As I sat in a small café eating lunch yesterday, a man entered with his dog and headed back toward the bathroom, his dog following him. He nodded to me and said “Que aproveche” (Bon appetit) as he passed, then waved a vague signal in the general direction of his dog, who then promptly sat down about 6 feet from me. The man continued on his way to the back of the café to the bathtroom, and his un-leashed dog waited patiently for him, occasionally glancing over at me, probably envious of my succulent jamón ibérico. I got to thinking about how normal this whole scene was to me: the stranger telling me to enjoy my meal as he passes me on his way to the bathroom, the dog entering the café unleashed and then sitting patiently for his owner to return…where am I? When did these things become so normal to me?
No tying up necessary: a dog waits patiently for his owner outside a bank on my street
**Side note: the manners of the DOGS here is a topic that deserves a post of its own. As I’ve mentioned before, they’re not usually on leashes, and they’re soooo obedient! What kind of dog training programs do they have here that we don’t?!
__
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about differences in what is considered polite and impolite here in Spain and in the States. I started compiling a list a couple weeks ago when a friend of mine asked me on Twitter whether it was true that Spanish people say goodbye to each other when leaving an elevator. Yes, that is in fact true, and it really struck me how that had become so normal to me I don’t even think twice about it.
__
So here is my ever-growing list of differences in manners/politeness between the US and Spain:
- Say goodbye when you leave an elevator. I didn’t find this quite so funny until I was talking about it with my dear friend Jackie the other day and told her that you don’t actually say “Adios” but rather “Hasta luego” (See ya later!), as if you have plans to meet up with these strangers again later in this same awkward, claustrophobia-promoting scenario.
- Say “Que aproveche/Buen provecho” to tables you pass in nicer restaurants. My roommates also do this at home– if I’m eating and they enter the room, they wish me an enjoyable meal. Adorable, no?
- Don’t say hi to or smile at strangers on the street. They’ll think you’ve mistaken them for someone you know, or that you’re just crazy. The exceptions to this rule are: 1. When you meet strangers on a hiking trail and 2. When you meet strangers in the hallway or entrance to your own apartment. Then it’s totally cool.
- Say hello and goodbye; it’s kind of a big deal. After living with a Spanish family this summer and now with Spanish roommates, I’ve concluded that they’re much more intent on saying hello and goodbye whenever they come and go, as well as goodnight before retiring to bed and good morning the first time they see you each morning. And the hellos and goodbyes themselves are a bigger production: when you encounter family or friends in the street/restaurant/bar/etc., you give them “dos besos” (two kisses) which aren’t exactly besos, but rather you pull them in, your right hand on their left arm (and them the same to you), and you touch cheeks with them on each side, making a kiss sound. I guess it’s a pretty intimate greeting/salutation compared to the way most Americans greet each other. It’s amazing, though, how quickly it becomes normal. Even my American friends and I here greet each other in this way.
- Keep your hands on the table. Last year at a Christmas dinner at the house of some Spanish family friends, I learned that at meals here, it is most polite to keep both hands on the table at all times. This is something I still have to be conscious of almost every time I’m eating a nice meal here. From a young age, I learned that the proper thing was to keep your non-dominant hand in your lap. It turns out that here (also in France and maybe other parts of Europe), if you don’t have both hands on the table it signifies that you’re not really enjoying the meal. But I suspect that, in Spain, it could also have something to do with the fact that you have bread at every meal, and it is to be kept on the table (not the plate) on your non-dominant side. Children are taught that the bread can be used, in the non-dominant hand, like another utensil to soak up the oils or juices from the dish. So in this case you need the dominant hand on the table to be your “bread hand,” so to speak.
