Spain east of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Bay of Biscay, northeast of France, Andorra border, the west and Portugal closely linked to the two countries are located in the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, known as the "never sunk ship". The Strait of Gibraltar in the south of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean shipping routes, and the African continent of Morocco across the sea, is a brilliant pearl in Europe. With four distinct seasons and a Mediterranean climate, Gibraltar is one of the most attractive countries in Europe. The east and southeast coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the northern coast of the Bay of Biscay, the west coast and the southwest coast of the Atlantic Ocean, 4,000 kilometers long along the coast, everywhere along the charming scenery.
The Spaniards love the pomegranate flower, which is a symbol of wealth and good fortune and is honored as the national flower. Spaniards like red, as a symbol of good luck, warm; like yellow, as noble and bright; like black, black symbolizes solemnity. Galicia region in northern Spain, the status of men and women - the opposite of the norm, in the participation in social activities, decisions, speeches, etc., women have absolute authority, the inheritance of the heritage is also attributed to women.
I. Spanish dress etiquette and manners
Dress etiquette and manners is an important part of Spanish customs, but also from the side of the development of national customs and culture, after many years of precipitation, the formation of its own characteristics of dress etiquette.
1. Dress
Spanish people in formal social occasions usually wear conservative style suits, white shirts and ties.
They like black, so they usually wear black shoes. It is customary for Spanish women to wear earrings when they go out, otherwise they will be ridiculed as if they were not wearing any clothes. In addition, there are places in Spain where women like to wrap the fireflies they catch in muslin.
2. Grooming
Daily grooming etiquette reflects the manners of Spaniards.
When you're a guest in a Spanish home, it's best not to sit in silence, but to try to tell your host how you feel. Whether it is to give you a family photo album, or show you around the house, you can express your views. If a Spanish friend invites you to his home for dinner, bring the host a gift: a bottle of wine or some dessert, and the host will always say something like, "I'm sorry for the trouble.
Fans are an important medium for Spanish women to express their thoughts and feelings, and they use them to make various gestures to express what they are not comfortable saying: when a woman opens her fan and covers the lower half of her face, it means she is asking you: "Do you like me?", or "I love you". or "I love you." If ladies keep fanning themselves, it means: "Please leave me". If the fan opens and closes in the lady's hand, it means: "I miss you very much". If she turns the fan over and over in her hand, she is telling you: "You are so annoying". If she puts the fan away, it means, "You're not a person worth loving." If she throws the fan on the table, it means, "I don't like you, I love someone else." Ms. in the boyfriend side of the open fan supporting the chin, meaning "I hope that the next time with you to meet earlier".
The Spanish are very friendly and usually like to show their warmth when they meet each other.
1. Meeting people
Spaniards usually shake hands with guests in formal social situations. When meeting with acquaintances, boyfriends often hug each other tightly.
Greetings among relatives are often hugs and kisses, and when you meet elders, you will also give you a few passionate kisses. For the first time to meet strangers, often with a handshake to get to know each other, between men, and sometimes in each other's arms or shoulders and back pat a few times, between women to gently embrace and give each other left and right cheeks two kisses.
2, business etiquette
According to the Spanish businessman's business habits and etiquette, it is recommended that you wear a conservative suit at all times, with a white shirt and a conservative tie.
In Spain, it is not usual to appear in full costume for an evening banquet or a visit to the theater. Spaniards attach great importance to the credibility of the contract, always try to fulfill the contract, even if the contract is later found to their disadvantage, they are not willing to publicly admit their faults. If in this case, the other party can help them in good faith, it will win the respect and friendship of the Spaniards.
