Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Etain]

HI!

I'd love to know what you know about Spain, i'm a Spanish girl and i'm curious about knowing how the rest of the people see my country.
Cheers!

[philanthropist]

iHola!

When I don't really think about that question, I have these first
associations:
south, warm, big country
delicious food, paella, gazpacho
passionate people, proud of their country, nice
siesta
Spanish, Catalan, Basque
art, architecture
guitar
flamenco
long history
kingdom
Columbus
plus ultra
Antonio Banderas
Miguel de Cervantes, Federico Garc�a Lorca
Salvador Dal�, Pablo Picasso, El Greco
toreo, matador
Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia, Santiago
ETA

I can't think of anything else at the moment.
Etain, how do you feel about the things I've named now?
Is it strange to read what other people think of your country? Did I mention any clich�s that you probably don't like???

[Etain]

Hi Philantropist, thanks for your reply!

First af all, let me tell you that almost all of your first associations are clich�s, but it's true that Spain is a bit like that
It's funny you mention "plus ultra", i'd never heard that out of Spain!
Anyway, i think you know pretty much about my country, and it's nice to know it, because people have sometimes really weird ideas about Spain, like toreros sleeping siesta aaaaaaall day, no universities (we do have universities, incredible, isn't it? ...
By the way, do you know what's the political situation of Spain within the European Union? I'd like to know how people see it. Also if you know something about what happened in Spain involving the Irak war... And another question: is ETA something that would dissuade you from coming to Spain?
Yeah, i know: a lot of questions, but don't be scared, i'm only curious...
By the way, i know very little about Austria myself, only that it's a very nice, rich country, man spricht Deutsch, Mozart and Strauss were born there, Viena is the capital city... And also that Fischer is the former president, although some time ago Joerg Haider made many people feel really uneasy...
Well, nothing else, nice to speak with Austrian people, see you!

[philanthropist]

Hi Etain!!!

Well, I have to admit that I don't really know much about your country. I have only been there once, in Sevilla, but this was a long time ago...
And I'm not an expert concerning politics...
But I do know that you are in the EU, I think since 1986, and that you have got the Euro. Don't be upset, I wouldn't know much about the Austrian situation in the EU either
Concerning the Iraq war I know that Spain sent troops to Iraq and that the terrible explosion on March 11 in Madrid happened because of this fact (all a bit vague, I know...).
The question you asked me about the ETA, well, if they dissuaded me from going to Spain, then, in fact, I couldn't go anywhere. I mean, something dangerous can happen to you all over the world. You can step just outside your front door and get knocked down by a car. But such things, such thoughts, shouldn't stop you from anything, you can't just stay in your house all your life...
Briefly, if I had the possibilty/the money to go to Spain, I would go immediately
By the way, do you know the French film "L'auberge espagnole" (I watched it at school last year)? It takes place in Barcelona and got me really interested in that city.

And you got me interested in the way how other people perceive Austria, that's really interesting and funny. But you know, Austria is a rather small country, not a world power like Spain, and people usually don't like us a lot. There are stupid clich�s like we are boring, we wear "Dirndl" and "Lederhosn" all the time (we don't!!!) and the worst is that sometimes people see connections with Nazis. That's of course complete nonsense, but unfortunately other countries see Austria represented by people like J�rg Haider (strangely that a lot of people know him and not our president Fischer or the chancellor Sch�ssel) and that doesn't make a good impression.

Uff, I wrote too much
One last question to you, do pupils in Spain learn German at school?

[rborsoi]

I am going to Spain on Holliday for three year...
I think spanish culture are similar to Italian culture. You are solar people whith a big sense for family.
Our languages are very very similar. So similar that when i go to Spain I have spoken in Italian language for all hollidays.
If sameone look at a Nation for its Polic people he do a big mistake.
I hope you don't look at Italy whith the image of Berlusconi

[Etain]

Hi again!

Philantropist:


you're well informed, but the worst thing about the Iraq war is that, although lots of people demonstrated against Spanish cooperation with the USA, the former government send the troops as if we were not a democratic country!
Anyway, since the general elections (only a few days after the explosion in Madrid) we have a different government and now things are supposed to be better.
I agree with you, risks should not stop you from living free and travelling to different places. Anyway, ETA is not such a big problem in Spain. It's only that people are sometimes really, really imaginative about this issue...
I haven't watched L'auberge spagnole YET (lots of foreign friends have told me to watch it, but i have not had the opportunity yet!
I didn't know how you called those clothes, "dirndl", interesting! Yeah, Austrian people, antipathic, always dressing strange clothes, nazi... nonsense!
By the way, children in Spain learn English and, when they're 11 or 12, they can choose if they want to learn another language (otherway they learn something like computering). Most people choose French, but in some schools you can learn German. I studied French and now i'm studying German. I think everybody should try to learn both languages!
What about Spanish in Austria?
Another question: do you watch subtitled or O.V. films?