- Get out of the way. In the US, when we bump into someone we pretty much act like we’ve fractured their skull: “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there!!!” The return is often just as dramatic: “No it’s okay! I’m fine! I didn’t see you either!!!” Oh, so you mean you didn’t nearly die from me brushing up against your shoulder? Good good good. Well I have to say that here, it’s the opposite extreme, and I don’t like that either. People rarely apologize for bumping into you, even if it’s a pretty good shove. And I still haven’t figured out who moves aside for who on crowded sidewalks. Younger men will usually move for me, but among women it seems like I always have to be the one to step off the sidewalk onto the street in a crowd. I guess I get voted off for my foreign-ness.
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Raise your umbrella. In my 18th non-consecutive month living in rainy Bilbao, I think I’ve figured out the umbrella-raising codes. *Note: I know this may only be a foreign concept to my fellow North-Dakotans–not that it doesn’t rain there, but if it does we just run to our cars or avoid going outside. And in North Dakota you certainly never find yourself in the situation of walking down a crowded street where everyone has an umbrella, so it has been a big learning curve for me. Umbrellas make your space bubble a foot or two wider all the way around, so how do you navigate your much larger diameter through a crowded street? Umbrella-raising. In my experience, there are three simple rules in a head-on umbrella encounter: 1. If you’re a male, raise your umbrella. 2. If you’re younger, raise your umbrella. 3. If you’re taller, raise your umbrella. So being young and tall, I do a lot of umbrella-raising. That’s okay though, it’s good for the biceps.__Manners are a peculiar thing, and it’s good to be aware of how different they can be from country to country, culture to culture. Even the most culturally-conscious of us are bound to make a faux pas here and there. Laugh it off, learn from it, and move on.Buen fin de semana!
meggrblog 
November 15, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Enjoyed! Enjoyed! You’ve learned so much…and your re~entry to the US will be challenging. ..I LOVE all of your becoming so European; but adjustments, adjustments can only make you a better person!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Meg XXXOOO
November 15, 2012 at 9:07 pm
I found myself nodding my head whilst reading your post. So much of what you say rings true here in Colombia too. Instead of saying ‘Hola’ or ‘Buenos noches’ as I am accustomed to, the neighbours say ‘Adios’ when I walk past. Since my ear wasn’t tuned to listen out for ‘Adios’ from the neighbours, I just walked past until my boyfriend told me how rude I’d just been to not return the adios. He’s also told me off for not saying ‘Buenas’ when entering a crowded room or office. I didn’t realise that it’s okay to be rude and talk over someone’s conversation with a greeting rather than wait for your turn to greet them especially!
November 16, 2012 at 5:06 am
Interesting! Actually now that you mention it, people do the same thing here when they walk past someone they know (but instead use the local Basque word for goodbye, “agur!”) And it’s also true that they say “Buenas” when entering a room, no matter what they’re interrupting. Funny how things can seem so rude to us and so normal to them, and vice versa. Thanks for reading and sharing!
November 16, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Yes! To hiking on the weekends and people just saying hi and I’m like, “Do I know you?” and I think “No, I don’t. That’s weird.” But then the more you hike, the more it becomes normal and that’s just how it is.
November 17, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Manners matters, yes indeed matters.
Very good post. 🙂
November 21, 2012 at 6:15 am
Manners are a dying passion
November 17, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Interesting post. Where I live in the US (in the Northeast), people basically like to ignore each other. No one makes eye contact on the street, no one says hello when they pass, and people are quite aloof and standoffish.
Also where I live, when someone bumps into me, they do not say a thing. It’s infuriating to me at times. Sometimes, even when no apology is issued, I sarcastically say “Oh, no worries, I’m fine!” Haha 🙂
It’s amazing how manners and habits can differ so much from country to country (or in a country as large as the US, from region to region or state to state).
November 17, 2012 at 1:25 pm
I enjoyed that. It is remarkable how little Americans (including myself) seem to think about the differing manners in other countries. Thanks for the peek!
November 17, 2012 at 1:47 pm
While studying with a diverse group of international students in Israel, I learned that only do people say “good morning” and “good night” to everyone in Spain, but it is a standard in most of places (other than the US) from which my peers had come. It is lovely, isn’t it? Who can have a bad morning when everyone is wishing you a good one, right?