In Spain, merchants and physical inseparable, as long as possible, the guest should be a sample of the product or service items handed or introduced to the host. To Spain as a guest of the businessman, in office hours to wear black leather shoes is appropriate, do not wear brown shoes, especially after sunset, must wear green shoes, because Spain after sunset, must wear black shoes, because the Spanish people traditionally like black. Prefer lions, eagles, flowers and pomegranates to landscapes, pavilions and pavilions. Spaniards are people of Latin origin, cheerful and pure character, there is a difference between the north and the south, the Basque people in the north are simple and robust, while the southern Cameroonians, due to engage in business since ancient times, most of them are authentic merchants, Spain, this country is now also a legacy of the class system, that is, limited to the upper class people. Only the upper class can go to university, and the higher ranks of first class companies are mostly occupied by these upper class people. As a result, the lower level companies, their leaders would be middle class people who graduated from vocational schools. However, most of them are trained from practical work. As a result, they have a very positive attitude towards business. When negotiating, the person who comes to the negotiation also has the absolute right to make decisions, so we must send a considerable number of people to the business negotiation, otherwise, they will not pay attention to the negotiation. When you visit a company, you must make an appointment in advance. It is best to have a business card in Spanish and Chinese, as this will facilitate the meeting and the negotiation. In the capital city of Madrid and the country's largest commercial port and industrial center of Barcelona, the Spanish businessman style is quite aristocratic and conservative.
Travel etiquette
A full understanding of Spain's travel etiquette will allow you to win the friendship of Spaniards faster.
The Spaniards are cheerful and enthusiastic, but they are easily agitated, and it is normal for them to get into fights, which they are used to. When a Spaniard eats, he usually politely invites those around him to share with him, but this is only a gesture of etiquette; don't accept it out of hand, or they will see it as a lack of manners.
Four, dining etiquette
Diet is undoubtedly one of the most attractive features of Spain's culture, both in terms of quality and variety are world-renowned.
Spanish people mainly eat Western food, but also taste Chinese food. Lunch is taken very seriously. They pay attention to the nutritional content of the dishes and focus on color and quality. They love sour and spicy flavors and do not like too salty. Their staple food is mainly noodles, supplemented by rice. The side dishes eat fish, mutton, beef, pork, shrimp and many other foods. They like to eat Chinese Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine. On New Year's Eve, they like to drink garlic clove soup that foretells all the best for the coming year. Traditional Spanish cooking often uses vegetable oils, mainly olive oil, and animal fats, mainly lard, as well as a wide variety of fruits and vegetables introduced by the Arabs and potatoes and tomatoes from the New World. The Spanish call ham "jamón", and the best quality is the brand "Habuco" from the autonomous community of Andalusia, which is said to cost $100 per kilogram. Ham, sausage and egg and potato pancakes are collectively known as the three great delicacies of Spain. The hams are very colorful, some close to purple-red. Sliced very thin, a piece of a piece of almost transparent, can be eaten whole, can also be torn into strips. Barcelona's Catalan cuisine has a typical Mediterranean flavor and is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. These dishes skillfully combine a variety of local natural foods such as fish, meat, rice, fruits and vegetables, and frieze olive oil. They are complemented by original dunking soups, edible mushrooms, desserts and tomato-coated breads, which appear on the table in different cooking styles. Typical local dishes include a wide variety of dishes made with rice as the main ingredient or as an accessory, tomato-coated bread, and various kinds of dunking. The most local of the desserts are mimados and various creams.
V. Spanish customs and taboos
Spanish people regard family problems and personal work problems as private secrets, and it is best to avoid such topics when talking to Spaniards.
Bullfighting is a traditional activity in Spain, and they honor bullfighters, so outsiders should not spoil their fun and say bad things about bullfighting. Spaniards most taboo "13" and "Friday", that these numbers and dates are very unlucky, encountered its will be far or disaster approaching. New Year's Day, Spain's children are the most favored, because the Spanish people believe that children in this day fighting and cursing and crying are inauspicious, is an ominous sign, so the adults in this day to meet a variety of children's requirements, in order to make the children happy and joyful. Foreigners who send flowers to the Spaniards, do not send dahlias and chrysanthemums, they regard these two kinds of flowers as a symbol of death. In addition, in Spain, women have to wear earrings on the street, otherwise they will be laughed at.