I’m an American and I lived in Spain for just 9 months (for a college year abroad, ending 2 months ago), but I got the same kind of questions a lot. I’m really interested in politics and enjoyed the conversations with Spaniards that asked about my opinions on Bush, Iraq, etc. I took it as an opportunity to show them that not all Americans are blind patriots who support everything the current adminstration does. They were looking for me to defend things I would never defend, and were really nice once they realized we agreed on lots of the issues. I was in conservative Burgos, so sometimes they would even be defending Americans things I wouldn’t. Eventually, I did get kind of sick of having the same questions asked every time I said I was American. I would rather be talking about Spain than the U.S. when I’m in Spain. In the end, I would just say “I get that question a lot, I don’t support most of the U.S.‘s foreign policies, let’s talk about something else, please.” Or I would say I was Canadian or something right off the bat. If you’re getting the same questions about politics from the same people a lot (i.e. your husband’s family), you should say something to them about how you’re simply not interested in politics or that you’d rather switch to another topic. Madrid has lots more foreigners (and you’ll get more of that racial diversity you were missing), and I found tons of Americans there, without even wanting to. I have to agree with some past posts though that Barcelona is a better city - more fun, more unique. But for being a foreigner, Madrid will give you an expat community. Good luck!
Hi Virginia, sorry to hear you’re suffering from Andalucian reserve. We live part of the year in a small village in the Alpujarra in Granada, where the locals are really ignorant about the outside world, but fortunately they are very tolerant of difference and seem to enjoy having us around. They think we’re eccentric, but I don’t mind being considered eccentric. The most cosmopolitan place in Spain in my experience is Barcelona - I worked there once on a film shoot and the crew included South Americans, Eastern Europeans, French and British people as well as Spaniards, most of them living in the funky district of Gracia and all of them using Catalan and/or Castillian to communicate. OK, so film shoots are fairly cosmopolitan anyway, but I think it’s indicative of Barcelona too. Madrid would be a not very close second, as although there are lots of foreigners, they don’t seem to be quite as assimilated as in Catalonia.
As for people being down on Americans, I think it’s fair to say that Spaniards and Europeans in general are a lot more knowledgeable about the US than vice versa. Most US citizens I know have a horribly patronising view of any Spanish-speaking peoples, equating them all with poor Mexicans and therefore domestic help. It may be different in Miami, though, I only know New England and New York.
I also have a theory that it’s much easier to meet idiots from the US because they get around. I’ve met offensively stupid Americans in places like Tuscany and Athens and they are loud, brash and ill-mannered. We have offensively stupid people in Europe too, especially Britain, but they all congregate in huge groups in a very few hideous package-holiday resorts, so if you are an independent traveller, you can avoid them. The kind of US tourist that gives your country a bad name is not as easy to miss, unfortunateley.
Which bookshop do you work in in Malaga? If it’s the big one on the Alameda, we will say hello next time we pass by.
I moved to Mallorca 2 years ago from So. Cal. for a change of scenery. I had traveled in Europe dozens
of times mainly to play golf, drink different wines, explore different cultures.
I liked the golf and the people here best. I have always had the most fun in the Iberian peninsula
both Spain and Portugal.
I enjoy traveling around the Med on my boat that’s how I ended up in Mallorca.
Get on a plane, 1 hour getaways to London, Paris, or Rome ain’t possible from LA.
Besides the golf, I love the culture, the food and generally the folks are open and friendly.
That always changes when I let them know I am a conservative Republican, I love my country, and
I agree with my President defending my country from thugs and mindless murders.
All of a sudden I have 3 heads, hair all over my body, and spew hate with every word.
I don’t wear this on my sleeve but I sure as hell am not ashamed or embarrassed about it.
Who the hell would send their 12 year old child into a bus loaded with explosives to
blow up some other woman’s 6 month old baby?
And who can defend it? How sick are these people.
You can’t teach the ignorant. A couple years ago I got beat up in the Algarve by a couple English
Futbol jerks because I was an American. That’s all there was to it. Does that say something about me or them ?
You be the judge.
If people are so blind they will take a hateful stance simply because of the accident of your birth
for me it’s just a GFY. Don’t say it just think it.
Should we all hate Germans for Adolph, how about calling all Brits stupid for bearing to their breast
Neville Chamberlain. Maybe we bomb all Chinese restaurants for Mao, hang all blacks because
all African countries cheer the United Nations, rule most committees including the Humanitarian groups
yet turn a blind eye if not actively encourage the mass murder of their own in a dozen countries on the
continent.
Throw the first stone if you want but be aware somebody might just throw one back at you.
Dear Virginia,
I hope you are adapting better, this is my experience?
I am a latina from Boston and have been living in Madrid for 8 years now, married a Spaniard and moved here right after my honeymoon. My husband did not want to move the US so I had no option.
I too have experienced a lot of what people have posted.
At first I thought it was going to be simple adapting because Spanish is my native tongue and to my surprise I had nothing in common with Spaniards, for the first time I experienced racism, job hunting was a nightmare, and to top it all off adapting to my new family just made it worse.
