The Dutch student life: study, move in as soon as possible and hit the bars with your friends/student association! The Spanish student life is similar, but a little different. For many Dutch students it is hard to imagine living at home until the age of 27!

The Spanish student life means lots of partying (if you want you can go every night of the week!), living at home for a long time and of course lots of studying. In Spain, most students live at home until the age of 27, with some exceptions, of course. The students who will study a little further away and would therefore have to travel for a long time do move into rooms. They become really independent only when they have their own jobs.

Speaking of jobs... Many Spanish students did have side jobs a few years ago, but we all know the financial situation in Spain. There is hardly any work to be had. This has already led to major protests throughout the country several times. 50% of young people are unemployed. Then again, what is very nice to see is that many Spaniards remain so cheerful and sociable despite the unemployment figures! They don't lose their charm because of it!

Study in Spain

Spain is one of the favorite countries among foreign youth to study for a while. You then have the choice of studying at a Spanish university or taking a Spanish language course. Typical among students are the botellones that are held. In the park or somewhere else outdoors with a large group of people from many different countries having a drink. This drink is bought in the supermarket and put in large plastic bottles. Usually this is cola with red wine: calimocho. But cava is always good too!

Contrary to popular belief, Spanish students do receive years of English in school. However, because classes are in Spanish and series or movies on television are dubbed, they do not have the opportunity to practice the language so they do not master it. Fortunately, many foreign students do speak Spanish which allows for good communication. Plus, you learn to speak Spanish much faster when you practice it outside of school!

It already starts with dinner: in Holland punctually at 6 p.m. but in Spain usually around 10. Earlier or later is also allowed, it doesn't matter. As long as you have taken a siesta in the afternoon!

The cultural differences between Spain and Holland are quite noticeable. My first time in Spain, I was out with some friends and at 02.00 o'clock at night the little children were still running over the streets! I had never seen this before! But yes, in the summer this is the most normal thing in the world here.

Spanish food

I was just talking about dinner time, but the food itself is different, of course! In the afternoon, Spaniards eat a hot meal. I sit there every day with my sandwiches... I still haven't managed to get used to such a large meal at noon. In the evening they eat something smaller, usually tapas or a sandwich.

Spaniards love a drink! But then they don't do it like us Dutch, with half a liter of beer in your hand. In Spain it starts somewhere in the morning with a glass of red wine. Some alcohol in your coffee is also possible. In the afternoon some more wine and in the evening of course it can't be missed! We can't expect anything else from the largest wine country in the world.

Elderly people in Spain

Nice to see in Spain are the elderly people who sometimes spend whole afternoons sitting on benches talking. You won't easily see this in the Netherlands. They sit there for a while people watching and talking, it does look relaxing.

In the summer, everyone here sits comfortably on the ground! And then especially in Plaza Mayor in Salamanca is fun, all groups of people sitting on the ground talking. All this is also possible and not dirty, as the streets are cleaned EVERY night! And if you are not careful, the cleaners just spray you wet too.

As we all know, Spain has a 'mañana, mañana' culture! But really, there is nothing wrong with that, is there? Spaniards always stay calm and don't rush into things. Much more sociable. I hope that after this information about Spain, you too will now say, "I want to go to Spain!"

The popularity of bullfights in Spain is past its peak. Nowadays, protests against the event are on the increase; fewer people purchase tickets for the bullfights and more and more arenas have closed down due to financial problems. To prevent the tradition from dying out, Spain’s conservative government wants to protect the controversial spectacle by law. The Conservatives plan to declare bullfighting a “National Heritage”.

The legislative initiative that was introduced in Spanish Congress claims that bullfighting is part of the culture and heritage of all Spaniards. Furthermore the fights or “Corridas”, as they are called in Spanish, also have economical significance as the bullfighting industry creates thousands of jobs. In Spain there are more than 1,000 farms, where bulls are trained for more than 3 years to prepare the animals for the fight. These farms employ approximately 70,000 people in total. The sector has a yearly turnover of 1.5 Billion Euros. Each fight is made up of 6 bulls which can cost up to 150,000 Euros. The largest bullfighting arena in Madrid employs 400 people and pays 5 million Euros of concession fees to the city each year.

The supporters of bullfighting managed to collect 600,000 signatures (including that of Spain’s conservative Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy). He fulfilled the promise he made before he rose to power: “to do everything possible” to protect bullfights throughout Spain. As one of his first acts in office, Rajoy authorized bullfights to be broadcasted on live television.

