One of the biggest things is the concept of smiling and politely greeting others in the street, at school, etc., because it is nonexistent here in Spain. It is not uncommon in the United States to smile at strangers or say hello when you pass by someone else, but it gives off a very different meaning in Spain. For example, if I were to smile at a young guy while walking in the street (or even make eye contact for more than a few seconds) it would give him the impression that I was interested in him. Even if I were to simply say hello to someone else, many Spaniards would think this is very strange and would not understand why you are speaking to them. In fact, one of my Spanish teachers actually asked in class one day, "why do Americans always smile at everyone in the streets?" Unless you personally know someone, public greetings/regards do not happen. It's just something that Spanish people simply do not do.
On a side note though, whenever you are introduced to someone for the first time, it is standard to give two kisses on each cheek in Spain (the first time this happened to me, it was an epic failure of a greeting on my part, because I had no idea what was going on!)
On a side note though, whenever you are introduced to someone for the first time, it is standard to give two kisses on each cheek in Spain (the first time this happened to me, it was an epic failure of a greeting on my part, because I had no idea what was going on!)
Another thing that I've learned since I've been here has to do with going out to eat. I've been a waitress for three years, and nothing makes me more mad than when people leave a restaurant without tipping; however, it is not common to leave tips in Spain for anyone that serves you. Dining out in general is totally different than going out to eat in the United States. The servers will not come until you wave them over to your table to order, nor do they check on you throughout your meal unless you physically signal them over if you need something. After you're finished eating, the servers will let you sit at your table and converse until you signal them for your check when you are ready (and they do not split any checks here!) This whole process was very foreign to me the first few times, because the etiquette when dining out in Spain is basically the opposite of everything I've learned/practiced in the restaurant I work at back home; checking on guests numerous times throughout their visit is mandatory/normal for me!
I briefly mentioned clothing in my "Top 10 Differences" post, but I'd like to expand on this idea a little further. The etiquette for Spanish attire is very different than in the U.S. because it is much more formal. The Spaniards (especially older Spanish women) do not understand the concept of "casual clothes in public". If you are leaving the house that day, it's expected that you should be dressed nice (for women--heels, boots, dress pants, nice jeans, sweaters, blouses, nice jackets... for men--nice shoes, khakis, nice jeans, button ups, sweaters, nice jackets) Unless you run into athletes on the street or the metro, you'll rarely see any Spaniards wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants, or sneakers, and they absolutely never wear flip flops... ever!
One other thing that I've noticed (and so has my bank account) are taxi rides here in Sevilla. This doesn't really have anything to do with etiquette, but it is something that you probably won't find in a guidebook. I've ridden in plenty of taxis before and I've never had to pay per bag... only for the standard mileage from point A to point B. Katie and I have taken the taxi to and from the airport a couple of times, and we have been required to pay a flat rate based on the number of bags we have. A 20 euro taxi for two bags when we went to London last weekend wasn't terrible, but you can imagine the hefty price we had to pay for six bags when we first arrived in Sevilla! A fifteen minute taxi ride without luggage in comparison to a fifteen minute taxi ride with luggage can make a HUGE difference in your grand total.
Just a few things to watch out for if anyone decides to come visit me before the end of the semester!
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