I felt like I was the only one of my kind here, having to explain my double culture, why I speak Spanish, that people like myself actually EXIST in the USA, but people up to this day, still look at me like I have two heads ! ooh and get this my cat was the only being I spoke English with. 😏
Anyhow the positive end of all this is that after my third year here, I was finally able to fully adapt.
All that mattered is that I married for love, and to move forward, I looked for jobs in multinational companies to use my English to my advantage; regarding politics I am neutral so I let them know I do not wish to speak or discuss this subject.
I have some genuine friends from different cultures, including Spaniards. Having my child (5 yr old now) just completed my happiness!!
Madrid is coming about, now you see interracial couples in the malls, downtown.
It not as open to foreigners as Barcelona, but its has improved since I moved here (big time) I am sure you will do fine on your move here best of luck!
In my experienced i am Puertorican i speak the language perfectly and i could say i am well educated and aware of preconceived perceptions of Europeans over americans. I read in this forum a EU citizen that lived in the U.S for 20years and said that most problems of this perception are brought to americans by themselves and that most americans do not travel outside the U.S. I completely disagree with that assumption American nationals are the biggest tourist spenders in the world not only by numbers but in $$$$ dollars signs. It is true because Europe is half the size of America Europeans have no borders or restrictions experiences different countries getting on cars or trains. America is vast country that provides its citizens with different eviroments depending on zone but with similarities of order language and idiosyncracy that is no other in the world. There are like any other country Americans that tend to be arrogant and that is true but more arrogant that the French and Germans????? come-on!!!. Like i said in a previous most Spaniards have inbeeded in their blood from the years of the Franco dictatorship and the alignment of Franco with Hitler and the anti americanism that he profess during his regime. This anit-americanismis very palpable in Spaniards that are over 40 years old that are product of that society. Now there is allot of envy because of America’s dominance in the world Economically, Militarilly, Culturally so they feel threaten that this dominance will inflitrate more their countries. The EU was stablish to create a balance in Politics and Economics so it would not be a sole power in the world.. But sitll America’s Industrial Production, Import/exports and GDP per capita of the U.S as a Whole is Almost twice of the EU as a WHOLE???. The U.S is the largest economy and the biggest patner in the world. Even with current problems the numbers do not lie????? so i tell Europeans to get over it!!! and accept that the Spanish, French, English Empires are laid to rest for ever and that America weather you like is the power in the world and that even with your 25 counries EU you have not reached the power of the U.S so get over it!!!!
I’d like to comment on Rokipatel’s “opinions” and, indeed, on his (or her) grammar, I appreciate that this forum is not selective, but there is surely a limit. Can’t you just suspend his membership or something? I know there’s been some other fairly offensive stuff on this thread, but at least it was considered, and written in something approaching English. (I appreciate that Rokipatel is bilingual, before anyone jumps in, but I am guessing he’s just stupid and illiterate in two languages.)
MartCross, I’m not sure what you’d have us suspend his membership for exactly… bad grammar? Feel free to point out to him that he could work on it to improve the intelligibility of his opinion. He’s not being hateful or overly offensive either. If you disagree with him then get on with the debate! 😊
If anyone starts with the personal attacks then expect to get suspended.
I’d like to comment on Rokipatel’s “opinions” and, indeed, on his (or her) grammar, I appreciate that this forum is not selective, but there is surely a limit. Can’t you just suspend his membership or something? I know there’s been some other fairly offensive stuff on this thread, but at least it was considered, and written in something approaching English. (I appreciate that Rokipatel is bilingual, before anyone jumps in, but I am guessing he’s just stupid and illiterate in two languages.)
You could disagree with my grammar but i wrote this in a hurry!!!!!! Now if you want the moderator to suspend me because you don’t agree with my opinion. That just shows your inability to debate without getting personal. So now who is the illiterate.
Si no estas deacuerdo conmigo no tienes que recurrir al insulto personal y llamarme analfabeto!!!! solo debate la idea si no tienes argumentos es que no tienes los conocimientos??????
On consideration, I apologise to Rokipatel, as this isn’t the place to comment on literacy or the lack of it. It’s ironic that a thread largely about the negative way in which Americans are perceived in Europe has attracted the kind of paranoid ranting that’s largely responsible for that perception.
MartCross, I think you?ve hit the nail on the head with that last post. Many of the European posts on this forum are pretty representative of the way Americans are received in Spain.
Virginia, it?s somewhat comforting to know that I?m not alone in my feelings about being an American in Spain. I have a similar situation ?I?m an American with a Spanish spouse and we live in the Basque Country. And yes, my spouse has also said what yours did: that there was no immigration in Spain even 15 years ago and so they?re just not used to diversity in their community. In my experience I have also found Spaniards to be somewhat cold and attacking in their approach to Americans. It usually seems to be a more positive experience to meet Latin Americans or Africans in Spain than Spaniards because they?re generally friendlier and more interested in my person than criticizing the USA. And if we do start discussing our countries, typically we begin by discussing the celebratory points about each country, not the bad ones. More is learned that way, and friends are made.
