Blessed and Organized : Spain

Since my visit to Barcelona 3 years ago, Seville is the second time that I visited Spain. When I was visiting Barcelona, maybe it was because I was traveling for tourism and only went to tourism spots, I felt that Spanish people are free and relaxed. It was a short trip, and I had no knowledge of Spanish culture, so it seemed to me at the time that the stores that close spontaneously and people drinking on the streets all day meant that people are living unsystematic lives. But coming to Seville and learning how important rest is to Spanish people in their lifestyles, and learning Spain’s special food culture, I acknowledged that Spanish people are actually living a very organized and systematic life. Given that a person’s true understanding and perception of a culture can only be done when the person becomes a member and lives in it, the first week in Seville allowed me to understand Spanish people and their culture on a different level. Looking from inside, the Spanish people are very easygoing and relaxed, but they are not irresponsible. They prioritize the rules and order of the society, and take trust and relationship between families and friends seriously. Looking at Spain that used to be just another European country to me, it came to me as a new meaning and I was able to view it without prejudice. It was more similar to my home country, Korea, and characteristics of other Asian cultures. The characteristics of Spanish culture that values family as a core value seems to lead individuals to recognize oneself as a member of the family rather than an individual. This trait seems to expand itself and show itself in the society and organizations (Oyserman, 2017, p.442). The similarities were subtle things that can be found in various aspects of life, such as various demonstrative pronouns, honorifics, and the virtue of yielding seats to elderly in subways. Everyday in Seville was a time of breathing and feeling a new world to me, and it made me fall in love with Seville.

Oyserman, D. (2017). Culture Three Ways: Culture and Subcultures Within Countries. Annual Review of Psychology, 68(1), 435-463. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033617

Research projects

Due to COVID-19, we have attended the spring 2020 semester half face-to-face and half distance. We would like to share here some of the research and article analysis projects that the students have developed, and which I think reflect well the purpose of this course:

• Morgan Myers, Lexi Correa, Olivia Marion and Johnny Miller on "Spanish Stereotypes": https://www.loom.com/share/eb4b11594e844a398eec52b563541fc2
• Jennifer Simpson and Ella Kim on "Effects of COVID 19 on subjective well-being" 
• Liv Kudas on "bias therofore unhappy": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhFSl_e_B1o&feature=youtu.be
• Sydney Kleiss on "Autonomy-connectedness and mental health":   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KSN3cXDMpo&feature=youtu.be
• Jennifer Zheng on "Patience in Everyday Life":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCAqnpBMgls&feature=youtu.be
• Sydney Glicksman on Cultural Differences in “Saving the Best for Last”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMlATxh5TL8&feature=youtu.be
• Gloria Lee on " seeing mixed emotions":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QTJb2xmtNo&feature=youtu.be
• Nayara Paudal on "Are Gender Differences in Emotion Culturally Universal?" Nayara Paudal.pptx 
• Emily Ramsey on "Emotion Suppression on Life Satisfaction" The Effects of Emotion Suppression- Emily Ramsey.pptx 
• Gabrielle Larraguivel on "Multiculturalism and attitudes towards immigrants" (attached): Gabrielle Larraguivel.mp4 
• Romelo Wilson on "bicultural identity integration": (Attached: Bicultural Identity Integration.ppsx 
• Jahnavi Mahadik on "Europe`s culture(s):" Cultural Psych Final Presentation Jahnavi Mahadik.mp4 
• Cassie Hollasch on "Adopting Anglo Names": Adopting Anglo Names Powerpoint Presentation.pptx 
• Driss Camara on "Heritage acculturation":  https://www.loom.com/share/1ae9b1867db14ae6a02d8896c4918866
• Paige Freyre on "Cultural Individualism & Adult-Role Responsibilities" Paige Freyre.pptx 

