Most Americans are aware of the hostility that some Europeans project across the pond. Anti-American sentiment seems to exist in most of the world, due to ignorance in American culture, our bloodlust and avidity towards war, and foolish political decisions that ripple throughout the developed world.
Anyways, in Spain I’d like to know if this Anti-Americanism is true. Over here alot of use Americans are against immigration and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Spanish where the same. I am asking this because I’d like to move over to Spain in the next 2-3 years, because the lifestyle, location, and culture seem attractive. In Spain are Americans treated with hostility? What is the situation or any existing sterotypes that fit the average American immigrant? How would I fare in Spain; currently I am a 17 year old male and am semi-fluent in Spanish? The language barrier shouldn’t be an issue.
I’m not American, but in general I’ve never come across hatred of Americans, generally we just mock you as being overweight, lazy, not very bright and every American loves you, believes in Angels and Miracles and wants to hug everyone they meet.
Sorry for being a bit honest, I’m sure your all not of that stereotype, in general most Spanish wouldn’t notice your from the states until you told them, most thought I was from Germany and could not answer me when I pointed out my English accent when speaking Spanish.
Your judged on your appearance in Spain, the term guiri is based on appearance, entering a church in beach wear or being drunk in the street will get you judged, being from the USA, Russia, China or tim buck too won’t.
Young Americans are actually treated quite well. The younger ones seem to gain from the benefit of the doubt, and even perhaps are able to tap into the American image of yesteryear, of a more innocent time when America was actually saving Europe’s ass from itself. Germans seem to be particularly mindful of US aid over the last 60 years, and there are a lot of German expats in Spain. I lived with several of them and my girlfriend is American. She was treated quite well by them as well as most Spaniards and continental Europeans.
There are lots of students from the US in University towns such as Malaga and Zaragoza.
The US has a Military presence in Spain and even back in 1966 when one of there B-52 managed to drop 4 live hydrogen bombs on a beach in Southern Spain, which leaked and still does leak radiactive plutonium waste into the med nobody in Spain really cared.
In my two years here, I haven’t had a problem for being American. Unless you go around chanting “USA! USA!,” or wearing American flag tee-shirts, people will think you’re British (or German, or French) depending on your physical appearance.
Do be aware that being American makes things a real pain in the neck here, with regards to residency, legalizing your studies, drivers licences, and many other issues you may not think of. Heck, I’ve even already had my identity card number stolen (falsified) by someone else! Just another fun experience in Spain.
I’m not American, but in general I’ve never come across hatred of Americans, generally we just mock you as being overweight, lazy, not very bright and every American loves you, believes in Angels and Miracles and wants to hug everyone they meet.
Sorry for being a bit honest, I’m sure your all not of that stereotype, in general most Spanish wouldn’t notice your from the states until you told them, most thought I was from Germany and could not answer me when I pointed out my English accent when speaking Spanish.
I worked in the States for several years.
And I ate the most healthiest food I’ve ever had, being from England originally, the American’s food choice is far superior to the British. As long as you weren’t a ‘Brit trying to be seen living in America, as oppose to doing what the Romans-do, you / I loved it.
America has given me far more than England ever did.
As far as hatred towards American’s, I have come across this a whole lot. ‘Septic Tank’ was one of the worst phrases I heard towards an American thru a Brit. It was at this point in my life where I started to distance myself from “the Brits”. I didn’t like the way they were behaving, moreover, the way they would not have behaved on their own doorstep back in Blighty.
So now, I’m kind of, you might say, still in the American system. I have a Social, yet retained my UK Passport. I get from England my TV programs, certain foods, the occasional banter with fellow Brits, and the other 90% I gladly mux within the American System.
I just wish I could find a decent Social group of Americans in Alicante…..
Cheers for now / See ya’ll,
I think you lost the point of the thread, how are Americans treated in Spain.
Has nothing to do with how the US and British feel about each other.
I’ve met a lot knobs, some happened to be American, but that isn’t the point.
Santi - Yet again you look for the slant that you did, but did not intend to imply when entering into a Thread.
You do this all the time.
I commented on the fact, that you mentioned things like “Americans being overweight” / etc etc.
( Typical I thought )
I put together quite a good little injection into this Thread, as to how Brits are to Americans, ending in a comment about I’d love to know about an American Social group / if there was one in Alicante (?). After all, the Poster of this Thread has posted on an Expat Site, where MOST OF US are British.