Look, it boils down to this: the matter isn?t about whether our policies are right or wrong, whether Americans are or aren?t globally versed and deserve to be punished for that (by the way, I didn’t want to go here but speaking of ignorance I often receive surprisingly ignorant comments from Europeans such as ?Do Americans eat anything other than hot dogs and hamburgers??or ?The reason you?re all so fat is because you don?t have olive oil in the USA?). The real matter that Virginia is touching on is HOW PEOPLE ARE TREATED. If I ran into a Colombian the first thing I would do is NOT to rub their country?s politics in their face! That?s just common courtesy. If I were introduced to a Russian why would I bring up Stalin ?what would that accomplish other than stirring bad feelings in the person? Making them feel bad won’t change history. And on that note, how many Americans upon introduction to a Spaniard bring up Spain?s history in the Americas (For all of Europe?s criticism of the USA I have yet to hear a European take into perspective the history of British, French and Spanish imperialism when criticizing our politics). It shouldn’t be that we’re always the butt of criticism when there are plenty of countries with other very serious problems (such as Russia, North Korea, Rwanda, Somalia, etc.).
Human Beings deserve respect regardless of their race, nationality or gender. I don?t think Virginia was asking where she can go to be with other Americans, but rather if there is an area of Spain where Spaniards are more welcoming to diversity. Unfortunately that area is not the Basque Country. Most countries have a black stain upon their history, including Spain. It?s usually more progressive to celebrate what each person or country has to offer than to dwell on mistakes. Responding to your question “When will I be able to have one single conversation with one single person without having to talk about George W Bush?” Realistically that will be in November of 2008.
Saludos!! I currently moved to Marbella from Miami it has been difficult at times saying you are from the U.S before getting a sermon from anti-americanism from the Spanish and in General the Europeans. I just subtracted this video from 20/20 you tube i hope i got the link correctly and it clearly shows that besides all of our troubles in the world America is still number 1#
Just a glimmer of hope to some american expats that are saturated by anti-americanism
What a horrible video, and you wonder why people think Americans are arrogant ? Look all countries have their issues one way or other. You have to play to the strengths of each culture to thrive. I just moved to Barcelona after 4 years in the states. 2 years as a consultant on the road literally everywhere in the US and 2 living in New York. I got to tell you that I have seen and meet a lot of different people while I lived in the states and the questions you get baffle you sometimes. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked why all Europeans hate America.
I even got called into the office once and told I was not patriotic while staying in Cleveland, Ohio. I had to kindly remind the gentleman that I was not American.
So if you do meet ignorance I suggest you just ignore it. Don’t let a few rotten apples spoil it for you.
And if you wonder, I do miss New york and I plan to go back sometime in the near future. I would kill for a decent deli here.
You clearly do not understand America because you ENVY America!! It clouds your judgement that Europeans and the numbers do not lie more Europeans still move to Americans than Americans move to Europe. This video simply puts into perspective allot of the misinformation that most Europeans have with America. Like you I have traveled and lived in many countries and do acknowledge there is allot of close minded people in America but what i have seen in Europe is an ENVY that clouds the judgement to say things that are not true. I moved to Spain because my grandfather is from here and economically i do not need to start again America was good enough to accept my parents from Cuba and gave me the right to due many things in life that my cousins in Spain have not achieved! It seems that arrogance comes with the territory respect everyones culture is true it enriches but compromising your beliefs and values so you be accepted by some Europeans ( And i Used some) is goes against the real truth. I refused to change what i think in order to be the pro-european american. Not all americans agreed with the war or with bush or they are Republican but if they are they deserved the same respect as other people who disagree…...
So the video shows people who fail in their own country and thus want to find economic success elsewhere???
The US IMHO is not all bad and not all good. It like most places has a few rich and lots of poor. For the young with ambition I believe the priority on economic success can be very appealing. Good luck to them.
I had to laugh when the guy summed up Germany as ‘beer drinking’ and the reference to people thinking of retirement. I have friends who work in Silicon Valley CA who are seeing their jobs after 25 years of dedication being outsourced to the far east, them being dumped aged 50 with little hope of jobs and their potential pensions dropping in real terms. To them a bit of beer swilling and pension planning would seem very appealing.
But cheap videos are not important. i think yankeegirl summed it up. I think the failure to support the republic, todays lack of political fight, bull fighting and hotel building policies of spain are all repulsive - but I don’t hold each individual spanish acquaintance accountable and anyway discussing La Liga, the quality of the aceitunas and the price of fish is much more important.
I’m not going to take on your flamebait. Enough said that I have more American values than I have European ones. I place straight in the Libertarian camp. Your attitude is exactly what I’m talking about, like you have something to prove to yourself about your own country and need to do it by attacking somebody else (I mean metaphorically). The last couple of years that’s how I felt every bloody day and the reason I quit my job and moved to New York (Everyone is from somewhere else so it’s easier). Your first instinct is that someone is attacking your country and you are responding on reflex, while if you re-read the post you will see that it’s not an attack on the US. In fact I have had a great time there and I plan on having one in the future. But between me and you I would pick Australia (if it wasn’t so far away from anything else).