Living Life on Relaxed Time, by Jahnavi Mahadik

When I first stepped off the plane in Sevilla I had no idea how different life was going to be there. I was used to the fast-paced environment in the United States where I came from. As I entered the airport in Madrid I immediately realized how relaxed Spain was. In the airport no one was running around as you would see in America, instead everyone was enjoying their time and laughing with family and friends as they were making their way to their gate. In Sevilla though life seemed even more relaxed, there was never a rush in anything that was being done. It seemed as if they loved to do things on their own time and enjoy doing it. This relaxed feeling can be seen in restaurants. The waiters and hosts will take their time getting to you to take your order whereas in the US they would be there immediately to take your order. At first this was annoying to us as we wanted our food because we were hungry. But as we spent more and more time in Sevilla I started to realize the beauty of this relaxed time. This relaxed way of living gave so much more than what I expected. This time could be focused on building everlasting relationships and getting into deeper conversations that never would have been brought up if we were being rushed. We were so accustomed to the fast-paced lifestyle in America that we did not even give Spanish culture a chance. But once I realized how important this time was I never looked back. I am glad that Sevilla and Spain in general taught me how to go about life in a relaxed manner and how important that time really is. Spain and America are different in their own ways, but the way they go about life is the complete opposite and I am grateful I got to experience a different way of living.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-murder-and-the-meaning-life/201210/culture-shock-spain-versus-america

Smoking in Spain, by Johnny Miller

With my time in Spain over for about two months now I have had some time to reflect on a topic that I found very interesting; smoking. In Spain smoking is very common and can be seen about anywhere. It is somewhat of a focal point in Spanish culture for me. After meals with my host family, they would sit on the sofa and smoke cigarettes. When I was in Cadiz many of the people there for the carnival would stop to have a smoke. Over the past 15 years in the United States there has been a large campaign against smoking. There are programs in lower level school that warn of the harmful effects of smoking and how bad it is. The most interesting thing to me is that the packaging is different in both countries. In the U.S. cigarette packs will say that the product is bad for you and warn you but that is about it. In Spain the packs say that smoking is bad, however there are pictures that are very graphic on them. The pictures could be of a dead man or a person going through an autopsy. In my opinion that did not sway anyone from not smoking. My host family had told me it is very common especially starting from a young age. I think this is the case because children learn from adults from a young age so it predisposes them. So from the beginning children think that it is okay to smoke. I think it is the same in the U.S.. It is now very prevalent for kids to learn from their parents that smoking is very bad for you and shouldn’t be done. Having these predispositions is why I see it as different from what I know.

News: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/05/13/world-health-organisation-issues-warning-to-spains-smokers-over-coronavirus/

The Beauty of Food, by Gloria Lee

I went to Spain with some knowledge about the country’s food. I’ve been to multiple Spanish restaurants, where I always ordered tapas and/or paella. I left for the country thinking about all the patatas bravas, sangria, paella, and jamon I would have. Little did I know that I was in for the best gastronomical surprise ever.

I was very lucky in the fact that my host mom was a great cook whose food tastes and interests matched so well with mine. We both shared a love for vegetables and all things healthy. She introduced me to so many different kinds of Spanish foods and always prefaced my first bite with a description of the ingredients that went into the dish and which region of Spain it was typical in.

What I loved the most about my experience with food in Spain, though, wasn’t just the delicious food I will always yearn for. It was the act of eating together. My host family had two young children, so I always ate dinner with them at around 8:30 PM. The dad was always there to watch us eat and talk to me about my day and about everything ranging from my classes to where I had to visit during my weekend vacations. My host mom and I almost always ate lunch together and it quickly became such a precious opportunity for us to learn more about each other and talk about anything and everything that came to our minds.

In America, family meals are just not as important. Granted, there are certain events that make for family dinners that everyone shows up for. However, on a daily basis, they just are not as common. The stereotypical American is constantly busy and on the go, so many foods are eaten outside of the restaurant or outside of the communal dining table. As a college student, I’ve had so many instances when I pushed off meals or ordered food for delivery and ate it in the library so as to not waste my time meant for working on assignments or studying. And I honestly never saw anything wrong with this sort of lifestyle until I lived in Spain for 2 months.