November 17, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I think that manners are important, but if once in a while someone slips up on their manners, I think that is okay as well. What do you think?
November 17, 2012 at 2:30 pm
I really enjoyed this! I’ve just come to Salzburg in Austria for a year to study, and it’s the small things that stand out the most. It’s something I’m hoping to write about myself in the near future. Enjoy your time in Spain!
November 17, 2012 at 2:33 pm
These are so true! I have the almost-awkward elevator encounter almost every morning at work (I live in Barcelona), and I really like the ‘dos besos’.
The dog thing is so bizarre – what ARE they doing to their dogs here?? They are almost always soooo well-behaved. Does Bilbao have ‘dog parking’ too?
November 17, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Quite a few of the same things happen in the Czech Republic that you’re experiencing in Spain.
When I moved here from Canada in 2004, it took a lot to get used to saying “See you later” to people when you get off and elevator, saying “Hello” and “Goodbye” when entering and leaving any shop.
I’ve also run into the same issue with getting bumped in the street; it’s no big deal here, but back in Canada some folks act like they’re a step away from calling an ambulance for you for the slightest brush.
It’s not simply about social etiquette, but also about the manners involved with honesty.
I traveled back to Canada in summer and had completely forgotten how serving staff in restaurants will strike up conversations with you and fall all over themselves making sure everything’s alright to the point you want to scream. You know if they weren’t on paid time and weren’t paid so poorly that the tips were actually required for them to make a living that you’d get a much more subdued and dignified demeanor from them.
In most Czech restaurants; they take your order, bring your food, perhaps come around once to make sure everything’s OK and then bring your bill when you’re ready. That’s it and it’s not unpleasant; it’s quite refreshing in fact.
A lot of Europeans I know who’ve been to North America talk about how nice everyone seems, yet how it seems so fake so much of the time. Going back to my homeland after so long away showed me how right they are when they see things that way.
November 17, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Great post! I love learning about other cultures…the dog thing is very impressive, would love to learn their secret 🙂
November 17, 2012 at 2:59 pm
I really enjoyed this. As an ex-pat as well, it’s amazing how the little differences can really throw you for a loop. In Denmark, they think you are nuts if you say “Hi, how are you?”. It’s not common to thank someone for holding the door or letting you pass. But it’s the way they are. As an American, it takes a while to understand the entire country is not being rude, just being Danes. Now I know what to do with my umbrella if I travel to Spain!
November 17, 2012 at 3:27 pm
We’ve lived in several countries, and the matter of etiquette is always of interest. Italy was the first foreign country for me, and I appreciated the fact that people are generally effusive and affectionate. It’s where I first came into contact with the ‘cheek kiss,’ and on one memorable occasion I botched it badly, zigging when I should have zagged and kissing my host family’s sister full on the lips. She was gorgeous, though, so I wasn’t too put out and I think neither was she.
In Japan courteousness was taken to an entirely new level, and I loved it. In Korea people were simultaneously rude and obsessed with social protocol – it wasn’t a stellar experience.
We now live in Budapest, where there’s an interesting dichotomy of outward politeness coupled with what seems like an intense disdain and dislike for, well, everyone else. The Hungarians seem to hate each other (and themselves – in international surveys they consistently rate themselves as the most miserable people on the planet), and frequently display both frosty civility along with angry contempt. It can be trying.
We may be moving to Barcelona in the near future, so It will be interesting to see the cultural chasm between the two places. Of course it’s easier to be polite and kind when you’re economically secure, and it seems tempers may be frayed in Spain.
Anyway, thanks for an intriguing post, and congrats on being Freshly Pressed. Keep it up!
November 17, 2012 at 3:36 pm
This was a cool post about some of the smaller aspects in moving to a new country. I’ve been adjusting to life in Europe too, and while the manner differences seem small, I think they’re important to take note of. It’s easy to see manners as these dumb little customs, but I think they make more sense in the context of looking out for someone else’s feelings and being a considerate human being.