Decreasing interest in bullfights

However, only a minority of the Spanish population, mostly the elderly, show interest in the bloody spectacle. Sold-out arenas are not as common as they were in the old days and the amount of “corridas” has been reduced to prevent a financial disaster. In the past five years, the number of bullfighting events in Spain halved to about 1,200 per year.  Formerly, every village festival included a fight.

Today, more and more people protest against the bloody tradition. “These performances are contrary to fundamental values ​​of the 21^st century, including the respect for life." says Juantxo Uralde Lopez, the spokesman for the Spanish environmental party, Equo. Catalonia, the north eastern region of Spain banned bullfights in 2012. In the Canary Islands, the spectacle was banned more than 20 years ago.

If the new national law for the protection of bullfighting is passed, the previous bullfighting ban of Catalonia and the Canary islands would be revoked. It seems very likely that the law will go through since the Conservatives have the absolute majority of seats in the parliament.

Spaniards love good food! Tapas, paella, tortilla you name it.... What cannot be missing in Spanish cuisine is olive oil. This typically Spanish element is used in almost all dishes. In Spain you can therefore also find the most delicious olive oil.

Olive oil goes way back in history, to 4000 BC. At that time, olive trees only grew near the Mediterranean Sea. But today they can grow anywhere. Spain was then the first to produce and export the oil. Besides being a healthy food element, it was also used to generate light and heat.

Spain, the largest olive oil producer in the world

Spain is the largest olive oil producer in the world. Much of Spain's olive oil is of the best quality. The type of olive oil that is considered the best with the most pronounced flavor is the Extra viegre olive oil. This is because this oil comes from one pressing. Other types of oil come from multiple pressings, which reduces the flavor. Spanish olive oil brands include Oleoestepa, Ybarra Gran Seleccion Afrutado, Carbonell and Hacendado. What is remarkable about Spanish olive oil is that it has a golden yellow hue, unlike olive oil from other countries, which are green. This makes Spanish olive oil special. What also makes Spanish olive oil different is the powerful aroma and peppery flavor it often has. Spanish olive oil is delectable.

Mediterranean cuisine

In Mediterranean cuisine, olive oil is used for everything. The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest. This is mainly because everything is used fresh and of high quality. The locals themselves are the biggest fans of their cuisine and value the use of fresh ingredients. Apart from the fact that so much is used fresh, it is also mostly healthy fats and nutrients that you get inside.Among other things, it prevents cardiovascular diseases.

It is recommended to incorporate 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in your food daily. Did you also know that olive oil ensures healthy gums and white teeth, works against wrinkles and gives you beautiful nails.  It helps combat aging and there are many cosmetic home remedies that incorporate olive oil....

We in the Netherlands can do that too! Put it summery in a salad or use it for frying. Or imitate Spanish cuisine and make tasty tapas! You can use olive oil for almost anything.

After Christmas, it's time for New Year's Eve, ´Nochevieja´. After most Spaniards stay home until midnight, a big party breaks out!

Tradition during ´Nochevieja´ is that when the clock on the Puerto del Sol in Madrid begins to strike 12 o'clock, grapes are eaten. These 12 campanadas (chimes) are televised throughout Spain. At each chime, a grape must then be quickly gulped down! The idea of this came about when there used to be an ample grape harvest in 1909. From then on it grew into the tradition as we know it today. The 12 grapes represent each month of the following year in which you will be lucky. After the grapes are snatched, of course, the Cava comes out again. New Year is celebrated lavishly in Spain while partying until dawn!

Besides the 12 grapes, there are other traditions in Spain during New Year celebrations. For example, you can put money in your shoes so you have a greater chance of fortune in the coming year. Or wear red underwear to get more love in the coming year. Some people walk with suitcases to increase the possibility of taking a trip in the next year.

Where to be during New Year celebrations in Spain is Madrid! In the capital of Spain, there is an exuberant celebration in the many bars, nightclubs, squares but most of all in the streets! And with a glass of cava in your hand you will feel like a real Madrileen!

But New Year can also be celebrated well in Barcelona! Especially the Ramblas and Plaça Catalunya are crowded and here the New Year is celebrated exuberantly. No fireworks are set off by the Barcelonans themselves, but the municipality organizes fireworks shows at different places in the city, including the beach! On the beach there are also many nice tents where you are sure to have a top time during Nochevieja!