I love that Spaniards take time out of their days to sit down and eat. I love that they stay at restaurants for hours to casually drink their beer or wine and talk with their loved ones. I love that mealtimes are to be shared with those around you. I understand why this is not as much a part of American culture. However, I hope to make it a part of mine because it was such a beautiful and special experience for me.

A Church of Pride: La Giralda, by Cassie Hollasch

In my short time in Seville I had the opportunity to visit the famous La Giralda. Although mass isn’t usually held in the church anymore, I couldn’t help noticing the difference between American religious buildings and the Spanish churches/mosques.

One thing that really surprised me was the history behind each building. Many buildings grew and changed with the times often transforming from mosque to temple to cathedral, all while maintaining the same original building. Our tour guide mentioned lots of antiques within the cathedral that seemed to spark a sense of pride. For example, he mentioned that the cathedral held one of the oldest oil paintings of Jesus in Spain. The citizens of Seville are evidently proud of their churches and historical architecture. In fact, during many conversations I’ve had with Spaniards when talking about American buildings one of the big differences they will bring up is history; often saying, “Isn’t everything new in America?” This difference is representative of a big difference in culture. Not to say that American buildings aren’t built with pride, but they are not built with the same intricacy and attention to detail that the cathedrals of Spain are built upon. This may also have to do with the fact, that lots of American buildings are torn down before being rebuilt instead of renewing an old building. This difference in culture reflects the differing values and importance of architecture in both countries.

Article: https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/travel/seville-magic

Nosiness in Sevilla, by Jennifer Simpson

While in Spain, there was one thing that really stuck out to me in terms of differences, and that is nosiness. I know this sounds bad, but I mean it in a positive way. In Canada, where I am from, I think that we are very individualistic and stick to our own business while in public spaces such as streets, bars, restaurants, and other outdoor areas. However, this became a very positive thing for me while living there, which I was soon to discover.

Either I have always been a clumsy person, or I became much more clumsy while in Sevilla, because I had many awkward moments there, all involving the bicycle I bought and used to get around the entire city. Firstly, I was trying to get into my apartment complex while carrying my bike and a large amount of groceries, and I was struggling very hard with the heavy door. A nice gentleman who happened to be walking down the street saw this, and couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming something in Spanish to me (which I did not understand) and then opening the door for me, and helping me in. I have never experienced someone seeing me struggle in Canada, and help me without even asking. I think that Canadian people are very nice (consistent with our reputation), but they might be a bit hesitant to help without asking or making sure people want to be helped. In this sense, we may think a bit too hard about helping others, rather than reacting on the spot.

This same issue happened again another day, and another older man who was working in my building helped me gather my things as I was struggling with my bike again. Of course, I knew I didn’t need the help, but this man clearly felt obligated to lend a hand. After the second time, I realized that it wasn’t just a one-time thing; the people here really are willing to help you when you’re in need. Finally, my worst incident occurred when I was crossing the street on my bike. I noticed my phone fell out of my pocket, and I ended up falling off my bike out of surprise, and my groceries spilled across the sidewalk. A woman who had been crossing the street beside me immediately asked me a question (to which I responded “Si”), and she grabbed my bike and helped me pick up all of my groceries and organized them back into my basket. I was again so surprised to have immediate help from a complete stranger who by no means was obligated to help me.

I’m not sure if I kept getting help because I’m clearly not a local, because I am a girl, or because I just look like a clumsy disaster on my bike; but I believe it does have something to do with how people think in Sevilla. Additionally, I think the root of this is that people in Spain are much more attentive to others and a bit “nosy”—but in the best way. I did notice this phenomenon in my first few days, however, I took this nosiness as a negative attribution. Now that I’ve seen how nice Sevillians are while being nosy, this is something that I will definitely miss about living in Spain, and something that makes me really appreciate the people here—even if I could never understand what they were saying.

