SPANISH CULTURE – WHY LIFE IN SPAIN WORKS…

A week ago, I was reminded, yet again, of why life in Spain works so well for me and why, as a family, we are so comfortable here. Indeed, last week’s ‘reminder’ exemplified the glory of Spanish culture and provided (for me, at least) probably the single most compelling reason for moving to Spain.

Along with much of the rest of Spain, the weekend before last was when the annual fiesta of San Antonio was celebrated. This is a ‘minor’ but ritualised fiesta that revolves around the blessing of a community’s animals.

In my village, the night before the fiesta, there were fireworks and a large bonfire, around which much of the village gathered to enjoy the delights of free wine and nuts and jovial company. The next day (Sunday) the morning church service was followed by a formal procession that circled the village. This involved an effigy from the church being rolled out and pushed by several of the village men with, behind it, our village priest looking suitably solumn. Behind him were twenty or so members of our village band playing beautifully performed music that ranged from the stirring to the elegaic.

However, the most extraordinary sight of all was seeing the vast majority of the village population (from the oldest to the very youngest) walking ahead of the effigy - with virtually everyone carrying or leading their animals. These varied from parrots, mice and small creatures to tortoises, dogs and horses.

As you can imagine, the procession was lively and good natured. Excited children proudly showed off their pets to their friends whilst the villagers natural good humour was to the fore, amidst barking dogs and skitterish horses.

Gradually, the procession wound its way through the village and slowly back to the church where the priest was presented with the villager’s animals. These were blessed individually before the villagers eventually dispersed to their homes and various bars.

I can almost hear you sighing in bored incredulity! What, you may well ask, has this got to do with moving to Spain?

Well, in my view, everything!

Yet again, our village demonstrated that not only was Spanish culture ‘alive and well’ but that it was relevant to the whole community. Almost the entire village was involved in the fiesta and almost everyone took an active part.

Naturally, it would be easy to make fun of the idea of ‘blessing’ animals, just as you could easily mistake the San Antonio fiesta for indicating a deep religiosity amongst the Spanish. Certainly, the latter is not true, anymore in my village than elsewhere in Spain. The Spanish are a secular society with, probably, the same low proportion of people attending church as in the UK. However, in Spain, a fiesta (based on religion or otherwise) is all about the unity of a community as a whole. This means that the participation of everyone is important - even if it involves giving a gentle and tolerant ‘nod’ to any religious element.

My point, of course, is that the ‘nuclear’ community in Spain (as a whole) still exists and, in the case of my delightful village, it works very well. It functions ‘overtly’ as seen during fiestas but also (far more importantly) it works on a day to day basis. This is why crime is low and why life in Spain can be so seductive, particularly if you integrate within your local Spanish community. If you do - then you have every chance of being an integral part of a ‘culture’ that probably last existed in the UK, in any meaningful sense, over fifty years ago.

Certainly, our life in Spain has been ‘made’ by the Spanish themselves and by Spanish culture. Not high Spanish culture, of course, but the culture present in our day to day lives. Overwhelmingly, this has been one of toleration and welcome, generosity of spirit and a sense of fun - all within a caring, tightly knit community.

Of course, the weather is great, the al fresco life attractive and access to beautiful beaches and mountains wonderful. However, none of these things are sufficient, long term, to make life in Spain (in my view!) truly fulfilling. That, for us, has come from the Spanish people themselves, their way of life, values and overall culture. These are the real reasons for moving to Spain and why life in Spain can be so enchanting...

Incidentally, were we (as Britons) allowed to participate in the fiesta and have our animals blessed? Absolutely - and several English friends of ours did so. Unfortunately, we have a huge Alsatian who would ‘dine’ on other animals -given half the chance - so we could not take her! However, we did join the procession and enjoyed the lovely atmosphere - whilst openly declaring our support and committment to our village.

Wonderful!1

SPANISH CULTURE - LIFE IN SPAIN FOR THE SPANISH!

Shortly after moving to Spain, I asked a friend of mine to describe the Spanish dream (for a Spaniard) to me. This may seem an odd question but I remember feeling that if, for the forseeable future, I was going to spend my life in Spain – then I needed to understand the essence of contemporary Spanish culture. In effect, I was asking: what makes the Spanish tick? What is their motivation, day to day?

My friend smiled at me and, with no pause for reflection, said:

“In no particular order, the average Spaniard wants:
1. A decent flat in a busy town.
2. A frontline beach apartment.
3. A new Mercedes.
4. Fluency in English.
5. A job with the Spanish state.”

I was a little flabbergasted, to be honest. However, my friend was someone to listen to - given that he has lived and worked in Spain for almost thirty years. Furthermore, he is a noted linguist with a keen interest in Spanish culture and the many different aspects of life in Spain. He knows the country intimately and is constantly moving around different parts of Spain.

Of course, his assertion about the ‘Spanish dream’ was never meant as more than a gross over-simplification and, of all people, he knew that he was providing a generalisation that could never apply to every Spaniard. Equally, what he was stating was no denial of all the normal human needs and desires of us all. By these, I mean good health, happy relationships, fit children, untold wealth(!) and so on...

Over the years, I have thought approvingly about my friend’s assessment of the ‘Spanish dream’. I still have nothing like my friend’s depth of insight into Spanish culture but my experience (however narrow) of life in Spain seems to bear out his assertions. In fact, they say rather a lot about Spain and what the population want and how they live their lives. This should be important knowledge for any foreigner thinking of moving to Spain – or, at least, a helpful foundation to question over time.