November 17, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Lovely piece! I do adore a lot of the old world ways and lament daily that we should revive the works of Emily Post because manners in general seem to have taken a terrible nosedive (at least in North America) with the advent of the internet, or as I call it: the great human disconnect. Not that I don’t appreciate the wonderful connections I’ve made due to having it, only that I think it would be a better world if we were merely polite wherever we are, home, away, on the internet, etc. If not, I will be sure to do as you did and laugh it off, learn from it and move on 🙂
November 17, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Manners make living with other people so much easier.
November 17, 2012 at 5:16 pm
For a man of Napoleonic proportions an unbrella-raising match against a tall senior lady could prove fatal to his self-confidence )
PS Loved the post!
November 17, 2012 at 5:50 pm
One of the most interesting things about living in another country and culture is all the differences you learn and adapt to. I live in the US (since 1988) and it’s a very distinct culture in itself…very different from my native Canada.
I really miss the emotional warmth and intimacy of living in France where everyone says Bonjour and Au Revoir all the time.
November 17, 2012 at 5:50 pm
I’m wondering what you’ve observed with customer service there. Not just in restaurants, like other people mention here, but also in stores or banks. Anywhere you need someone to do something for you. What is considered good service?
November 17, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Great post!! I know I’m on a FL beach where I live now, as opposed to the Jersey Shore, because we say “Hi” to strangers here…where in NJ…it’s best to ignore them! Ha!
I’ve noticed the “Hug” protocol is different for people, also! I’m an Italian Christian, and hug everyone, unless I see you cringe…then it’s hands off! Ha!
November 17, 2012 at 6:50 pm
It makes it hard then when in a multi-cultural environment, which cultural norm dominates? Stuff, just hug and kiss everyone and be done with it 🙂
November 17, 2012 at 8:57 pm
I’ve been leaving in the US for quite some time, yet I have extreme difficulty greeting people of different segments of american society; I could even say of different cultures. It is the oddest thing. I grew up greeting male friends with a strong embrace with both hands around the person, and females with a gentle embrace followed by one kiss on the cheek. Well, here in NYC its not that easy. People of various backgrounds respond quite awkwardly to the incorrect greeting. I think I have almost done’ but still make mistakes often, as the rules also changed between close friends. It’s fascinating really, greeting a Latino, African american, Anglo, then their cultural background also comes to play. I don’t think there can possibly be a place in the world where it is such art greeting a person . loved your post, reminded me of being back home on the country side.
November 17, 2012 at 9:03 pm
excellent writing, thoroughly enjoyed your blog on such an important topic too, keep in touch, tasdevilgirl
November 17, 2012 at 10:44 pm
I knew of some 🙂 some i just didn’t like bumping on street different cultures 😀 .
November 17, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Excellent post. I was cruising around FP because my blog is also on the page today, SHOCK, anyway, my post is about commenting and so I thought I should take a moment to let you know I enjoyed reading your post. I just recently traveled to Italy and noticed some of the differences you mention here. One thing was the bumping into people with no notice. Our trip was perfection and the people were gracious.
Something that did happen while we were standing at the corner waiting to cross, a woman passed me closely, even though there was plenty of room, and bumped me with her large purse. Something sharp was protruding from her bag and punctured my arm, it stung and when I looked down it was bleeding, just a small amount like when you get a shot or a finger stick at the doctor. Anyway, the woman didn’t pause, she kept on moving even though my “Ouch something stuck me!” was audible around the block.
My husband didn’t care to much for the face kiss greetings and goodbyes, but when in Rome~~Love obedient dogs, would love to visit Spain someday. Ciao~~
November 18, 2012 at 12:03 am
I grew up in NY where you never smiled or said hi to a stranger on the street, now I live in the south where everyone says hi to everyone no matter who or where. Clearly different cultures and indeed regions all have their own preferences. Enjoyed this post very much..
