- ALWAYS wear zapatillas (slippers) in the house. if you don't, the romanian housekeeper will treat you like you're catching plague and tell you over and over that your family didn't send you here to freeze to death.
- one drinks milk warm. not hot, not cold, warm.
- it is, for some reason, very rude to keep one hand beneath the table when it's not being used at a meal. if you're not using it, it's to stay above the table to avoid being stared at by others.
- eat everything that's served to you, and possibly more if you can even stomach it. if not, it's quite evident to every Spaniard at the table that you're dying of hunger and something must be done.
- saying sí just once is NEVER enough. to make one's point, several sí responses must be made. see the following:
Spanish person: ¿estás bien? (are you well?)
American: ¡Sí!
Spanish person: Él se muere. ¡Llévalo al hospital! (He's dying. Take him to the hospital!)
This is the scenario to avoid. See the suggested response:
Spanish person: ¿estás bien?
American: ¡Sí sí sí sí sí sí sí (as much as is necessary to use up all air in lungs) sí sí sí sí sí sí sí! ¡Viva España!
Spanish person: Bueno. =]
- at all times, at least attempt to talk with other spaniards besides the host family. they consider it more rude not to talk than to mangle their language.
- don't tell anyone that you're american when they're listening to music. if you do, they whip out an american song (take barbie girl, for example) on their cell phone and want an immediate translation. it doesn't matter if it's untranslatable. they asked for it, you're american, and you'd better give them a translation on the literary level of don quijote.
- you can never be late in spain. it's simply impossible. even if you have an appointment, it just turns out that the fates wanted you to be there later.
- don't talk to the elderly in the park. they aren't like the american old-timers- they may be sitting on a bench to talk to someone, but it's not you because you weren't in the war and you can't possibly understand.
- everyone is related. don't question it. if you see someone on the street in oyón, it's definitely an aunt. of someone you know.
- making your bed goes a loooong way with romanian housekeeper women.
- the idea of hair gel does not translate. if you need it, bring a life supply. this is not to say that they don't have it, it's just that it's evidently cursed so that no american will EVER be able to find it in any store.
- cars drive wherever they want, however they want. pedestrian right-of-way will happen when the republican party gets through an entire term with no scandals.
that's about all I can think of, for now. i'm sure i'll learn more. keep these in mind!
=D
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