A lot of guessing, by Emily Ramsey

When thinking back on Spain and my time living in Sevilla the first thing, I think of is the language. I had never taken Spanish before arriving in Spain so after meeting my host mom and realizing she spoke no English was a bit of a shock. I felt very ambitious to learn the language and be able to communicate. Although a different language was used more often in order for both my mom roommate and I to all communicate, the use of gestures and body language. A lot of acting was used when trying find a mutual understanding of what we were talking about. I can remember multiple times my host mom stood up in the middle of eating lunch to act out what she was trying to say or make silly noises. We often played a strange version of charades in order to figure out what was being communicated. A lot of guessing went into this tactic but it was pretty effective because we would never give up until we figured out what the other person was trying to say. Even if it meant taking our phones out and typing it into google translate. I remember one specific day when my roommate and I were telling our host mom we were going to the airport early the next morning. She went on to explain the Sevilla airport is small and we would get through security with no problem. She knew very quickly neither one of us understood by our confused faces so she popped up out of her seat and started to pretend to take her backpack off and put it on the security belt. We laughed a bit but ended up figuring out what she was trying to say.                           

         

Cultural Appropriation, by Nayara Paudyal

The day of the carnival had finally arrived. Me and friends were super excited to dress up and go to Cadiz for the Carnaval. Our plan was very last minute so I decided to put on some face paint and dress as a giraffe. Once we reached Cadiz, I was really excited to see the streets filled with people dressed up in all sorts of creative costumes. They were dressed up as movie characters, animals, superheroes and more. I was loving all the fun and creative costumes until I saw a group of people with black paint on their faces. As the day went by I saw more and more people dressed up as a black person or an asian person. Me and friends were really surprised and uncomfortable and we immediately thought of these people as being insensitive and racist.

As I came back home from the carnival, this incident still bothered me. I decided to talk to my host family as I wanted to know how they felt about this. When I shared my feelings about the incident, my host mom told me that the Carnaval was all about dressing up and having fun. She did not believe that dressing up as an ethnicity or race is any different from dressing up as a fictional character. Furthermore, she believed that a custom should not be taken so seriously. Although I could understand where she was coming from, I still believe that people’s identity should not be a costume.

This incident made me realise how certains things can be perceived so differently in different cultures. If the same thing had happened in the US, it would have been considered really racist and a lot of people would be offended. However, I felt like this was not the case in Spain. Furthermore, this experience also gave me an opportunity to talk about culture and world views with my host family.

A sense of unity, by Melo Wilson

My short time in Sevilla was my first time in Spain, and my first time travelling across the ocean to Europe. Although I spent 2/4 months there, I enjoyed every second of it, learning how to put myself out there more, improving my Spanish, trying new food, and making the most of my time in Sevilla. From my short time there, one of the major things that I noticed in comparison to the United States was sense of unity and community between Sevillanos.

I’m from New York City and although New Yorkers say that there’s an unspoken sense of community between each other, it doesn’t compare to Sevilla. While walking through the streets of New York, everyone has their heads facing forward without little acknowledge to the people they’re passing and bumping into. On the other hand, in Sevilla everyone would enjoy each other’s’ company at a cevercería, or a botellón, any situation where they were outdoors and drinking. Americans tend to drink to get drunk but Spaniards drink to enjoy hanging out with their loved ones.

When I arrived to the apartment of my host family, I was greeted with a brief explanation on how to kiss both cheeks when I greet a woman. From there on, I knew I would have to adjust some things to fit the culture of Spain because I went there to learn how the Spaniards live. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

The public displays of affection of the couples in the street, whether a gay couple or a straight couple, they weren’t afraid to show how strongly they felt about the other. This was inspirational because America isn’t full of affectionate people, myself included, but seeing how Sevillanos interacted with each other, I’ve started to change the way I act, showing my affection more to my love ones. When people ask me “How was Spain”, I will always make sure to bring up how welcoming and comfortable I felt to the point where I wasn’t afraid to be myself in any way.

