STEREOTYPESBY: Roberto Sami

THE SPANISH ARE LAZY AND LOVE TO SLEEP THE SIESTA.

In the European Union, the Spanish have the longest working hours and they work very hard. Many people now live in the suburbs, quite far from where they work, and do not have time to go home for lunch, what with the traffic. So they cannot sleep the siesta. They probably sleep the siesta on weekends, when they can.The Spanish also have less vacation than their other European counterparts.The Spanish also sleep less than other Europeans.

SPAIN IS THE LAND OF SUNSHINE AND BEACHES.

Spain has more sunshine than the rest of Europe because it is at the southern tip of Europe. Yet its geography is very varied. There are the central plateau, the Mediterranean coast, the Atlantic coast, and the Pyrenees. Andalusia. Of course the north can be colder and has more rain throughout the year than the south. The beaches in Spain have a very wide variety, from the Mediterranean to the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands to the waves along the North coast.

SPAIN IS THE LAND OF BULLFIGHTS.The bullfight is no longer considered a sport in Spain, but is described as a cultural tradition. Yes, there are bullfights in Spain, but their popularity is decreasing every year. The majority of people who go to bullfights are middle aged and older people. This tradition is entering a crisis because fewer people attend the bullfights every year. There is now a growing and progressive majority that wants to get rid of the bullfight because it considers the bullfight as something cruel, something that is irrelevant to modern life. Time will tell!

SPAIN IS THE LAND OF FLAMENCO.It is said that the majority of the population do not know how to dance flamenco. Flamenco has its stronghold /(bastión)in Andalusia, especially in Seville. Flamenco dancers are very dedicated people because of the difficulty of the dance, and it requires constant practice. Every region of Spain has its traditional dance, but definitely the flamenco is the most dramatic dance. There are famous flamenco schools in Spain now that attract a large number of foreigners from Europe, the Americas, and the Orient.

ALL SPANISH PEOPLE HAVE DARK HAIR, DARK EYES, AND DARK SKIN.

This stereotype is not true. These two tribes were Germanic tribes and they left their genes in Spain. dark skin is not natural, and people who live in the South or along the Mediterranean coast may have a deep tan, but that is because they may spend a lot of time outdoors while the sun is shining. Also among all of the Spanish, a deep tan is a status symbol, meaning that one has the time and money to be vacationing on the beach.

SPAIN IS THE LAND OF PAELLA AND SANGRIA.

Yes, this is true. The Spanish love paella and in almost every part of Spain one can find some sort of paella in the restaurants. The paella has many different forms and the most famous one is the paella Valenciana. The sangria is not so popular with the Spaniards, as it is with tourists. Red wine is drank with everything in Spain. In other countries there are rules, such as that with fish one drinks white wine, but in Spain they prefer to drink red wine.Wine making is one of the principal industries in many parts of Spain, such as in La Rioja. In the south of Spain, such as in Jerez, they produce sherry ( a fortifide wine).

SPAIN IS THE LAND OF FIESTAS.

Yes, this is true. Every city, town and village has a fiesta once a year. Many times it is to honor their patron saint. People in Spain like to have fun and the fiesta is the time to have it. of the fiestas are very colorful events, when the Spanish put on the costumes of their region and cook the food their region is famous for.

THE SPANISH LOVE THEIR HAM.This is true. The most appreciated ham among the Spanish is the “pata negra” from the province of Huelva. The pigs from this region have black hooves, and that is the meaning of “pata negra”. The ham has a slightly nutty taste and is considered a gourmet item in Spain.Many other people in the world have visited Spain and tried the ham and now have a taste for it. Spain is about to start exporting this ham to all parts of the world. One Spanish company has won approval to sell its ham to the U.S., a very big potential market. Spain is also trying to sell ham to China, a country that loves pork products.

THE SPANISH MEN ARE LATIN LOVERS.

The majority of Spanish men do not meet the stereotype of the latin lover. However the latin lover is alive and well in Spain. One just has to look at national TV, which loves to report on the exploits of many famous playboys. Because of the mixture of races, one can say that the genes Spanish have are very strong and vibrant, and they produce very beautiful women and handsome men. One has to just sit at a sidewalk café and observe the people passing by to see some physically very beautiful people passing by.

CONCLUSIONS

There is much more to Spain than what the stereotypes paint. Spain is /was a modern, industrialized country, with a high economic growth rate. The Spanish are determined to improve their standards of living. They also want to project a new image to the rest of the world because some of the stereotypes about them are negative and are not true. They will keep the positive stereotypes.