The Spanish have their own habits and their own style. Living as a Spanish immigrant, you will naturally come into contact with the Spanish people. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will be able to get along well. Now, let us offer some tips for our immigrant friends to see just how funny and quirky the real Spanish people can be.
Spontaneous and Carefree
For the Spanish, being spontaneous is a basic logic of life. Do not obsessively demand that they arrive on time; you can easily arrive a few minutes later than them. If a Spaniard asks you to "comer" (eat) in the evening, they are actually suggesting to "picar algo" (have a quick bite), or perhaps just have a beer. Learn to live as spontaneously as they do, and you too can enjoy this lifestyle.
Live More, Sleep Less
It is 8:00 PM, and the workday is over. When people in other European countries are preparing to drift off to sleep, the Spanish are just entering the golden hours of their day: dinner, studying, nightclubs... You will need to find a way to adapt to the Spanish schedule of rising early and sleeping late. Time here always runs a bit slower than in other parts of Europe; you cannot be in a rush.
Perfunctory Breakfasts
Every time I have breakfast with a Spaniard, I feel like: That's it?! A cup of coffee and two biscuits is enough for a Spaniard to last from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This ability to endure hunger is not something you can learn in a day.
Ice-Cold Everything
Have you ever seen a Spaniard drinking iced beer or cola for breakfast? They have this kind of "iron stomach." When ordering drinks at a restaurant, you need to remind the waiter if you do not want it cold, because all drinks are served chilled with ice cubes by default, regardless of the season. Every time you ask for hot water, the waiter will look at you with skepticism, bring you a cup of warm water, and think to themselves: These Asians are really heat-resistant!
Never Drinking Water
Take a look at a Spanish office, and you will see coffee never leaves their hands. Aside from the clatter of keyboards, there is the symphony of spoons and cups clinking. Even when they are not drinking coffee, the Spanish rarely think of drinking water. A cola? A beer? A juice? Anything but water.
Music Fanatics
It is impossible to make a Spaniard leave music behind, especially the young ones. Wearing headphones everywhere on the subway is nothing to complain about, but they even keep music playing while working. Go to the bank to withdraw money, and you will find the teller has the music radio on; go to a company for business, and the speakers on the desk are singing joyfully; get on the bus to go home, and you will find the driver is playing his own MP3s on a loop through the bus speakers!
Hungry? Have a "Finger" First
Biting one's fingers is basically a common habit among Westerners. I do not know if it is a habit formed from having a pacifier in their mouths for years as children, but it leads people in their seventies and eighties to spend their daily leisure time biting their fingers. Go to the library and take a look; those college students studying, when considering complex geometric problems, will unanimously put their fingers into their mouths and bite down seriously... sigh.
Home? Just a Nest for Sleeping
For the Spanish, home is a place to rest, which implies that they do not spend most of their time at home. They have breakfast at the bar downstairs while gossiping with neighbors; they find a buy-one-get-one-free restaurant at noon to satisfy their cravings with friends; they go to the library to study in the afternoon and to the cinema for entertainment; in the evening, they find a restaurant to have a few drinks, and then they are off to dance!
20 Years of Professional Sunflower Seed Eating
The Spanish skill in eating sunflower seeds can be considered the most "dexterous" in Europe: they can put the seeds directly into their mouths like Asians, crack them with their front teeth, eat the kernel, and leave the shells all over the floor. If you peel the seeds by hand and collect the shells, that is only "beginner level" in the eyes of the Spanish. They will kindly tell you: "Oye, al suelo" (Hey, throw the shells on the floor).
What Old Lady? "Beautiful"!
In traditional Spanish shops or markets, female customers, regardless of age, are all called "guapa" (beautiful). An eighty-year-old lady approaches the vegetable stall, and the vendor greets her with: "Hola guapa, ¿qué te pongo?" (Hi beautiful, what can I get for you?). When she leaves, they never forget to add: "Adiós corazón" (Goodbye, sweetheart). Those old ladies visit these vegetable shops every single day without fail; after all, who wouldn't feel good buying vegetables there?
Eating Ham in Every Possible Way
Spain not only produces ham, but the Spanish passion for ham is unmatched by people elsewhere. At the supermarket deli counter, you can not only find various grades and flavors of ham, but the ways to eat it are also endless: in a baguette, in a croissant, with fried eggs, or served directly as an appetizer with red wine... The Spanish have already thought of all sorts of strange ways to eat it for you.
Staring Into Your Eyes
You might not be used to the Spanish habit of staring at people in public at first. When they think you are a foreigner, they will stare a little longer, and most of the time they will make direct eye contact with you for several seconds, which will make your heart race. Do not mistake this behavior for malice; there is no need to look away when eye contact is made, just smile. The Spanish are simply curious.