So my thoughts on my friend’s assertions, given my own (limited) experience - and accepting what I say to be generalisations:

- Dismissing the easy one first: the new Mercedes. I guess we should all like one and this is nothing unusual! However, I have to say that the Spanish, old and young, seem to love their vehicles big (and new). Buying cars second hand is not favoured (thus the high price for them) and smaller, faster sports cars are rare in Spain – where in the UK they would be common.

- The Spanish are a gregarious people and like living in their towns and cities. They find commuting hard to understand, along with the isolation of living in detached houses on estates devoid of amenities. So, large, light, modern, well located flats with their own parking are highly desirable. This also goes for frontline beach apartments (which really surprised me - when my friend stated these as important). The truth is that the Spanish absolutely love the sea and Mediterranean beach life – if anything more than most Britons that I know! Indeed, during the summer they flock to the beach in vast numbers. So, a front line beach apartment is the ultimate luxury!

- In Spain, the English language has finally been recognised as fundamentally important. However, surpringly, few Spanish people are fluent, despite the Spanish government ‘racking’ up the pressure to learn English. This is now an integral and obligatory part of all schooling – including for the all-important Bachillerato (equivalent to ‘A’ Levels) and Selectivo (university) examinations. It is also increasingly being looked upon as vital to any professional for his career (with many Spaniards recognising that better job prospects and salaries are available in Northern Europe and elsewhere).

- A job with the Spanish state! Working for the Spanish state is not well paid but it provides ‘rock solid’ security once a Spaniard has passed the dauntingly difficult examinations (oposiciones) applicable to the post he wants. In effect, a state job is ‘for life’ – in a way that is even more so the case than in the UK!

So, does this tell us much about the Spanish and Spanish culture (within the confines of generalisations)? I think it does – or at least provides some idea of what life in Spain is about for the Spanish. Certainly, if you are thinking of moving to Spain and (and perhaps working here) then few things are more important than having some idea about what motivates people...1

LIFE IN SPAIN – CHRISTMAS IS A RATHER ODD EXPERIENCE!

This Christmas has been the seventh that we have experienced since moving to Spain permanently and it has been as oddly unsatisfactory as the others. We cannot quite ‘place our finger’ on why? It may be because our children are older and that therefore Christmas has lost its ‘magic’ - or it could have a lot to do with Spain and the life in Spain of ex-pats.

Certainly, Christmas in Spain ‘feels’ different and with some justification. The day itself is unquestionably important to the Spanish although they tend to open their presents on Christmas Eve. However, no Boxing Day is celebrated - thus leaving Christmas feeling brutally short as many people return to work immediately afterwards.

It is also true to say that Spain is avowedly a secular state with the vast majority of the population (contrary to popular myth) irreligious. This means that the ‘objective’ of Christmas is as lost to commercialisation as it is in the UK. Indeed, I suspect that church attendance in Spain is now probably close to its nadir at the beginning of the twentieth century when there were fewer church-goers in Spain than any other European country.

The odd thing is that it is not as if the overall Chrismas period in Spain is, in itself, short. It lasts until the 6th January with the all-important celebration of ‘Three Kings’. This appears to us to be as critical as Christmas day itself with the day a national holiday, widespread formal street processions and, to the delight of Spanish children, another round of presents! Meanwhile, New Year’s Eve is as important in Spain as elsewhere in the world and just as replete with riotous parties welcoming the start of the new year.

The trouble, I think, is that Christmas as an ex-pat is hard to get right because of the absence of an extended family during the holiday period. The very nature of being an ex-pat means that close family and life long friends are (obviously) not close and, as a consequence, the ‘nuclear’ family 'bit' of Christmas is inevitably missing. This may be why our Christmas’ have been so unsatisfactory despite our best efforts. Indeed, whilst I have no regrets about leaving the UK, I do wonder whether our children will have missed out on an important part of their cultural and family heritage.

Of course, the weather (in a curious way) also militates against a British ideal of Christmas. This year (in Valencia) the sun was out on a glorious day that made us all feel somewhat preposterous whilst we remained in front of a rather pointless (but attractive!) blazing fire. In our minds, of course, we imagined ourselves looking out onto snow – or, at least, a chill day of freezing drizzle and lashing wind.

I guess, at the end of the day, Christmas is always going to be different when you live in a foreign country. But then I may be looking back at Christmas in the UK, during times past, with ludicrously pink glasses! If I am not - then it is one of the very few negatives to moving to Spain.

I should also say that any maudlin thoughts as to the benefits of a British Chrismas are usually rapidly dispelled. Yesterday, I was rock climbing in shorts and a tee shirt with some British climbing friends who had just arrived from the UK. Needless to say, when not climbing, we revelled in a picnic of turkey sandwiches whilst regaling each other with stories about how wonderful it was to be warm and able to climb (a dry weather sport – if ever there was one!) despite it being the end of December.

Of course, it is impossible to get everything right when you move to another country. However, mulling all of this over with my wife, we both came to the conclusion that our life in Spain is, in almost every way, preferable to what we had in the UK. It is sad that Christmas is a bit unsettling and disappointing - but the other advantages to living in Spain more than compensate us for a it!1