[Gopnik]

(09-03-2016 08:33 AM)Guayacan Wrote:  

Just a question... do most people in spain have a feeling of superiority towards south americans or just a few of them ?

For some reason i'm always assuming that spaniards look down on me because of my south american/indigenous heritage but of course it might just be my imagination because i've been told that spaniards are racist all my life.

On the other hand i never think like think like this with people from other countries...

A lot of people, definitely, but not most. It was probably worse 10-15 years ago. I think it helps that latin American countries are better off now. I think most Spaniards have a neutral opinion towards latinos but you can also find others who think highly of them and like their cultures, would like to visit their countries and so on. Personally, if Spain needs ever needs immigrants, I would rather them come from Latin America than from the middle east or Africa. Our peoples have a lot in common, so I don't see why we shouldn't get along well. Latinos have it easier integrating in Spanish society than Moroccans for example.

[Sidney Crosby]

(09-03-2016 08:33 AM)Guayacan Wrote:  

Just a question... do most people in spain have a feeling of superiority towards south americans or just a few of them ?

For some reason i'm always assuming that spaniards look down on me because of my south american/indigenous heritage but of course it might just be my imagination because i've been told that spaniards are racist all my life.

On the other hand i never think like think like this with people from other countries...

The Spanish usually do look down on latinos, just like how a lot of English people look down on "former colonies"

I've stayed at quite a few hostels and usually the biggest group of people are English (from the UK) and they are usually kind of low class but they still trash Canadians,Americans,Australians etc.

After they drink a bit more they will switch to trashing Germans and talk about how "they" won WWII

[Guayacan]

(09-04-2016 01:43 AM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  

(09-03-2016 08:33 AM)Guayacan Wrote:  

Just a question... do most people in spain have a feeling of superiority towards south americans or just a few of them ?

For some reason i'm always assuming that spaniards look down on me because of my south american/indigenous heritage but of course it might just be my imagination because i've been told that spaniards are racist all my life.

On the other hand i never think like think like this with people from other countries...

The Spanish usually do look down on latinos, just like how a lot of English people look down on "former colonies"

I've stayed at quite a few hostels and usually the biggest group of people are English (from the UK) and they are usually kind of low class but they still trash Canadians,Americans,Australians etc.

After they drink a bit more they will switch to trashing Germans and talk about how "they" won WWII

Well you don't hear about Aussies or US citizens complaining about racism in the UK, while a lot of south americans say that there is alot of racism in spain.

But in some situations, all this racism is in their head, imaginary. I've met plenty of people playing the victim card in western and northern Europe.

Of course there are a few racist rednecks and xenophobes in every country, but there is no institutionalized racial hierarchy like in south america.

I would imagine there is more racial violence in for example Poland, Germany and Sweden compared to Spain, but as latinos we can still be high value men there. Girls want to hook up with us, guys want to be our friends, their parents like us and treat us just like they would treat any person.

Now i've met plenty of Spaniards and none have been expressively racist, but also i've never made any Spanish friends. I can easilly make friends with people from other surrounding countries. Are spaniards just not very open or is it because i'm a dark latin? lol

[Drix]

I have exchanged messages with @Gopnik and @Guayacan and even if our topics have a different direction, We talked a little of Spaniards, As my latin brother, We tend to think that Spaniards are racist against south americans. Honestly, My experience is limited just for spaniards who i met in my country.

Many of them were respectful, but just simple conversations and bye, I have met some who were super arrogant and even racist in my own country, exchange student spaniards who only interact with other europeans and ignore the latins students. I also tried to interact with 5 spaniard girls in my life and all of them were a little rude, but i think it was part of their high bitch shields.

By the way, As i have been reading in many previous post, it seems that Many spaniards are okay, but as every place, we always have the stupid racist. I have family in Spain and they have spaniard friends, They tell me that people is okay, but sometimes they suffer kind of discrimination from a few locals.

[Gopnik]

Slightly off topic, but worth to share nevertheless. SJW Madrid mayor, "congratulates and welcomes those who jumped the wall in Morocco" (to enter illegally into Spain). You can read the original tweet here:

https://twitter.com/AhoraMadrid/status/7...2578141184

If I recall correctly, her party Podemos, received more than half of the vote in the 18-30 age group in Spain's last elections.