November 18, 2012 at 12:19 am
awesome read! the elevator bit cracked me up..! I’d feel so uncomfortable doing it but I would have to give it a go hehe
November 18, 2012 at 1:38 am
¡Disfruté de este blog muchísimo! Yeah i’m only about 50% fluent but seriously, great blog! As a born-and-raised American, it aggravates me that people don’t say hello. Maybe i’m the weird one but I say hello to ANYONE that comes within about 8 feet of me.
November 18, 2012 at 5:18 am
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown and commented:
Add your thoughts here… (optional)
November 18, 2012 at 5:59 am
Reblogged this on One Woman Seeking Palma and commented:
Manners are different all over the world. They aren’t things that we think about at home, but they are things that become immediately apparent when we live within a new culture. I have been trying to figure out a way to express some of these differences and then I encountered this post which just says it better than I ever could. I hope you enjoy.
November 18, 2012 at 6:49 am
A really interesting post – definitely got me thinking about my own manners!
November 18, 2012 at 6:54 am
very nic !
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November 18, 2012 at 8:34 am
I lived in Moldova for an internship, and the manner rules are very similar. We should definitely adopt these in the U.S. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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November 18, 2012 at 9:13 am
I was smiling all the way through this post. It could have been written about my experiences in France. I love that everyone says Bonjour and Au Revoir, especially when walking into those ‘pin-drop quiet’ doctor’s waiting rooms and banks. I also experience the ‘shoving past’ on pavement ordeal but I also find that that occurrs with umbrellas. Am I the only one to raise mine, and step off the pavement? However, that said, there are more manners in France than the UK and I delight in it. Great post.
November 18, 2012 at 9:19 am
Ah I think I need to take my dog to Spain to learn some manners, maybe its the warmth?? If I took my dog to a cafe off the lead she would go beserk and eat everyones food lol
November 18, 2012 at 10:03 am
I agree that manners matter, but some people only behave well because they want to be considered polite and well-behaved by everyone around them, not because they genuinely care. I find this particularly true in the Pacific-Northwest of the US.
I was raised by an American mother and an English father – in Australia. Manners mattered and we were raised to demonstrate good manners as a way of showing respect for other people. In fact, the whole idea of good manners is to make the other person feel comfortable, important, considered. Importantly, we were raised to genuinely want to demonstrate nice manners.
I will be moving from the US (back) to Australia in a month and I have been gearing up for again living where there are ‘less manners’ than here in the US, particularly in the service industry.
But the more I contemplate this cultural difference between Aussies and Americans, the more I realize that many ‘polite’ encounters I have had with Americans over the years, are really just poorly-disguised bouts of passive-aggressiveness. I have likely been guilty of these myself, as they are particularly prevalent in the Pacific Northwest, and hey, when in Rome, right? What I realize is that I would rather have a real, possibly less polite encounter than an overly-polite, fake smiley one. I need to get back to what mum and dad taught me 40+ years ago.
November 18, 2012 at 10:47 am
Thanks for your thoughts! I’ve never been to Australia so it’s interesting to hear your insight. I think that some “fake nice” people exist everywhere though..in fact I’ve heard from both Spaniards and expats alike that people in the south of Spain tend to be very fake nice–a stark contrast to their neighbors to the north who can seem cold at first, but whose kindness is much more genuine.
November 18, 2012 at 10:06 am
I enjoyed this post, even though I’ve never been out of the United States. I vividly remember my senior year in high school when my family moved from the NYC area to Atlanta, Georgia. The South is so different from the North. I was considered rude if I didn’t add “Ma’am” or “Sir” to everything I said. My biggest problem? Messing up and calling men “Ma’am” and women “Sir”. That, and I talk so very much faster than everyone in the South that for the first few weeks, no one understood what I was saying.
November 18, 2012 at 10:38 am
Thanks for the comment! And that’s so true–you don’t even have to leave the US to experience huge cultural differences. It’s such a massive country that the different states are pretty much like separate countries themselves!