In Salamanca, all students celebrate Nochevieja on December 13. Most go home for the holidays, but in order to be able to celebrate together, they do it earlier. This is one of the biggest parties of the year in the student city. The whole Plaza Mayor is filled with partying students!

¡"Feliz Año Nuevo"! (Happy New Year!)

Christmas and New Year are both important celebrations, which is why they are also celebrated in Spain in a big way! The Christmas atmosphere is very noticeable in the Spanish streets from the beginning of December. Everything is decorated, nativity scenes are placed and Christmas lights are also hung everywhere. In Spain, as in Holland, Christmas is celebrated with your family. Families eat a lot and a lot.

Christmas Eve in Spain is called "Nochebuena", which also means the good evening. During "Nochebuena" the Spaniards go to the Midnight Mass which is called "La Misa Del Gallo" (the Mass of the Cock). It is so called because a rooster announced the birth of Jesus. During the Nochebuena, children receive some small gifts, but the real "gift-giving" takes place in Spain when the Three Kings visit on January 6.

But Spaniards wouldn't be Spaniards if they didn't have special Christmas customs. Indeed, in Granada and Jaén, people jump over fires to protect themselves from disease. Also, in other regions, a special Christmas dance is performed that is more than a hundred years old. Spaniards, unlike us Dutch, only send Christmas cards to the people they will not see soon. If you do see someone often, you can also wish them a Merry Christmas in person, according to the Spanish.

At the Christmas markets in Barcelona and the surrounding area, there is also something funny to see; figurines of famous politicians and BE´ers (Famous Españoles) doing their business. These ´poopers´ symbolize the fertility that excrement gives to the ground. Besides, of course, it is also funny to see.

Therefore, the two most enjoyable Christmas markets in Spain are those of Barcelona, and of the capital Madrid. Barcelona's largest Christmas market is the Fira de Santa Llucía, where you can admire the nativity scene and stroll past more than 300 stalls. And there is even a musical parade! The Christmas market in Madrid's Plaza Mayor is large and characteristic every year. Spaniards and tourists alike come from far and wide to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in this square in December.

One of the most important events during Christmas in Spain is ´El Gordo´, which means ´the fat one´. This is the biggest state-run lottery and world famous! Spaniards look forward to this Christmas tradition for a long time and when the numbers are finally drawn, they are sung by school children.

After everyone has wished each other Feliz Navidad, or Merry Christmas, it's already time to celebrate New Year's Eve, which, of course, also happens in a big way. Keep the Cava coming!

From the beginning of December, everything changes in Spain! Christmas decorations are hung in the streets, stores are decorated. Families like to get together at Christmas to eat and drink together, celebrate, and get presents.

Typical dishes of Spanish cuisine for Christmas Eve are suckling pig and lamb on a spit, turkey, not to mention, of course, fish and shellfish. After everyone has eaten a lot, the night mass is attended ´La misa del gallo´. But of course not before drinking a glass of cava, one of the traditions in Spain!

On Christmas Day, children receive gifts from ´Papa Noel´, but the gifts on January 6 from the Three Kings, Los Reyes Magos are much more popular! Especially for children, this is a big celebration! Weeks in advance they are busy writing letters and wish lists for the kings. The party is similar to our St. Nicholas party, with processions, water prepared for the camels and also charcoal for the little kids who were not so sweet. Furthermore, Christmas Day is mainly an addition to Christmas Eve. The family is visited and festive meals are eaten according to typical traditions in Spain.

As you probably know, good food is very important to Spaniards! Spanish cuisine has many delicacies. Real Spanish Christmas favourites are Turron from Alicante, Bacalao with cauliflower, crab, lobster, scallops, roasted prawns and turkey.

Other typical plates for Christmas in Spain are dishes with oranges. such as caramelized oranges, flambéed oranges, fish filet á l´orange, there is an awful lot to choose from!

On Epiphany, a typical cake with decorations of dried fruit, or "Roscón de los Reyes," is eaten for breakfast or after lunch. The fruit symbolizes the rubies and emeralds of the three kings. There are 2 figures hidden in the cake. A gift that, when you find it, makes you kings or queens for the rest of the day. And a bean, which means whoever finds it will have to pay for the cake next time.