[apolis]

I have banged three Catalan girls in London- one didn't speak any English- but when the party was over, their attitudes were completely rubbish. The good thing about Catalans is they drink a lot and take drugs, so you can easily bang them, if you join their party.

[Baldrich]

(09-03-2016 08:33 AM)Guayacan Wrote:  

Just a question... do most people in spain have a feeling of superiority towards south americans or just a few of them ?

For some reason i'm always assuming that spaniards look down on me because of my south american/indigenous heritage but of course it might just be my imagination because i've been told that spaniards are racist all my life.

On the other hand i never think like think like this with people from other countries...

As Gopnik says, MANY do...but in my experience it really depends where in Spain you are and what specific nationality. Bolivians? Ecuadorians? Peruvians? They tend to get the least respect here and are the most disliked...mainly because of their numbers in past immigration and because a lot of the street crime was linked to them or Moroccans. Moroccans are the absolute most disliked though.

Spaniards are also or can be very arrogant about accents and language so hearing comments like "ugh thats a South American accent"! is not uncommon. There is a lot of discrimination in Spain and anyone who denies it doesnt live here. But the discrimination here is more class-oriented...and not equally applied to Argentinians or even Mexicans (Mexicans in Spain tend to be upper class and look European). It is very common to see signs here that read "looking for help in the shop, WOMEN, between 18 and 30. Of course in the US there would be an uproar if employers did that.

Another thing in Spain is that you are expected to send a photograph with your CV/resume. Spaniards go by image and discriminate based on looks in many cases.

[Baldrich]

(08-31-2016 02:36 AM)Kaligula Wrote:  

(08-30-2016 08:37 PM)FPT Wrote:  

Portugal is a bit like the OP describes in terms of people being closed. Many foreigners that come here say they make very few portuguese friends (even though many portuguese speak good english so it's not the language). And many portuguese say the same thing when moving cities here.

This thread got me thinking. I have work opportunities in Seville, Berlin and Dublin all with similar salaries. Adjusting for costs in each city, salary is better in Seville but salary is not the most important

I see a lot of people also saying shit about these other cities, but nothing like this thread on Spain. And since my experience in Portugal (living here for 10 years) has not been good both in terms of girls or making friends I'm thinking it might not be smart to go to a city that is culturally close.

Is Seville worse than Berlin or Dublin when it comes to making a few girlfriends and a few good friends? Taking into account I'm portuguese and my spanish is very good, but I speak no german. And I look german although very short, 5'3''

How much social you are ? Personally I can't bear the levels of Spanish sociability and utter inability to do anything alone; maybe Spanish men are a bit like women in this respect
What is attitude of the Spanish towards the Portuguese...? Small Portugal looks like small Czech Republic in Slavic family, but then, there is no ultimate big brother in Latin family in the way Russia is in Slavic family...
You will get automatic bonus points in Northern lands for being Spanish/Portuguese but you will get some negative points I think for being short and actually looking like a German... But in Berlin everybody seems to be speaking English, so much, that my friend who stayed there for a year, still did not learn speaking German...
Once upon a time I lived in a small 'international' student house in Amsterdam-Amstelveen. My Norwegian and Danish female flatmates almost immediately found Spanish boyfriends who infested our small house with their Spanish bunch of friends staying almost every night till 4 am in our living room. Soon, in the manner resembling a bit Eurovision voting, the front line was shaped in the form of Austro-Polish-French alliance standing against Norwegian-Danish-Spanish alliance, with a Chinese and a Finish being somewhat neutral and in-between. Well, the only thing which surprised me in this lines of allegiance was how much French (both a girl and a boy) disliked Spanish.
But well, I may be biased, taking into account how much Spanish boys are popular in Poland and how much Spanish language is popular among Polish girls... They learn it, mind you, 'to travel', not to read Cervantes or Borges...
To keep up with the demand, the biggest Cervantes Institute in the world (!) was opened in Warsaw a few years ago.

I totally agree with this. Many many Spanish guys, I have said this before, would be confused for gay in probably most of the US...even in NYC or other liberal cities.

The most annoying thing for me about Spain is the "sociability" factor -- I much prefer having my coffee staring at a window in silence and reading my emails than sitting and chatting. I would never sit at a table to have coffee with men. And alcohol? Standing only. Some may call me old-fashioned but Id rather be old than what passes for acceptable or social today.