November 18, 2012 at 10:26 am
Spain and Spanish speaking countries are more formal than the US. I was born in Ecuador and came to the US when I was about to turn 15. I went back to visit my family 8 years later and my mom did not know what to do with me. Once when we were about to go out she asked me,”aren’t you going to change? You are not going out wearing shorts, sneakers and a ball cap”. I did not see anything wrong with that, but my mom was quick to remind me that Ecuadorians are not informal. I went back in 2007 and the attire is a little more relaxed, but they do can tell you are not from Ecuador just by looking at what you are wearing. Also, we say hello and good bye with one kiss, not two, and this is something I only like to do with family, but this in Ecuador is done with pretty much everybody. I love to see the differences cultures and people have. Makes life more interesting:) Que tengas un muy buen fin de semana y que disfrutes mucho tu estadia en Espana
November 18, 2012 at 10:35 am
Gracias, Marcela! Yeah, we Americans definitely have to work to step up our fashion game in these other countries…I’d wear yoga pants and a sweatshirt 24/7 if I could! :-p
November 18, 2012 at 10:38 am
Lol. I’ve live in the US longer than in Ecuador so I really got used to how Americans live therefore when I go back to Ecuador I have to remind myself that there are certain things I can and cannot do. I look at it this way: I like to take the best of both cultures, American and Ecuadorian, and go with this,”When in Rome, do like the Romans”. Cuidate:)
November 18, 2012 at 11:39 am
Reblogged this on "Mangeons LAKAY" and commented:
Loved This!
November 18, 2012 at 12:26 pm
This is so beautifully torturous!! So perfectly written I’m crying remembering it all. Girl, live it up, please live it up for all of us that have had to return to the States and missing it all.
November 18, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Manners and customs. They vary from place to place. A polite person adapts and embraces them as quickly as possible (although I’ve never been comfortable with “air kisses.”)
“What kind of dog training programs do they have here that we don’t?!” — the question should be “What kind of dog owners … “ Responsible dog owners, with or without formal training programs, will see that their dogs are well behaved. It’s a matter of both manners and safety for all concerned.
November 18, 2012 at 2:21 pm
The umbrellas make me think of Queens NYC. Being 6’1″ in a sea of short, mostly Chinese women holding umbrellas was not a pleasant experience for my chin or my neck. This is a brilliant post! And I have heard stories of the dog training not just in Spain, but also in Germany, where it can take up to a year to get a license to own a dog. They bring theirs inside to restaurants, etc.! Lovely!
November 18, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Love this. I moved from the polite world of England to the impolite world of Israel so totally appreciated! Maybe I should have moved to Spain!
November 18, 2012 at 4:38 pm
This is too cute. 🙂 I like smiling a people I don’t know .. I don’t think I’d survive there!
November 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Amazing how living somewhere else can make you consider customs you grew up with that you never thought about.
Considering the rude dogs/owners I run into in the US & so many other countries, I’m fascinated by the concept of well-behaved dogs in public areas!
November 18, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Haha, some of this is sooooo true for Madrid also! I have lived here for 11 months, and remain shocked at their side-walk etiquette, or lack of it! It is the case of every man, woman, child, plus dog for themselves! Crazy, and not the best experience to encounter whilst walking about the city! Its like a miniature war zone sometimes, especially at ‘rush’ hour times. Also the elevator thing, yes, a friend from Madrid warned me about that upon moving here. Seems odd that manners follow on into the elevator, but outside you are freely barged into the street! After visiting Bilbao in the Summer, it was the same there also.
Bex 🙂
November 18, 2012 at 7:17 pm
When I first met my Cuban side of the family, I was so turned off by the kissing. Now that I have lived in Miami for so long, I have learned to tolerate it. Still hate it though, such a space invasion.
November 18, 2012 at 9:12 pm
enjoyed this. thank you
November 18, 2012 at 9:15 pm
The umbrella raising can be tricky when the next person is much taller than you!