After Christmas is over, Spaniards have another fun tradition. Namely, on December 28, they celebrate ´1-April´. This is called the Day of the Innocent Saint or "Día de los Santos Inocentes" in Spain. On this day, Spaniards play pranks on their friends and family and strange and absurd news appears in the newspaper.

Spain is a wonderful country to live in or to spend some time.... Here you will also find many kinds of animals! As in the Netherlands, and many other countries, quite a few dogs are kept at home. This is often done in a house with a garden or just in their apartment in the city, all can be done here with all those parks!

Many people have an apartment in the city and a bigger house with a garden in a village. In this village they usually live in the summer or on weekends and holidays. If they have a dog it often lives in the village. Also many people just have a dog in their apartment. These are usually smaller companion dogs. And they can stay just fine in an apartment, which is perfectly normal in Spain. They are let out in one of the many Spanish parks.
When you are on vacation in Spain, you can easily take your dog with you too! You bring it to a part-time or full-time dog hotel. So when you want to go shopping or to the beach for a day without your dog, you can bring it to the dog hotel. This also applies when you live in Spain with your dog. Many foreigners who have settled in Spain, but also (rich) Spaniards themselves regularly bring their dogs to the shelter.

In Spain it also happens that people do not take good care of their dogs and there are quite a few stray dogs that end up in the shelter. What is unfortunate is that many of these shelters in Spain are already overcrowded. This is of course not nice for the dogs at all! As a Dutchman you have many opportunities to adopt a Spanish dog and give them a better life.

Many things are written about animal welfare in Spain. There are many different opinions, negative and positive. I can only write from my own experience and it is positive. Fortunately, I have never noticed anything strange! When I walk down the street or along the water here in Spain, or run through the park on weekends, I see many people walking and playing with their dogs. There are even true meeting places where people get together with their dogs!

Bullfighting in Spain. Some consider it a wonderful Spanish tradition, and others abhor it. Bullfighting is very popular in Spain, and for many Spaniards it is a cultural activity. They see it as a kind of artistic expression and are proud of it.

Bullfighting is one of the oldest Spanish traditions. Centuries ago, the first fight already took place. The bulls are first put in a pasture for 6 to 7 years so they can eat a lot. They have (usually) had a nice life, unlike other animals. This bull meat is therefore considered the best of the best. When they are ready, they are taken from the pasture and have to perform.

A fight takes place between bullfighters, also called toreros, and a bull. This fight is made up of several phases, with each torero having his own phase. It begins with chasing the bull so that it becomes wild. Next, riders on horses enter the arena and stab the bull a few times. What follows is the matador who carries 2 sticks and uses them to poke the bull in the neck.

Then you hear a trumpet and the torero gets a knife. The idea is that he stabs the knife between the shoulders of the bull straight into the heart, otherwise he dies immediately. If this does not happen, he will continue to live and thus suffer for several minutes.

Basically, it's very simple. The one who stays alive wins. It is a matter of life or death where the toreros are given the task of making it a spectacular show. The torero who kills the bull is also called matador. If the audience thinks the matador did a good job, he gets loud applause and "olé!" is shouted. And, if it was really very good, the audience waves white scarves or other items. If the audience is dissatisfied, they stay frosty quiet or they start shouting.

In Seville you will find one of the oldest bullrings built specifically for bullfighting, the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza. The beginning of the construction of this bullring was made in 1758. Therefore, Seville is known as the best place to watch a bullfight.

We may not think of Spain as the basketball country par excellence, but the national team has achieved many successes. The team has won silver in the past two Olympics and even became world champions in 2006.

One of the most important players on this team is Pau Gasol. He has also put basketball in Spain on the international map and has become a national hero. For example, he was even allowed to carry the flag for Spain during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

When he enrolled in 1998 to study medicine at the University of Barcelona, his career lifted as well. In 1999, Pau Gasol began his professional career with the club FC Barcelona Bàsquet and put his studies on hold. In the two seasons he played for this club, he won the national league, the Liga ACB, both years. A move to America was in store for him, and so in 2001 he was enlisted at the Memphis Grizzlies club in the United States. At this club, Pau Gasol was active until February 2008. His younger brother Marc Gasol also followed him to this club.

After almost 7 years, the star basketball player joined the famous team of the LA Lakers. With this team, he even became champion of the NBA in America in 2009 and 2010.