[Elster]

Update on my position about Spain: After two months I have a hard time dealing with mañanismo on the social side and the absence of clear accessible rules when it comes to legalities.

Some rules in Germany are absurd but at least they are crystal and available for all to see.

All in all I unfortunately have to beat the dead horse that such a culture would strike industrious organized people as stagnating.
Its great for playing individually but when it comes to matters requiring proper coordinated effort it lacks

[rebelcounty2016]

(08-12-2016 08:26 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

Greeks work the most hours per week in Europe:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarth...fographic/

hahaha

[Half Century]

Thanks for your post, Baldrich.
I lived in Spain 1993-94, then again in 1996, and then a 3-month sojourn in 2007, and a few months in Andorra.
I spent most of the time in Andalucia. No heavy intellectual discussion, and for the most part, the attitude was just to stay calm and enjoy life (perhaps what many of us need to do, including me, from a very Anglo neighborhood in the U.S.A.) I see the Spanish as very soulful and wise on a deeper level. I liked them, in general. Easy to get along with.

Yes, Spain was cheap in the 1990's. I got an apartment in the off-season for $120 per month, which included one large bedroom with two beds, living room, laundry room, patio and kitchen. Lots of space and right in the center of town next to the port. A night out for beers and wine was reasonable. Great wine, even in those little cartons! What are the real estate prices now ?

I never noticed Spanish women being Feminist really at all. I think they are somewhat on their guard, though, as Spanish men can be really macho and possessive; they appreciate the different attitude of Anglo-American men.

Overall, a Spanish woman is not easy to get into bed, unless of course you hang out till 5 a.m. in a disco. I had Spanish girlfriends, I know. Very conservative, but they have good hearts and are not superficial as regards relationships, at least in the regions where I lived, that includes Barcelona for several months. Would make great wives if you are allowed into that Iberian Catholic culture. I really liked Spanish women.

I did notice that in 2007, a previously friendly city, where I had resided for 2 years in the 90's, was not as friendly and easy-going as it had been. Sure, they had cleaned the annoying gypsies out and it was easier to navigate the city streets, but there the local Spanish had cooled somewhat towards the Northern Europeans,Brits, and Caucasian Americans. Perhaps this is because of the flood of Eastern Europeans(?) I noticed that even the Spanish men of the region, who previously were very welcoming, had become cynical and were not as happy to see you.

I went into a rock/metal bar. Yes, I was probably about 15 years older than the people there, and one of the only "guiris". Was surprised that it wasn't like the decade before. Atmosphere had changed.
I understand Spanish very well, and I could hear what they were saying. Then again, in the 90's they could be a bit envious of tall Anglo Americans also.


Reading PUA stuff about Spain was rather discouraging. These girls are difficult, but I adore them anyway!

Was thinking of living there again. Maybe a city I have not been to, like Cadiz.

[Half Century]

(08-11-2016 01:52 PM)Baldrich Wrote:  

(08-11-2016 01:46 PM)Onto Wrote:  

I think any small to mid-size city in America you will have a job market similar to what you described in the outer areas of Spain with a cost of living perhaps a bit higher. Only in the large metropolitan areas will you have the ability to job-hop with some ease, but the cost of living goes up of course.

That's about all I have to offer on it. I would do some research before making that plunge. Zillow.com is a good tool for getting an idea about rent costs for an area. And perhaps city-data.com for other intel.

Well, in my case I am lucky that I already have an apartment in the US so housing will not be the problem. The problem for me is the job market over there. Here it's terrible but there is more demand for private lessons (Which is what I do) and educational stuff...especially if you speak English, than in the US.

Returning to the US...I will be in a major city. But it is also tough to find a job especially when sending your résumé from Spain. Most employers will of course not bother to respond, etc. We shall see...but although it's a big plunge after so many years away from the US, I feel confident enough to do it (helps to have an apartment though).

Get out of teaching. I did it for more than a decade in Europe and the USA. Get another degree in something more lucrative. Update: I see you have a finance math degree, OK. So my advice to anyone still teaching into their 30's is get out of it. No money.

[Elster]

It takes time i say, once you ve been seen enough in one area and can communicate, people are more likely to open up.

Then again I look spaniardly and am Argentinian so the attitude might be different to guiris.
I still say the place sucks when it comes ro organized effort