Generations before them, by Olivia Marion

Although my time in Spain was cut short, I still feel that I was able to immerse myself in a new culture. I was a bit surprised by some of the different customs and traditions in Southern Spain such as the time of dinner, the hours that stores are open and how integrated the Church is with the common culture. However, I feel that I adapted quickly and happily. During my time in Seville, what I had admired most about it was the architecture. I was absolutely amazed by the Torre Giralda and all of its detailed carvings. Additionally, the Plaza de España was what absolutely took my breath away. I was always so happy to be surrounded by beautiful and antiquated architecture. I am from the “oldest” part of the United States, Massachusetts, which is not necessarily “old.” So for me, I appreciate landmarks such as the Torre Giralda built in the 12th century. The gardens, the statues and landmarks of Seville taught me a valuable lesson. They taught me that no matter what challenges ones face, humanity persists and are capable of designing or building incredible structures. In a way, being surrounded but ancient architecture and structures taught me to admire history and all of those who have been a part of it. I think people can get so caught up in the motion of things and forget to pause and appreciate the life they have been given. It was the generations before them who have made it possible for them to live the way they live now. 

Difference in architecture, by Olivia Kudas

When I reflect back on Spain and the cultural difference between Spain and the US, I always think about the difference in architecture. The buildings in Spain are so much more complex than what I see in Maine. Each building has a history as well, sometimes starting back hundreds and thousands of years ago. The state of Maine is nowhere near as old as these buildings, neither do we cross paths with huge historical monuments daily (such as where Christopher Columbus is buried, the 3rd largest cathedral in the world, ect.). 

While I was in Spain, my hometown (Kennebunkport Maine) celebrated 200 years since it has been legally named. With this event, I really began to realize how amazing It was to be in such an old location with such an extensive history. I began to really take advantage of this and visited many locations in Spain like the Cathedral in Cadiz and the Alhambra in Granada. I really encourage you to look at these locations and learn more, because the history over here is very interesting and is something you may never get to see again. However, this history can be seen just by the architecture in the building if you look close enough. At Plaza De Espana, history is written on the walls and bridges through art. I encourage you all to look closely and explore.

Where, when, and how to drink coffee like a Spaniard, by Driss Camara

Many college students can relate to the fact that drinking coffee is an essential part of being in college. When I started college, I barely drank coffee but soon it became a habit and more or less an addiction to drink at least one cup of coffee a day. This is something that’s common among Americans in general. Coffee is supposed to give you energy and so it has become an essential drink and part of the culture.

However, I noticed when I got to Spain that coffee was not as popular of a beverage there. In fact, every morning my señora would give me tea for breakfast instead of coffee which I am used to. I barely saw any coffee shops and the Starbucks were not as packed as the ones in the USA. Another observation that I made was that people did not really go to coffee shops to study or read. They went there to socialize and often ate pastries along with their beverage. No one walked on campus around with their thermo filled with coffee (except maybe, the American students). I still drank coffee daily. In fact, I would often go to the vending machine between classes to get me an espresso. And when I was back in my house, I would go to a coffee shop like Mascarpone to study and drink coffee.

I soon noticed that people actually drank coffee but for a different purpose. Spanish people drink coffee to enjoy it while Americans drink it to get energy. Americans have a higher tendency to drink coffee in large quantities and on its own, while spanish people often drink it along with something else (i.e. pastry). As we have discussed in class, this is mainly due to a difference in mentality. Spanish people are more relaxed and take the time to enjoy the little things such as drinking coffee with friends. Meanwhile, Americans are more work-driven and strive to get things done quickly which coffee facilitates. In reality, I drink coffee for both. In the picture here, I have some churros along with a café.

News article: https://www.thelocal.es/20190329/how-to-order-and-drink-coffee-like-a-spaniard

Dressed up for Carnaval

When I first arrived in Spain my friends who are from Spain were telling me about all the major events to go to while I was here in Spain. I was told to go to Feria, Semana Santa, and Carnaval. I was curious as to what Carnival was because I never heard of it. When my friends were describing it to me it sounded more like a halloween just in February. Carnaval is celebrated in Cadiz. It is a 10 day celebration of people just celebrating life and excess.