November 18, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Lovely – a good dose of manners and etiquette go along way. I find a simple smile can make such a big difference in a persons day.
November 18, 2012 at 10:51 pm
It is certainly true, manners, like modesty, matters.
Thank you for an enjoyable read.
November 18, 2012 at 11:55 pm
I like this post a lot! & just started following your blog.
November 19, 2012 at 12:28 am
It’s amazing what you can learn by traveling! Every country has it’s own customs and cultures…you are very fortunate to be able to go out and see the world! I’ve been to India many times and know there are a lot of cultural differences as well.
It’s nice that you can say hello/goodbye so openly in other countries…a simple greeting isn’t seen as a threat. I feel as if sometimes when I say hello to people here, they think “Uhhmmm do I know you?” (Not always, but sometimes!)
Great post & congrats on FP!
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November 19, 2012 at 1:17 am
Manners matter, indeed. Good post.
November 19, 2012 at 6:58 am
I adore this post! I’m an expat living in the Philippines can appreciate this not only because I’ve had a few manner lessons I’ve had to learn myself, but also, because there is a huge Spanish influence here. For instance you must make “beso” with people when saying hello or goodbye – and let me tell you – goodbyes last forever, especially at family events. It’s almost comical. It can take you half an hour to get out the door. Anyway, great post and I’m so happy to see another expat blogger featured on freshly pressed. I look forward to following your adventures!
November 19, 2012 at 7:18 am
wow so interesting!
November 19, 2012 at 7:19 am
Haha. The worst part is, I don’t know what are the etiquette rules here in India. I am racking my brains right now, but can’t seem to find anything. Maybe yes, we bow to elders to greet them though children now only reach the knees at most, nowadays. I guess, I would have to visit a foreign land to appreciate my own culture.
November 19, 2012 at 7:45 am
Enlightening read, hope I can travel to Spain sometime soon and won’t forget to apply these manners. Thank you for sharing.
November 19, 2012 at 8:41 am
Really interesting.
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November 19, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Reblogged this on Chicpea5's Blog.
November 20, 2012 at 10:46 am
Hello,
i found this to be very interesting, i feel it is vitally important to have manners as it makes the world a more pleasant place to be. Manners cost noting and I think they should be enforced in schools from a young age.
Thank you.
link to my blog: http://stephendunne45.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/first-proper-blog/
Stephen Dunne
November 20, 2012 at 11:24 am
I reside in Washington, DC. And find that manners are different here in the US based on our region of the country. Folks in the south are typically much more respectful and pleasant. People take time to say hello. Make polite conversation. We need more pieces like this…Good stuff!
November 22, 2012 at 8:39 am
Reblogged this on adanmawanji and commented:
Interesting thoughts on manners…
November 23, 2012 at 12:36 pm
really interesting and really well written! Here in the Netherlands we actually greet family and friends with three cheek kisses which is also very confusing if you are a foreigner and used to two kisses.
November 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Russians kiss three times, too, although I never liked it that much (I now live in the American Midwest). Also, they do kiss and not just make kissing sounds. On the whole, though, manners — whether we like it or not — are a social marker designed to distant members of your “tribe” from others.
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November 28, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Reblogged this on Lobboy's Blog.
December 12, 2012 at 11:23 pm
I love your blog! I am hoping to move to Bilbao in the New Year…looking for work as an Au Pair too. I’d like to study Spanish in a school there to practice and learn more. I’m in Southern California now, but it’s been my childhood dream to live in Spain (one of my Great-Grandfathers was Spaniard, the other British), so I’m finally going to do it! Thanks for sharing your stories & tips 🙂
January 22, 2013 at 8:06 pm
Super enjoyable blog! Great share!!
February 20, 2013 at 9:33 am
Good summary. I came across it when doing a sanity check on whether Spaniards say goodbye to each other in elevators – of course they do. For a moment I thought I’d imagined it.
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