Ciao Rborsoi!


YES we are SOLAR people!
It's nice to see how Mediterranean countries (Spain, Italy, Greece....), , are so similar, yet we don't share a common language.
However, next time you visit Spain, you should try to learn some words!
And don't worry, we know that Berlusconi is not the best Italian example we can look at! By the way, when do you celebrate next general elections? Do you think things are goig to change? Hope so!
I want to go to Italy some day and visit some interesting places. I fell in love with it studying Art History at school!

[ayu-sakura]

Nice to meet you ,everyone.
I think that Spaniard is very vigorous! and also friendly.
Is spanish food spicy?

[Etain]

Hello ayu-sakura!



Well, about Spanish food, it's not spicy (Mexican food is rather spicy, but both are really different between them). You may enjoy looking up for some Spanish recipes on the net: tortilla de patatas, gazpacho, paella, migas, cordero al chilindr�n, bacalao al ajoarriero...
Anyway, food in Spain is basically rice, vegetables, pasta, fish, meat, fruit... common, non-spicy stuff... and very important: olive oil!

By the way, where are you from?

[ayu-sakura]

Thank you for your replying!
I was able to know about spanish food


I am Japanese girl, 19 years old, colledge student.
What is the best point of Spain that you think?

[Etain]

Hi Ayu-sakura!

What a coincidence, I'm a 19 college student too! Are you studying anything related to Spain or Spanish culture?
There are a few exchange students from Japan at my university, and there's a postgrade about Asian culture at my faculty, but I really don't know much about your country
The best point of Spain... I suppose you're talking about places... well, it's hard to choose only one! It depends on what you like most. If you like modern cosmopolitan cities, you'll love Barcelona! If you prefer Nature... go to the north of the country: Pirineos, Cantabria, Galicia, Pa�s Vasco, Navarra... There you can find beautiful mountains, the sea, pretty villages...
The most typical Spanish region is Andaluc�a: Sevilla, Granada (look for La Alhambra!), C�rdoba (mezquita)... Sun, really nice sights and people, and much fun!
Anyway, there are lots of places that you can visit all over the country, and they are all different, that's why it's so difficult to talk about only a few of them...
What about Japanese food and worth visiting places?

[ayu-sakura]

Thank you ,Etain!
I am not studying about Spain in the class, so I do not know about Spain now. but I want to make friends all over the world! and want to know about your country!
In Japan, there are a lot of Japanese style food. For example, Sushi, miso soup, takoayaki and so on. Do you know these? Japanese food is very healthy,so this is very popular in America recently.
As to place, I recommend that you go to Kyoto prefecture. Kyoto is the part of Japan. If you go there, you can see many things Japanese. There are rows of old houses standing shoulder to shoulder. Also, there are many Buddhist temples and traditional crafts. You can feel Japan there.

I am in an end-of -year examination now. Today ,I took one test. This subject is kind of philosophy. Topic is ' the citizens of the earth and peace'.
I studied hard yesterday. I slept only 2.5 hours. So, I am very sleepy now.
What is your major ?

[wolfstone]

Spain won't longer exist. There will just be Catalans, Galicians, Basques...

[Etain]

Hi Ayu-sakura,
thanks for the information about Japan!
I think I will do some research in order to learn more about your country, because I like the few things I've heard about it!
I'm doing my exams now, but I'm not so tired as you. In fact, today I had my first exam and the next one is next Tuesday. It's not that I'm on hollyday, but I can live with it!
"The citizens of the Earth and peace". It sounds interesting! I'm very keen on these issues, and I like to spend my free time on them, but I don't know if I would like to write an exam about it...
My major: I'm studying Translation. I really like it, because we learn not only languages, but also culture. I don't see myself as a translator after finishing my studies, but I'm enjoying it and, anyway, I don't believe I'm losing my time!
I've read what Wolfstone wrote about Spain: just Catalans and so on... It's funny. Lots of work to unify all the European countries and try to be like a huge country, and we are increasingly dividing ourselves in Spain. I think it's great having different cultures and defendig them (in fact, I came to study to Catalunya a year ago and I've learned Catalan, and nobody oblied me to do so.). Just think about the advantages and disadvantages of dividing Spain in tiny pieces (and think by yourself, not influenced by what interested people may say)
By the way, Ayu-sakura, are there nationalism conflicts in Japan? And what's your major?