When my friends and I decided to go, I was told we needed costumes. My group decided to go as the thieves from Casa de Papel. Before arriving there I was curious to see if a lot of people would actually dress up. I was also curious to what kind of dressing up would be done. I was very curious as to what this kind of atmosphere would be like. It sounded like it would be all day partying and people just enjoying the moment.

When my friends and I were heading to the train station to head to Cadiz I already knew who was on their way there too. I saw people dressed up in so many costumes. I was excited to get to Cadiz to see the rest of the costumes and be in the fun environment. When we got to Cadiz literally everyone was dressed up. I was surprised to see the different costumes and the creativity.

There were men dressed up as women and there were group costumes. People sitting in the bars dressed up and drinking and singing. People selling wings and other costumes. When it got dark that was when the party began. Everyone was outside, beer fenders were selling alcohol, people were buying others drinks, music was blasting, the streets were packed with people that were hard to move through. As the night went on there were performances from singers and the clubs were open for people to dance all night.

What was interesting to me was that so many people participated in this holiday. I thought it would just be young people but there were families dressed up and older couples with their friends dressed up. It was just a fun experience. I enjoyed seeing all the creative costumes and even seeing men dressed up. In the US this is not a holiday and it was fun to experience a holiday from another country.

How Does Snacking Reflect a Culture’s Norms?, by Paige Freyre

While spending two months in Sevilla, my understanding of the world and other cultures expanded extensively. Although it is a shame the spring 2020 abroad experience was cut short for so many students, it was so interesting to examine how we were able to assimilate into the culture in such a short amount of time, and then experience reverse culture shock when coming back home. I was shocked at the aspects of my habits or personality my family pointed out as being different when I returned home as I did not expect to experience so many changes in such a short period of time.

For example, my parents and I could not believe how my eating habits had shifted during my two months in Sevilla. Specifically, the culture of snacking was vastly different in Spain which I had not anticipated. I never realized how much of a “snacker” I was, until I went through an adjustment period in regard to mealtimes. In my homestay, the custom was to have a small breakfast, a large lunch, and a smaller dinner. At first, I found myself starving in between meal times, and I noticed my host mom did not keep any snacks in the house. At first I thought this was not “normal”, but then I realized that not snacking between meals was what was considered “normal” in Spain. This was different from my habits in America, where I typically snack various times throughout the day and rarely take the time to have a large, sit-down lunch.Therefore, I had to get adjusted to a “new normal” in regard to my eating habits during my time in Spain.

Pictured below is a meal my host mom gave me one night for dinner. It is an omelette, broccoli, and potato chips. I had taken a photo of it because I was so surprised to see potato chips on my plate. It was the first time I had seen anything that resembled the snacks I was used to at home on my plate in Sevilla, and I had thought it was hilarious that it was being served as a side dish to the meal rather than a casual snack. This experience made me question and reflect on the different norms in regard to snacking between America and Spain.

Since being back in America, I have noticed that snacking between meals has become a new norm for me again. As I have developed this habit, I also have fallen out of the habit of long, sit down lunches that I was accustomed to in Spain. As a result, I have reflected on the different ways I spend my time in each country. In Spain, I was more likely to slow down, and enjoy my meals; which resulted in not needing to snack throughout the day. At home, I have noticed the culture of my household is extremely fast paced and we rarely sit down to enjoy a long meal, so we snack throughout the day instead.

In conclusion, it is interesting to consider how social customs such as meal norms or snacking can reflect the way we spend our time in a given culture. In Spain, I loved how there was such an emphasis on meals (lunch in particular), and it was a special time to take a pause during the day and spend time with family while enjoying great food. Since assimilating back in America, I have noticed that my family rarely slows down during the day to stop what we are doing and have a meal together. This results in a culture where we eat more processed food or snacks throughout the day to keep us sustained to complete our agendas which mirrors our fast-paced society. I connected this to the “to-go coffee” or “to go food” culture we have in America, which so many students are amused to not experience in foreign countries. Although I love my life at home, I am grateful for my cultural experiences in Sevilla as I hope to adopt some of these habits in my future life as I believe they promote mindfulness and enjoyment!