Being an American

Spanish girls apparently like American men who sing

Mike Mian

23 Jun 2009

Spain

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I had met up with a friend in Seville, and we went out to a small bar in the city known for its sangria. After we got our pitcher, we noticed a group of college-age people standing in a circle. We decided to investigate and found that some Spanish university students had a guitar out and were getting everyone to sing along with them. A beautiful Spanish girl stared at me for a second, grabbed my arm, and threw me into the circle with a playful smirk and said, "Sing! Sing!" The circle fell quiet. I belted out a few nervous notes, and was unofficially welcomed in to the group of Spaniards. After talking to the males in the group, they told me,"We like having American guys around. Especially if they look good. The girls just flock over!"

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