And your first reply at the beginning was very TYPICAL of how people quip to an American. It’s quite fair to say how Brit’s I have seen treat an American in America, would be dam near the same treatment from Brits, whilst in Spain. [Ya Think]
P.S: I wish you would give up on this Forum, after all you don’t live here anymore.
/reply if you wish but I’ve bounced already/
I put together quite a good little injection into this Thread, as to how Brits are to Americans, ending in a comment about I’d love to know about an American Social group / if there was one in Alicante (?). After all, the Poster of this Thread has posted on an Expat Site, where MOST OF US are British.
All these generalizations flying around can make a one a little uptight.
I think the point here is that Americans do end up spending a lot of time with Brits because the majority of the English-speaking expat community are British. It certainly does matter how Brits treat Americans in Spain because that’s a group of people they’ll be exposed to, in their own (mostly) native language.
But just a note, most of the folks on the forum are British (I’m not), but only just barely. My stats show about 25% are American though - not a small sum. Then add in the Germans, Dutch, Aussies, Kiwis and of course, the Canadians and we non-Brits are a sizeable minority on here. 😊
Apart from an even smaller minority we all seem to get on.Pity Bealer does not take his own advice.
I answered the question from the point of an American being treated by Spaniards as oppossed to Brits or other EU nationality as in general most of the everyday running of a home, shopping, working, utillities etc tend to be done with Spanish companies/people.
After all the Spanish are still the majority population in Spain.
Well I’m a US citizen but haven’t been to the US in 8 years . I’ve visited Madrid and Barcelona a few times, I have never noticed any anomosity, but that could be just My being Texan by birth or my having lived in many countries around the world that makes me not seem like the stereotypical so called American. I have been living in Kuwait for the past 7 years and hope to move to Spain in the next couple of years to semi retire or start an Alt energy research & development manufacturing company
i don’t think you will be treated differently either, i think most people throughout the world just accept Americans as they are. well, it will always depend on your effort to integrate, on your friendships, your attitude towars the host-culture etc. but don’t worry: everything will turn out all right.
Its worth noting that visiting a country is miles different to living in a country.Therefore experience is completely different to one found by people living there.
Its worth noting that visiting a country is miles different to living in a country.Therefore experience is completely different to one found by people living there.
I will have to be in total agreement with you on that one I lived in Vietnam a while then Germany for a little over 3 years, in Panama for 6 Mo’s in Argentina for 6 mo Australia a few months. And in a dozen States around the US for 6 Mo’s to a year each and now in Kuwait for close to 8 years each place poses a different challenge . Since I am not much of a people person normally I could care less who my neighbors were or if I even had any, as long as I never head them from inside my house.
The most important thing for me is how much or how little Gov infringement or intrusion I need to put up with. The only way I would ever live in the States again would be for my home state or possibly Arizona to declare themselves as a Sovereign nation totally independent of the rest of the US.
I worked for a rich Brit who retained a business in the UK, but spent his time between is really really really nice apartment in Marbella and New York, he’d been living in Spain around 6 months a yr for around 20 yrs.
He could only manage enough Spanish to order drinks in a bar.
He openly admitted he wasn’t interested in Spain, the people or the lingo, one reason he gave was because of all the sh9e he gets from Spaniards.
It may well have been his attitude, but since he cannot communicate in Spanish, maybe people could read his body language.
His experience of being that same foreign in the states was far different to that of Spain.
I worked for a rich Brit who retained a business in the UK, but spent his time between is really really really nice apartment in Marbella and New York, he’d been living in Spain around 6 months a yr for around 20 yrs.
He could only manage enough Spanish to order drinks in a bar.
He openly admitted he wasn’t interested in Spain, the people or the lingo, one reason he gave was because of all the sh9e he gets from Spaniards.
It may well have been his attitude, but since he cannot communicate in Spanish, maybe people could read his body language.
His experience of being that same foreign in the states was far different to that of Spain.
Being from Texas I have forgotten more Spanish than most folks ever learn but it is not a true Spanish more a Tex-Mex slang
While working on a project in Israel in 91 I had workers from Russia Spain Turkey Palestine & Austria I found that even though none of us could speak each other’s language very well I had no problems cummunicating with any of them.
I agree with the body language bit. You either have a positive way about your demeanor or you do not.
Having traveled to over 60 countries when I encounter someone from even my home town in Texas I have more difficulty in understanding them sometimes than I do with someone who speaks a language that I have never even heard of before
