Impressions of Spain
Spain
After reviewing a few websites about Spain, and having never bee there personally, I have a few impressions or insights into the culture and history. My first impression of Spain is a sense of how old it is as a country. There is a very clear and persistent presence of history in modern Spanish culture, with respect to the cultural practices, traditions, and even the architecture. This is something that is very different in America. In the United States, there is not as much attention paid to the preservation of history; it is much more of a disposable culture and people do not often appreciate history in contemporary culture, mostly.
Spain additionally comes off as very Catholic, which is kind of obvious as it is known for its deeply Catholic traditions, connections, and affiliation, with notable incidents such as the Inquisition. Spain seems to me to be very rich in cultural vibrancy. There are many bold colors in the streets and the buildings. It is a very beautiful country filled with many .
The geography and topography of the country is so interesting as well. Learning about the geography of the country reminded me of a similarity between Spain and the United States: civil war. I first learned of the Spanish Civil War when I had to read Ernest Hemingway’s novel, for Whom the Bell Tolls. The land of the country was just as much a character in the story as the people, and to see pictures of that land and learn about museums dedicated to Spanish history, including the war, connected these things in . Much of the country has a coast, so there are many beaches and sea communities. There are additionally mountains and .
I did not realize how many islands where connected or considered as part of Spanish territory. I had only heard of the Canary Islands, but to see them makes me want to travel to Spain certainly. The beautiful coasts also reminded me of another aspect of Spanish history — the great Armada. The Spanish were known for having one of the greatest and largest armadas in European history, besides the British. This illustrated itself to me as another way that the geography and the history of a country are closely connected.
I was not entirely surprised to learn of the cultural diversity within Spanish culture. I know of the Moors and of the subculture of Catalan, which also has its own language. It is important to learn of a country’s mainstream culture and language, and it is also important to include, as opposed to disregard, the other subcultures within the main culture that influence the overall culture and history, too. These groups may have not been the dominant cultures in Spain, but they are vibrant and contribute the richness of the country’s history and heritage.
As far as the people of Spain, based on what I learned, I believe them to be more relaxed and more passionate than Americans. Spain is the land of flamenco and tango, which are intensely passionate artistic expressions. These cultural artifacts of Spanish culture are additionally connected to the religion, as many of the songs are about and inspired by religious stories and traditions.
I also was a bit envious to learn about siesta. The United States does not practice siesta, which is a kind of extended break in the day. The British take tea time daily, and siesta is kind of like the Spanish version of tea time, but usually with wine. If this practice were adopted by Americans, the culture might become more relaxed and less focused upon capitalism endeavors, but siesta may also disrupt the capitalist system, as it is heavily predicated on working many hours.
References:
All About Spain. (2013). All About Spain. Web, Available from: http://www.red2000..html. 2013 June 10.
Lonely Planet. (2013). Spain. Lonely Planet, Web, Available from: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/spain/. 2013 June 10.
